سُوْرَةُ الصَّافَّاتِ
Surah As-Saaffaat (37) — Ayah 10
إِلَّا مَنْ خَطِفَ ٱلْخَطْفَةَ فَأَتْبَعَهُۥ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ ﴿10﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Except such as snatch away something by stealing, and they are pursued by a flaming fire of piercing brightness.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِلَّا
illā
Except
مَنْ
man
(him) who
خَطِفَ
khaṭifa
snatches
ٱلْخَطْفَةَ
l-khaṭfata
(by) theft
فَأَتْبَعَهُۥ
fa-atbaʿahu
but follows him
شِهَابٌۭ
shihābun
a burning flame
ثَاقِبٌۭ
thāqibun
piercing
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 10) {اِلَّا مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ … :} That is, the devils cannot eavesdrop on any matter of the Exalted Assembly, except for that which a devil snatches suddenly, so in such a case, a blazing flame pursues him. Thus, sometimes that flame strikes the lower devil before he can convey the matter and destroys him, and sometimes after he has conveyed it; then that matter is transferred through several devils until it reaches a soothsayer, who mixes a hundred lies into it and spreads it among the people. Ustadh Muhammad Abduh (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “This discussion has remained disputed among the philosophers and scholars as to whether these very stars also serve as the shooting stars, or whether those shooting stars are separate from them, or whether fire is produced from the heat of these stars and thus becomes a burning ember.” Shah Abdul Qadir writes: “From the light of these very stars, fire emerges with which the devils are struck, just as from the sun and a burning glass.” (Muwaddih) For a detailed exegesis of these verses, see Surah Al-Hijr (16–18), Ash-Shu'ara (210–212 and 222, 223), and Surah Al-Jinn (8, 9).
