سُوْرَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 32
۞ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَبَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلصِّدْقِ إِذْ جَآءَهُۥٓ ۚ أَلَيْسَ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ﴿32﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then, who does more wrong than one who utters a lie against Allâh, and denies the truth [this Qur’ân, the Prophet (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) and the Islâmic Monotheism] when it comes to him! Is there not in Hell an abode for the disbelievers?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ فَمَنْ
faman
Then who
أَظْلَمُ
aẓlamu
(is) more unjust
مِمَّن
mimman
than (one) who
كَذَبَ
kadhaba
lies
عَلَى
ʿalā
against
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَكَذَّبَ
wakadhaba
and denies
بِٱلصِّدْقِ
bil-ṣid'qi
the truth
إِذْ
idh
when
جَآءَهُۥٓ ۚ
jāahu
it comes to him
أَلَيْسَ
alaysa
Is (there) not
فِى
fī
in
جَهَنَّمَ
jahannama
Hell
مَثْوًۭى
mathwan
an abode
لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
lil'kāfirīna
for the disbelievers
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 32) ➊ { فَمَنْ اَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ كَذَبَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ :} The meaning of zulm (oppression) is darkness; placing something anywhere other than its proper place is also zulm, and giving someone’s right to another is also zulm, because a person cannot put something in its original place in darkness.
➋ Lying against Allah means shirk, that is, worshipping someone else along with Him, and several forms of this have been mentioned from the beginning of this surah up to here. For example, worshipping some saints to attain closeness to Allah, declaring angels or Messiah and Uzair (peace be upon them) or anyone else as Allah’s children, calling only upon Allah in times of distress and hardship, but when a blessing is granted from Him, forgetting Him and associating partners with Him, thereby leading people astray, and worshipping taghut, etc. Allah has refuted all of these and summarized in this verse, which is why the verse begins with “fa” (then): then who is more unjust than the one who lies against Allah and gives His right to others? For further details on lying against Allah, see the exegesis of these verses: Surah Al-An’am (21), Al-A’raf (37), Hud (18), and Al-Ankabut (68).
➌ { وَ كَذَّبَ بِالصِّدْقِ اِذْ جَآءَهٗ:} The meaning of sidq (truth) is that which corresponds to reality, is true; here it refers to the oneness of Allah, the Hereafter, and Prophethood. That is, if the truth does not reach a person, he may have an excuse, but the one to whom the truth and reality comes and, without bothering to reflect, rejects it as soon as he hears it, or, despite understanding it, rejects it out of stubbornness as soon as it comes—meaning, the one who lies against Allah and rejects the truth as soon as he hears it, there is no one more unjust than him.
➍ Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) has explained this verse in another way: “That is, if the Prophet falsely claimed something in the name of Allah, then who is worse than him? And if he was truthful and you rejected him, then who is worse than you?” (Mawdhih) According to this explanation, the referent of {’’ مِمَّنْ كَذَبَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ ‘‘} is different and the referent of {’’ وَ كَذَّبَ بِالصِّدْقِ ‘‘} is different, whereas according to the first explanation, both attributes are of the same person.
➎ {اَلَيْسَ فِيْ جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ: ’’ مَثْوًى ‘‘ ’’ثَوٰي يَثْوِيْ ثَوَاءً وَثُوِيًّا‘‘} is a noun of place on the pattern of {’’مَضٰي يَمْضِيْ مَضَاءً وَ مُضِيًّا‘‘}, meaning to stay, to reside. For exegesis, see Surah Al-Ankabut (68). Instead of saying, “Is there not a place in Hell for them?” it is said, “Is there not a place in Hell for the disbelievers?” The purpose is to express that their abode in Hell is due to their disbelief, i.e., hiding and denying the truth.
➏ The use of the plural in {’’اَلْكَافِرِيْنَ‘‘} shows that in {’’ مِمَّنْ كَذَبَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ ‘‘} (the one who lies against Allah), {’’مَنْ‘‘} is for generality, meaning it does not refer to one person but to all those who lie against Allah and reject the truth.
➋ Lying against Allah means shirk, that is, worshipping someone else along with Him, and several forms of this have been mentioned from the beginning of this surah up to here. For example, worshipping some saints to attain closeness to Allah, declaring angels or Messiah and Uzair (peace be upon them) or anyone else as Allah’s children, calling only upon Allah in times of distress and hardship, but when a blessing is granted from Him, forgetting Him and associating partners with Him, thereby leading people astray, and worshipping taghut, etc. Allah has refuted all of these and summarized in this verse, which is why the verse begins with “fa” (then): then who is more unjust than the one who lies against Allah and gives His right to others? For further details on lying against Allah, see the exegesis of these verses: Surah Al-An’am (21), Al-A’raf (37), Hud (18), and Al-Ankabut (68).
➌ { وَ كَذَّبَ بِالصِّدْقِ اِذْ جَآءَهٗ:} The meaning of sidq (truth) is that which corresponds to reality, is true; here it refers to the oneness of Allah, the Hereafter, and Prophethood. That is, if the truth does not reach a person, he may have an excuse, but the one to whom the truth and reality comes and, without bothering to reflect, rejects it as soon as he hears it, or, despite understanding it, rejects it out of stubbornness as soon as it comes—meaning, the one who lies against Allah and rejects the truth as soon as he hears it, there is no one more unjust than him.
➍ Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) has explained this verse in another way: “That is, if the Prophet falsely claimed something in the name of Allah, then who is worse than him? And if he was truthful and you rejected him, then who is worse than you?” (Mawdhih) According to this explanation, the referent of {’’ مِمَّنْ كَذَبَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ ‘‘} is different and the referent of {’’ وَ كَذَّبَ بِالصِّدْقِ ‘‘} is different, whereas according to the first explanation, both attributes are of the same person.
➎ {اَلَيْسَ فِيْ جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ: ’’ مَثْوًى ‘‘ ’’ثَوٰي يَثْوِيْ ثَوَاءً وَثُوِيًّا‘‘} is a noun of place on the pattern of {’’مَضٰي يَمْضِيْ مَضَاءً وَ مُضِيًّا‘‘}, meaning to stay, to reside. For exegesis, see Surah Al-Ankabut (68). Instead of saying, “Is there not a place in Hell for them?” it is said, “Is there not a place in Hell for the disbelievers?” The purpose is to express that their abode in Hell is due to their disbelief, i.e., hiding and denying the truth.
➏ The use of the plural in {’’اَلْكَافِرِيْنَ‘‘} shows that in {’’ مِمَّنْ كَذَبَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ ‘‘} (the one who lies against Allah), {’’مَنْ‘‘} is for generality, meaning it does not refer to one person but to all those who lie against Allah and reject the truth.
