سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 17
ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَـٰهُم بِمَا كَفَرُوا۟ ۖ وَهَلْ نُجَـٰزِىٓ إِلَّا ٱلْكَفُورَ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Like this We requited them because they were ungrateful disbelievers. And never do We requite in such a way except those who are ungrateful (disbelievers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
جَزَيْنَـٰهُم
jazaynāhum
We recompensed them
بِمَا
bimā
because
كَفَرُوا۟ ۖ
kafarū
they disbelieved
وَهَلْ
wahal
And not
نُجَـٰزِىٓ
nujāzī
We recompense
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلْكَفُورَ
l-kafūra
the ungrateful
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 17) {ذٰلِكَ جَزَيْنٰهُمْ بِمَا كَفَرُوْا … : ’’ الْكَفُوْرَ ‘‘} is an intensive form, meaning one who is extremely disbelieving, extremely ungrateful. That is, We gave them the recompense for what they did in ungratefulness, and such a severe punishment We give only to one who is extremely ungrateful, that is, a disbeliever and polytheist, because the greatest ingratitude and the greatest injustice is indeed shirk . With those who are guilty of minor ingratitude, Our approach is one of forgiveness. From the words of {’’ وَ هَلْ نُجٰزِيْۤ اِلَّا الْكَفُوْرَ ‘‘}, it is understood that here some words, which are mentioned ahead in parentheses, are omitted, that is, We gave them this recompense in return for what they did in ungratefulness (and exceeded all bounds in ingratitude), and We give such a severe recompense only to one who is extremely ungrateful.
