سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 40
وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْبُدُونَ ﴿40﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) the Day when He will gather them all together, then He will say to the angels: "Was it you that these people used to worship?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَيَوْمَ
wayawma
And (the) Day
يَحْشُرُهُمْ
yaḥshuruhum
He will gather them
جَمِيعًۭا
jamīʿan
all
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
يَقُولُ
yaqūlu
He will say
لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ
lil'malāikati
to the Angels
أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ
ahāulāi
Were these you
إِيَّاكُمْ
iyyākum
Were these you
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they were
يَعْبُدُونَ
yaʿbudūna
worshipping
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 40) ➊ {وَ يَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيْعًا ثُمَّ يَقُوْلُ لِلْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةِ…:} Its conjunction is with {’’ وَ لَوْ تَرٰۤى اِذِ الظّٰلِمُوْنَ مَوْقُوْفُوْنَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ ‘‘}. After mentioning the disassociation of the arrogant from the weak, and depicting their miserable state on that Day, now the disassociation of the angels from them is mentioned, describing their humiliation and helplessness on that Day.
➋ Mufassir Abdul Rahman Kilani (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “The polytheists, whether from the Prophetic era, before it, or after it, did not say that we worship these idols or these graves. Rather, behind their beliefs was an entire fabricated philosophy. For example, those who worshipped the sun would first create an imaginary image or depiction of the sun’s spirit, then make a statue according to that imaginary image, then believe that the spirit of the sun remains constantly connected to that statue, and that when they worship the statue of the sun, in reality, they are not worshipping the idol but the sun deity. The polytheists had made many such goddesses and gods. These statues were not only of manifestations of nature but also of certain attributes, and those attributes would be attributed to planets. For example, such-and-such is the goddess of knowledge, such-and-such is the goddess of wealth, etc. Then some polytheists would make imaginary statues of angels and worship them. A large number of the Arab polytheists were such that they considered angels to be the daughters of Allah, and would make statues of Lat, Manat, and Uzza and worship them, believing that they were not worshipping the idols but the angels whose spirits remained attached to those statues or idols. Similarly, grave-worshippers also believe that they are not worshipping the grave itself, but all their devotions and offerings are for the occupant of the grave, whose spirit remains attached to the grave. Since among all these objects of worship, angels are the superior creation, therefore, on the Day of Resurrection, to shame the polytheists and fill them with regret, Allah Almighty will question them: Did these people worship you? Did you tell them to worship you, or did you ever wish for such a thing? And although this question will be addressed to the angels, the purpose will be to disgrace and silence those who worshipped them.”
➌ On the Day of Resurrection, this question will not only be asked of the angels but also of all those beings who were worshipped in the world. In Surah Al-Furqan it is said: « وَ يَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ وَ مَا يَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ فَيَقُوْلُ ءَاَنْتُمْ اَضْلَلْتُمْ عِبَادِيْ هٰۤؤُلَآءِ اَمْ هُمْ ضَلُّوا السَّبِيْلَ » [ الفرقان : ۱۷ ] “And the Day He will gather them and those whom they worshipped besides Allah, then He will say: Did you mislead these My servants, or did they themselves stray from the path?” And in Surah Al-Ma’idah it is said: « وَ اِذْ قَالَ اللّٰهُ يٰعِيْسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ءَاَنْتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُوْنِيْ وَ اُمِّيَ اِلٰهَيْنِ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ» [ المائدۃ : ۱۱۶ ] “And when Allah will say: O ‘Isa son of Maryam! Did you say to the people: Take me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?”
➋ Mufassir Abdul Rahman Kilani (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “The polytheists, whether from the Prophetic era, before it, or after it, did not say that we worship these idols or these graves. Rather, behind their beliefs was an entire fabricated philosophy. For example, those who worshipped the sun would first create an imaginary image or depiction of the sun’s spirit, then make a statue according to that imaginary image, then believe that the spirit of the sun remains constantly connected to that statue, and that when they worship the statue of the sun, in reality, they are not worshipping the idol but the sun deity. The polytheists had made many such goddesses and gods. These statues were not only of manifestations of nature but also of certain attributes, and those attributes would be attributed to planets. For example, such-and-such is the goddess of knowledge, such-and-such is the goddess of wealth, etc. Then some polytheists would make imaginary statues of angels and worship them. A large number of the Arab polytheists were such that they considered angels to be the daughters of Allah, and would make statues of Lat, Manat, and Uzza and worship them, believing that they were not worshipping the idols but the angels whose spirits remained attached to those statues or idols. Similarly, grave-worshippers also believe that they are not worshipping the grave itself, but all their devotions and offerings are for the occupant of the grave, whose spirit remains attached to the grave. Since among all these objects of worship, angels are the superior creation, therefore, on the Day of Resurrection, to shame the polytheists and fill them with regret, Allah Almighty will question them: Did these people worship you? Did you tell them to worship you, or did you ever wish for such a thing? And although this question will be addressed to the angels, the purpose will be to disgrace and silence those who worshipped them.”
➌ On the Day of Resurrection, this question will not only be asked of the angels but also of all those beings who were worshipped in the world. In Surah Al-Furqan it is said: « وَ يَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ وَ مَا يَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ فَيَقُوْلُ ءَاَنْتُمْ اَضْلَلْتُمْ عِبَادِيْ هٰۤؤُلَآءِ اَمْ هُمْ ضَلُّوا السَّبِيْلَ » [ الفرقان : ۱۷ ] “And the Day He will gather them and those whom they worshipped besides Allah, then He will say: Did you mislead these My servants, or did they themselves stray from the path?” And in Surah Al-Ma’idah it is said: « وَ اِذْ قَالَ اللّٰهُ يٰعِيْسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ءَاَنْتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُوْنِيْ وَ اُمِّيَ اِلٰهَيْنِ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ» [ المائدۃ : ۱۱۶ ] “And when Allah will say: O ‘Isa son of Maryam! Did you say to the people: Take me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?”
