سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 8
أَفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَم بِهِۦ جِنَّةٌۢ ۗ بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ وَٱلضَّلَـٰلِ ٱلْبَعِيدِ ﴿8﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Has he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) invented a lie against Allâh, or is there a madness in him? Nay, but those who disbelieve in the Hereafter are (themselves) in a torment, and in far error.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفْتَرَىٰ
aftarā
Has he invented
عَلَى
ʿalā
about
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
كَذِبًا
kadhiban
a lie
أَم
am
or
بِهِۦ
bihi
in him
جِنَّةٌۢ ۗ
jinnatun
(is) madness
بَلِ
bali
Nay
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
لَا
lā
(do) not
يُؤْمِنُونَ
yu'minūna
believe
بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ
bil-ākhirati
in the Hereafter
فِى
fī
(will be) in
ٱلْعَذَابِ
l-ʿadhābi
the punishment
وَٱلضَّلَـٰلِ
wal-ḍalāli
and error
ٱلْبَعِيدِ
l-baʿīdi
far
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 8) ➊ { اَفْتَرٰى عَلَى اللّٰهِ كَذِبًا … :} That is, his saying that after being reduced to fragments you will be brought to life anew, is not free from two possibilities: either, while being of sound mind and senses, he is deliberately fabricating a lie against Allah Almighty and attributing to Him something He has not said, or he is insane, his mind is deranged, and he says whatever comes to his mind without thinking. [ نَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰہِ مِنْ ذٰلِکَ ]
➋ { بَلِ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِالْاٰخِرَةِ … :} The entire life of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was spent before the Quraysh of Makkah. (See Yunus: 16) Both of these things about him were so baseless that there was no need to refute them, because the truthfulness and trustworthiness of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was accepted by all. (See An'am: 33) As, upon Abu Sufyan's admission that he knew of no incident of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) lying, Heraclius had said: "It is not possible that he would not lie to people, but would then lie against Allah Almighty." [ دیکھیے بخاري : ۷ ] As for the claim of being insane or mad, the perfection of his intellect was evident to both friends and foes, so Allah Almighty said, neither of these two things is true; the real matter is that those who deny the Hereafter are acting out of ignorance and foolishness, and do not even try to reach the depth of the matter through reflection, because of which they have strayed far from the truth and the straight path, and are walking on a path that will lead them straight to the punishment of Hell. Instead, they are calling the one who walks the straight path a liar or insane.
➋ { بَلِ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِالْاٰخِرَةِ … :} The entire life of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was spent before the Quraysh of Makkah. (See Yunus: 16) Both of these things about him were so baseless that there was no need to refute them, because the truthfulness and trustworthiness of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was accepted by all. (See An'am: 33) As, upon Abu Sufyan's admission that he knew of no incident of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) lying, Heraclius had said: "It is not possible that he would not lie to people, but would then lie against Allah Almighty." [ دیکھیے بخاري : ۷ ] As for the claim of being insane or mad, the perfection of his intellect was evident to both friends and foes, so Allah Almighty said, neither of these two things is true; the real matter is that those who deny the Hereafter are acting out of ignorance and foolishness, and do not even try to reach the depth of the matter through reflection, because of which they have strayed far from the truth and the straight path, and are walking on a path that will lead them straight to the punishment of Hell. Instead, they are calling the one who walks the straight path a liar or insane.
