سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 86
كَيْفَ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا۟ بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِهِمْ وَشَهِدُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱلرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ وَجَآءَهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿86﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
How shall Allâh guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and after they bore witness that the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) is true and after clear proofs had come unto them? And Allâh guides not the people who are Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
كَيْفَ
kayfa
How
يَهْدِى
yahdī
(shall) guide
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
قَوْمًۭا
qawman
a people
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
(who) disbelieved
بَعْدَ
baʿda
after
إِيمَـٰنِهِمْ
īmānihim
their belief
وَشَهِدُوٓا۟
washahidū
and (had) witnessed
أَنَّ
anna
that
ٱلرَّسُولَ
l-rasūla
the Messenger
حَقٌّۭ
ḥaqqun
(is) true
وَجَآءَهُمُ
wajāahumu
and came to them
ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ ۚ
l-bayinātu
the clear proofs
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
لَا
lā
(does) not
يَهْدِى
yahdī
guide
ٱلْقَوْمَ
l-qawma
the people
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
[the] wrongdoers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 86 to 88) ➊ That is, those people who, even after the truth has become completely clear and after seeing the clear proofs of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) being a true prophet, still persist in disbelief merely out of arrogance, jealousy, and love for wealth and status, or after accepting Islam once, then become apostates, they are utterly unjust and wretched. Showing the path of guidance to such people is not Allah’s law. From this, it is understood that an apostate is a greater criminal than a disbeliever. (Ibn Kathir, Shawkani)
➋ Hasan Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) has given the best explanation of this with another verse, that by this are meant the People of the Book. They used to find Muhammad (peace be upon him) in their books, and used to pray for victory through him at his coming (as if they believed in him). When he came, they chose to disbelieve in him, as Allah said: « كَانُوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُوْنَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ مَّا عَرَفُوْا كَفَرُوْا بِهٖ فَلَعْنَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى الْكٰفِرِيْنَ» [البقرۃ : ۸۹ ] “Although before this they used to pray for victory over those who disbelieved, but when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allah is on the disbelievers.” (Tabari with a Hasan chain)
➋ Hasan Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) has given the best explanation of this with another verse, that by this are meant the People of the Book. They used to find Muhammad (peace be upon him) in their books, and used to pray for victory through him at his coming (as if they believed in him). When he came, they chose to disbelieve in him, as Allah said: « كَانُوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُوْنَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ مَّا عَرَفُوْا كَفَرُوْا بِهٖ فَلَعْنَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَى الْكٰفِرِيْنَ» [البقرۃ : ۸۹ ] “Although before this they used to pray for victory over those who disbelieved, but when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allah is on the disbelievers.” (Tabari with a Hasan chain)
