سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 52
وَقَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ ٱلتَّنَاوُشُ مِن مَّكَانٍۭ بَعِيدٍ ﴿52﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And they will say (in the Hereafter): "We do believe (now):" but how could they receive (Faith and the acceptance of their repentance by Allâh) from a place so far off (i.e. to return to the worldly life again).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَالُوٓا۟
waqālū
And they will say
ءَامَنَّا
āmannā
We believe
بِهِۦ
bihi
in it
وَأَنَّىٰ
wa-annā
But how
لَهُمُ
lahumu
for them
ٱلتَّنَاوُشُ
l-tanāwushu
(will be) the receiving
مِن
min
from
مَّكَانٍۭ
makānin
a place
بَعِيدٍۢ
baʿīdin
far off
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 52) ➊ { وَ قَالُوْۤا اٰمَنَّا بِهٖ :} That is, when they will see the punishment of the Hereafter, they will say, “We have believed in Allah, the One,” as mentioned elsewhere: « فَلَمَّا رَاَوْا بَاْسَنَا قَالُوْۤا اٰمَنَّا بِاللّٰهِ وَحْدَهٗ وَ كَفَرْنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهٖ مُشْرِكِيْنَ» [ المؤمن : ۸۴ ] “Then when they saw Our punishment, they said, ‘We believe in Allah alone, and we disbelieve in that which we used to associate with Him.’” And He said: « وَ لَوْ تَرٰۤى اِذِ الْمُجْرِمُوْنَ نَاكِسُوْا رُءُوْسِهِمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَاۤ اَبْصَرْنَا وَ سَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا اِنَّا مُوْقِنُوْنَ» [ السجدۃ : ۱۲ ] “And if only you could see when the criminals will hang their heads before their Lord, [saying], ‘Our Lord, we have seen and we have heard, so send us back; we will do righteous deeds. Indeed, we are now certain.’”
➋ {وَ اَنّٰى لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ مِنْ مَّكَانٍۭ بَعِيْدٍ : ’’ التَّنَاوُشُ ‘‘} To easily obtain or take something. That is, the place for bringing faith was the world, which has now become very distant; so how is it possible to obtain faith from such a distant place? After seeing the punishment, bringing faith will not benefit; its time was before the throes of death. Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَقْبَلُ تَوْبَةَ الْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يُغَرْغِرْ ] [ ترمذي، الدعوات، باب إن اللّٰہ یقبل توبۃ العبد… : ۳۵۳۷، قال الألباني حسن ] “Allah accepts the repentance of the servant as long as he does not begin to gurgle at the time of death.”
➋ {وَ اَنّٰى لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ مِنْ مَّكَانٍۭ بَعِيْدٍ : ’’ التَّنَاوُشُ ‘‘} To easily obtain or take something. That is, the place for bringing faith was the world, which has now become very distant; so how is it possible to obtain faith from such a distant place? After seeing the punishment, bringing faith will not benefit; its time was before the throes of death. Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَقْبَلُ تَوْبَةَ الْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يُغَرْغِرْ ] [ ترمذي، الدعوات، باب إن اللّٰہ یقبل توبۃ العبد… : ۳۵۳۷، قال الألباني حسن ] “Allah accepts the repentance of the servant as long as he does not begin to gurgle at the time of death.”
