سُوْرَةُ فَاطِرٍ
Surah Faatir (35) — Ayah 43
ٱسْتِكْبَارًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَكْرَ ٱلسَّيِّئِ ۚ وَلَا يَحِيقُ ٱلْمَكْرُ ٱلسَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهْلِهِۦ ۚ فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا سُنَّتَ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ۚ فَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ ٱللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا ۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ ٱللَّهِ تَحْوِيلًا ﴿43﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(They took to flight because of their) arrogance in the land and their plotting of evil. But the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it. Then, can they expect anything (else) but the Sunnah (way of dealing) of the peoples of old? So no change will you find in Allâh’s Sunnah (way of dealing), and no turning off will you find in Allâh’s Sunnah (way of dealing).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱسْتِكْبَارًۭا
is'tik'bāran
(Due to) arrogance
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the land
وَمَكْرَ
wamakra
and plotting
ٱلسَّيِّئِ ۚ
l-sayi-i
(of) the evil
وَلَا
walā
but not
يَحِيقُ
yaḥīqu
encompasses
ٱلْمَكْرُ
l-makru
the plot
ٱلسَّيِّئُ
l-sayi-u
(of) the evil
إِلَّا
illā
except
بِأَهْلِهِۦ ۚ
bi-ahlihi
its own people
فَهَلْ
fahal
Then do
يَنظُرُونَ
yanẓurūna
they wait
إِلَّا
illā
except
سُنَّتَ
sunnata
(the) way
ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ۚ
l-awalīna
(of) the former (people)
فَلَن
falan
But never
تَجِدَ
tajida
you will find
لِسُنَّتِ
lisunnati
in (the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
تَبْدِيلًۭا ۖ
tabdīlan
any change
وَلَن
walan
and never
تَجِدَ
tajida
you will find
لِسُنَّتِ
lisunnati
in (the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
تَحْوِيلًا
taḥwīlan
any alteration
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 43) ➊ { اسْتِكْبَارًا فِي الْاَرْضِ :} That is, the reason for their denying the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), turning away from guidance, and fleeing far from it was not that they considered the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to be a liar, but one reason was that while living on earth—which is the lowest point in Allah’s universe—they wanted to live as exalted and great, which would not be possible if they accepted the obedience of the Prophet, because then they would have to abandon their own will and submit to Allah’s command, which they did not approve of.
➋ { وَ مَكْرَ السَّيِّئِ :} And the second reason for being even farther from the truth was that, despite knowing the truthfulness and trustworthiness of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), instead of believing in him, they adopted very evil schemes and terrifying conspiracies to block the path of truth and to harm the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). As a result, instead of accepting the truth, they became even more obstinate and distanced themselves from it, as mentioned in Surah Al-Anfal (30) regarding the plots of the disbelievers of Makkah to imprison, exile, or kill the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
➌ { وَ لَا يَحِيْقُ الْمَكْرُ السَّيِّئُ اِلَّا بِاَهْلِهٖ: ’’حَاقَ يَحِيْقُ‘‘} and {’’أَحَاطَ يُحِيْطُ‘‘} both mean to encompass, that is, an evil scheme may cause some harm to the one against whom it is plotted, but in reality, the scheme fully encompasses and surrounds the plotter himself. Just as the conspiracies against the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not harm him at all, rather, these conspiracies, in the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, and the conquest of Makkah, surrounded the disbelievers themselves and rendered them unsuccessful and disappointed.
➍ { فَهَلْ يَنْظُرُوْنَ اِلَّا سُنَّتَ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ:} That is, if they do not change their ways and continue to increase in their rebellion, then punishment will surely descend upon them just as it did upon the previous disbelievers.
➎ { فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللّٰهِ تَبْدِيْلًا :} That is, Allah’s established practice from before is that He gives respite to the criminals, then seizes them. You will not find any change in this, that the rope of these criminals will always remain extended, or that instead of punishment, they will be rewarded. In this, there is a warning for the disbelievers and comfort and glad tidings for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the believers.
➏ { فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللّٰهِ تَبْدِيْلًا :} Nor will it happen that Allah commands something to occur or intends to send punishment upon a people, and then the punishment does not descend, or that He intends punishment for a people and then diverts it to another people. As He said: « وَ اِذَاۤ اَرَادَ اللّٰهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوْٓءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهٗ » [ الرعد : ۱۱ ] “And when Allah intends evil for a people, there is no turning it back.”
➋ { وَ مَكْرَ السَّيِّئِ :} And the second reason for being even farther from the truth was that, despite knowing the truthfulness and trustworthiness of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), instead of believing in him, they adopted very evil schemes and terrifying conspiracies to block the path of truth and to harm the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). As a result, instead of accepting the truth, they became even more obstinate and distanced themselves from it, as mentioned in Surah Al-Anfal (30) regarding the plots of the disbelievers of Makkah to imprison, exile, or kill the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
➌ { وَ لَا يَحِيْقُ الْمَكْرُ السَّيِّئُ اِلَّا بِاَهْلِهٖ: ’’حَاقَ يَحِيْقُ‘‘} and {’’أَحَاطَ يُحِيْطُ‘‘} both mean to encompass, that is, an evil scheme may cause some harm to the one against whom it is plotted, but in reality, the scheme fully encompasses and surrounds the plotter himself. Just as the conspiracies against the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not harm him at all, rather, these conspiracies, in the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, and the conquest of Makkah, surrounded the disbelievers themselves and rendered them unsuccessful and disappointed.
➍ { فَهَلْ يَنْظُرُوْنَ اِلَّا سُنَّتَ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ:} That is, if they do not change their ways and continue to increase in their rebellion, then punishment will surely descend upon them just as it did upon the previous disbelievers.
➎ { فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللّٰهِ تَبْدِيْلًا :} That is, Allah’s established practice from before is that He gives respite to the criminals, then seizes them. You will not find any change in this, that the rope of these criminals will always remain extended, or that instead of punishment, they will be rewarded. In this, there is a warning for the disbelievers and comfort and glad tidings for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the believers.
➏ { فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللّٰهِ تَبْدِيْلًا :} Nor will it happen that Allah commands something to occur or intends to send punishment upon a people, and then the punishment does not descend, or that He intends punishment for a people and then diverts it to another people. As He said: « وَ اِذَاۤ اَرَادَ اللّٰهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوْٓءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهٗ » [ الرعد : ۱۱ ] “And when Allah intends evil for a people, there is no turning it back.”
