سُوْرَةُ يٰسٓ
Surah Yaseen (36) — Ayah 66
وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَطَمَسْنَا عَلَىٰٓ أَعْيُنِهِمْ فَٱسْتَبَقُوا۟ ٱلصِّرَٰطَ فَأَنَّىٰ يُبْصِرُونَ ﴿66﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if it had been Our Will, We would surely have wiped out (blinded) their eyes, so that they would struggle for the Path, how then would they see?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
نَشَآءُ
nashāu
We willed
لَطَمَسْنَا
laṭamasnā
We (would have) surely obliterated
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
[over]
أَعْيُنِهِمْ
aʿyunihim
their eyes
فَٱسْتَبَقُوا۟
fa-is'tabaqū
then they (would) race
ٱلصِّرَٰطَ
l-ṣirāṭa
(to find) the path
فَأَنَّىٰ
fa-annā
then how
يُبْصِرُونَ
yub'ṣirūna
(could) they see
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 66) ➊ {وَ لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَطَمَسْنَا عَلٰۤى اَعْيُنِهِمْ …:} The connection of these two verses with the previous two verses is that when Allah Almighty mentioned that on the Day of Resurrection, after denying shirk, they will be compelled to admit it, a thought arises in the heart that if only in this world too they were compelled in the same way to affirm Allah’s oneness and to confirm His messengers. So Allah Almighty explained that if it had been Our will, We would have done so and would have seized the disbelievers and polytheists immediately, so that they would desist from their disbelief and shirk, but We have made this world a place of trial and have given everyone respite to act. (Ibn Ashur)
➋ {’’طَمَسَ يَطْمِسُ‘‘} (ض) means “to erase.” Even without the word {’’ عَلٰۤى ‘‘}, its meaning is the same. The word {’’ عَلٰۤى ‘‘} implies emphasis in erasing. That is, if We will, We can erase their eyes completely, then if they move towards the path, how will they see it? The word {’’ لَوْ ‘‘} is used to denote the absence of the consequence due to the absence of the condition. The meaning is: “But We did not will this, so it did not happen; rather, We have given them respite for a time despite all their disobedience.”
➋ {’’طَمَسَ يَطْمِسُ‘‘} (ض) means “to erase.” Even without the word {’’ عَلٰۤى ‘‘}, its meaning is the same. The word {’’ عَلٰۤى ‘‘} implies emphasis in erasing. That is, if We will, We can erase their eyes completely, then if they move towards the path, how will they see it? The word {’’ لَوْ ‘‘} is used to denote the absence of the consequence due to the absence of the condition. The meaning is: “But We did not will this, so it did not happen; rather, We have given them respite for a time despite all their disobedience.”
