سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ
Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 10
إِذْ جَآءُوكُم مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ وَبَلَغَتِ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ٱلْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلظُّنُونَا۠ ﴿10﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harbouring doubts about Allâh.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِذْ
idh
When
جَآءُوكُم
jāūkum
they came upon you
مِّن
min
from
فَوْقِكُمْ
fawqikum
above you
وَمِنْ
wamin
and from
أَسْفَلَ
asfala
below
مِنكُمْ
minkum
you
وَإِذْ
wa-idh
and when
زَاغَتِ
zāghati
grew wild
ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ
l-abṣāru
the eyes
وَبَلَغَتِ
wabalaghati
and reached
ٱلْقُلُوبُ
l-qulūbu
the hearts
ٱلْحَنَاجِرَ
l-ḥanājira
the throats
وَتَظُنُّونَ
wataẓunnūna
and you assumed
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
about Allah
ٱلظُّنُونَا۠
l-ẓunūnā
the assumptions
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 10) ➊ { اِذْ جَآءُوْكُمْ مِّنْ فَوْقِكُمْ:} By this is meant the upper part of Madinah, that is, the eastern side. From this direction came the tribe of Ghatafan under the leadership of Uyainah bin Hisn, the tribe of Hawazin under the leadership of ‘Awf bin Malik, and the tribes of Najd under the leadership of Tulayhah bin Khuwailid al-Asadi. The Jews of Banu Nadir also joined them.
➋ { وَ مِنْ اَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ :} By the lower side is meant the western part of Madinah. From this direction came the disbelievers of Makkah under the leadership of Abu Sufyan bin Harb and some other people. In the very midst of battle, Banu Qurayzah also broke their treaty and joined the enemy.
➌ { وَ اِذْ زَاغَتِ الْاَبْصَارُ: ’’ زَاغَ يَزِيْغُ زَيْغًا ‘‘} (ض) means {’’مَالَ‘‘}, that is, to bend, to become crooked. In Surah Najm it is said: «{ مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَ مَا طَغٰى }» [ النجم : ۱۷ ] “The sight did not swerve, nor did it transgress the limit.” Allah Almighty has placed a special quality in the movement of the eye in the directions above, below, right, and left; when there is extreme fear or panic, the gaze turns away from these directions, sometimes remaining wide open, as He said: «{ فَاِذَا هِيَ شَاخِصَةٌ اَبْصَارُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا }» [ الأنبیاء : ۹۷ ] “Then suddenly it will happen that the eyes of those who disbelieved will remain wide open.” Sometimes it remains turned in one direction, as in this verse, and sometimes it starts moving uncontrollably, as will come ahead: «{ تَدُوْرُ اَعْيُنُهُمْ كَالَّذِيْ يُغْشٰى عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ }» [ الأحزاب : ۱۹ ] “They look as if their eyes are revolving like one who is overcome by death.” The meaning is the intensity of fear.
➍ {وَ بَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوْبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ : ’’ الْحَنَاجِرَ ‘‘ ’’حَنْجَرَةٌ‘‘ } is the plural of 'ḥanjarah', the last part of the throat. It paints a picture of the intensity of fear, as if the heart, due to severe palpitations and panic, has left its place and reached up to the throat. Baqa‘i said, it may be that this is not a simile but a reality, that the spleen and lungs swell and push the heart towards the throat; that is why a coward is called: {’’ اِنْتَفَخَ مَنْخِرُهُ أَيْ رِئَتُهُ ‘‘} meaning his lung has swollen. Sometimes, due to the heart moving towards the throat out of fear, a person’s breath is cut off and he dies. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ شَرُّ مَا فِيْ رَجُلٍ شُحٌّ هَالِعٌ ، وَجُبْنٌ خَالِعٌ ] [ مسند أحمد : 320/2، ح : ۸۲۸۳، عن أبي ہریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ، صحیح ] “The worst thing in a man is intense greed which is unnerving, and cowardice which takes out the heart.”
