سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 41
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِن دُونِهِم ۖ بَلْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْبُدُونَ ٱلْجِنَّ ۖ أَكْثَرُهُم بِهِم مُّؤْمِنُونَ ﴿41﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They (the angels) will say: "Glorified be You! You are our Walî (Lord) instead of them. Nay, but they used to worship the jinn; most of them were believers in them."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They will say
سُبْحَـٰنَكَ
sub'ḥānaka
Glory be to You
أَنتَ
anta
You
وَلِيُّنَا
waliyyunā
(are) our Protector
مِن
min
not them
دُونِهِم ۖ
dūnihim
not them
بَلْ
bal
Nay
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they used
يَعْبُدُونَ
yaʿbudūna
(to) worship
ٱلْجِنَّ ۖ
l-jina
the jinn
أَكْثَرُهُم
aktharuhum
most of them
بِهِم
bihim
in them
مُّؤْمِنُونَ
mu'minūna
(were) believers
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 41) ➊ {قَالُوْا سُبْحٰنَكَ اَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِنْ دُوْنِهِمْ:} That is, the angels too, like Isa (peace be upon him), will declare the purity of Allah and present their own innocence, and will say, "You are free from having any partner; we are only Your servants and You alone are our Protector; our friendship is only with You, we have no friendship or connection with them."
➋ { بَلْ كَانُوْا يَعْبُدُوْنَ الْجِنَّ … :} That is, although outwardly they made idols of us and worshipped us, in reality they were worshipping the devils, because it was the devils who showed them this path—to consider others as deities besides You, to present offerings to them, and to call upon them for the fulfillment of their needs. By {’’ الْجِنَّ ‘‘} is meant the devils, as stated elsewhere: «اِنْ يَّدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖۤ اِلَّاۤ اِنٰثًا وَ اِنْ يَّدْعُوْنَ اِلَّا شَيْطٰنًا مَّرِيْدًا » [ النساء : ۱۱۷ ] "They do not call upon except female deities, and they do not call upon except a rebellious devil."
➋ { بَلْ كَانُوْا يَعْبُدُوْنَ الْجِنَّ … :} That is, although outwardly they made idols of us and worshipped us, in reality they were worshipping the devils, because it was the devils who showed them this path—to consider others as deities besides You, to present offerings to them, and to call upon them for the fulfillment of their needs. By {’’ الْجِنَّ ‘‘} is meant the devils, as stated elsewhere: «اِنْ يَّدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖۤ اِلَّاۤ اِنٰثًا وَ اِنْ يَّدْعُوْنَ اِلَّا شَيْطٰنًا مَّرِيْدًا » [ النساء : ۱۱۷ ] "They do not call upon except female deities, and they do not call upon except a rebellious devil."
