سُوْرَةُ فَاطِرٍ
Surah Faatir (35) — Ayah 39
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ فَمَن كَفَرَ فَعَلَيْهِ كُفْرُهُۥ ۖ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا مَقْتًا ۖ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ إِلَّا خَسَارًا ﴿39﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He it is Who has made you successors generations after generations in the earth, so whosoever disbelieves (in Islâmic Monotheism) on him will be his disbelief. And the disbelief of the disbelievers adds nothing but hatred of their Lord. And the disbelief of the disbelievers adds nothing but loss.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
هُوَ
huwa
He
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
(is) the One Who
جَعَلَكُمْ
jaʿalakum
made you
خَلَـٰٓئِفَ
khalāifa
successors
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
l-arḍi
the earth
فَمَن
faman
And whoever
كَفَرَ
kafara
disbelieves
فَعَلَيْهِ
faʿalayhi
then upon him
كُفْرُهُۥ ۖ
kuf'ruhu
(is) his disbelief
وَلَا
walā
And not
يَزِيدُ
yazīdu
increase
ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
l-kāfirīna
the disbelievers
كُفْرُهُمْ
kuf'ruhum
their disbelief
عِندَ
ʿinda
near
رَبِّهِمْ
rabbihim
their Lord
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَقْتًۭا ۖ
maqtan
(in) hatred
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَزِيدُ
yazīdu
increase
ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
l-kāfirīna
the disbelievers
كُفْرُهُمْ
kuf'ruhum
their disbelief
إِلَّا
illā
except
خَسَارًۭا
khasāran
(in) loss
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 39) ➊ { هُوَ الَّذِيْ جَعَلَكُمْ خَلٰٓىِٕفَ فِي الْاَرْضِ :} Reflect on His favor and your disbelief and ingratitude; see His kindness that He caused the previous generation to die and made you successors in their place, and made you owners of the earth and all that is in it. (To understand the meaning of "khalifah," see the commentary of Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah (30) {’’ اِنِّيْ جَاعِلٌ فِي الْاَرْضِ خَلِيْفَةً ‘‘}). If, with every new generation, all the previous generations also remained, there would be neither space to live on earth nor would their needs be fulfilled. In return for this favor, you showed ingratitude, refused to acknowledge His kindness, and associated partners with Him—those who neither created anything nor have any share in the creation or ownership of the earth, and you began to call upon them.
➋ { فَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَعَلَيْهِ كُفْرُهٗ :} So whoever is ungrateful for this blessing and refuses to acknowledge His favor and accept His commands, the consequence of his ingratitude and denial will fall upon him alone; no one else will be harmed by it.
➌ { وَ لَا يَزِيْدُ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ كُفْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ اِلَّا مَقْتًا … :} That is, if the disbelievers, despite their disbelief, have been granted succession on earth, and have been given wealth, children, and other blessings along with long life, and their rope has been extended, then do not think that Allah is pleased with them, that is why He is giving them blessings, nor think that they are making a profitable deal in this way. The reality is that the disbelief of these disbelievers is only increasing Allah’s severe wrath upon them, and with Allah, their loss is only increasing because this is completing the proof against them and removing their excuses.
➋ { فَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَعَلَيْهِ كُفْرُهٗ :} So whoever is ungrateful for this blessing and refuses to acknowledge His favor and accept His commands, the consequence of his ingratitude and denial will fall upon him alone; no one else will be harmed by it.
➌ { وَ لَا يَزِيْدُ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ كُفْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ اِلَّا مَقْتًا … :} That is, if the disbelievers, despite their disbelief, have been granted succession on earth, and have been given wealth, children, and other blessings along with long life, and their rope has been extended, then do not think that Allah is pleased with them, that is why He is giving them blessings, nor think that they are making a profitable deal in this way. The reality is that the disbelief of these disbelievers is only increasing Allah’s severe wrath upon them, and with Allah, their loss is only increasing because this is completing the proof against them and removing their excuses.