➎ { وَ تَظُنُّوْنَ بِاللّٰهِ الظُّنُوْنَا:} By this is meant either people of weak faith, because the mention of those with firm faith is coming ahead, as He said: «{ وَ لَمَّا رَاَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ الْاَحْزَابَ قَالُوْا هٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللّٰهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهٗ وَ صَدَقَ اللّٰهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهٗ وَ مَا زَادَهُمْ اِلَّاۤ اِيْمَانًا وَّ تَسْلِيْمًا }» [ الأحزاب : ۲۲ ] “And when the believers saw the armies, they said, ‘This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth,’ and it only increased them in faith and submission.” Such people of weak faith were thinking that this time they would not be saved. Or, all the believers are meant, and by various thoughts are meant those thoughts that involuntarily come to the heart at such a time, as in Surah al-Baqarah (2:214) and Surah Yusuf (12:110).
➋ { وَ مِنْ اَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ :} By the lower side is meant the western part of Madinah. From this direction came the disbelievers of Makkah under the leadership of Abu Sufyan bin Harb and some other people. In the very midst of battle, Banu Qurayzah also broke their treaty and joined the enemy.
➌ { وَ اِذْ زَاغَتِ الْاَبْصَارُ: ’’ زَاغَ يَزِيْغُ زَيْغًا ‘‘} (ض) means {’’مَالَ‘‘}, that is, to bend, to become crooked. In Surah Najm it is said: «{ مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَ مَا طَغٰى }» [ النجم : ۱۷ ] “The sight did not swerve, nor did it transgress the limit.” Allah Almighty has placed a special quality in the movement of the eye in the directions above, below, right, and left; when there is extreme fear or panic, the gaze turns away from these directions, sometimes remaining wide open, as He said: «{ فَاِذَا هِيَ شَاخِصَةٌ اَبْصَارُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا }» [ الأنبیاء : ۹۷ ] “Then suddenly it will happen that the eyes of those who disbelieved will remain wide open.” Sometimes it remains turned in one direction, as in this verse, and sometimes it starts moving uncontrollably, as will come ahead: «{ تَدُوْرُ اَعْيُنُهُمْ كَالَّذِيْ يُغْشٰى عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ }» [ الأحزاب : ۱۹ ] “They look as if their eyes are revolving like one who is overcome by death.” The meaning is the intensity of fear.
➍ {وَ بَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوْبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ : ’’ الْحَنَاجِرَ ‘‘ ’’حَنْجَرَةٌ‘‘ } is the plural of 'ḥanjarah', the last part of the throat. It paints a picture of the intensity of fear, as if the heart, due to severe palpitations and panic, has left its place and reached up to the throat. Baqa‘i said, it may be that this is not a simile but a reality, that the spleen and lungs swell and push the heart towards the throat; that is why a coward is called: {’’ اِنْتَفَخَ مَنْخِرُهُ أَيْ رِئَتُهُ ‘‘} meaning his lung has swollen. Sometimes, due to the heart moving towards the throat out of fear, a person’s breath is cut off and he dies. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ شَرُّ مَا فِيْ رَجُلٍ شُحٌّ هَالِعٌ ، وَجُبْنٌ خَالِعٌ ] [ مسند أحمد : 320/2، ح : ۸۲۸۳، عن أبي ہریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ، صحیح ] “The worst thing in a man is intense greed which is unnerving, and cowardice which takes out the heart.”
➎ { وَ تَظُنُّوْنَ بِاللّٰهِ الظُّنُوْنَا:} By this is meant either people of weak faith, because the mention of those with firm faith is coming ahead, as He said: «{ وَ لَمَّا رَاَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ الْاَحْزَابَ قَالُوْا هٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللّٰهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهٗ وَ صَدَقَ اللّٰهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهٗ وَ مَا زَادَهُمْ اِلَّاۤ اِيْمَانًا وَّ تَسْلِيْمًا }» [ الأحزاب : ۲۲ ] “And when the believers saw the armies, they said, ‘This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth,’ and it only increased them in faith and submission.” Such people of weak faith were thinking that this time they would not be saved. Or, all the believers are meant, and by various thoughts are meant those thoughts that involuntarily come to the heart at such a time, as in Surah al-Baqarah (2:214) and Surah Yusuf (12:110).
