سُوْرَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 38
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلْ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَـٰشِفَـٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَـٰتُ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ ﴿38﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And verily, if you ask them: "Who created the heavens and the earth?" Surely they will say: "Allâh (has created them)." Say: "Tell me then, the things that you invoke besides Allâh - if Allâh intended some harm for me, could they remove His harm? Or if He (Allâh) intended some mercy for me, could they withhold His Mercy?" Say: "Sufficient for me is Allâh; in Him those who trust (i.e. believers) must put their trust."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَئِن
wala-in
And if
سَأَلْتَهُم
sa-altahum
you ask them
مَّنْ
man
who
خَلَقَ
khalaqa
created
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضَ
wal-arḍa
and the earth
لَيَقُولُنَّ
layaqūlunna
Surely, they will say
ٱللَّهُ ۚ
l-lahu
Allah
قُلْ
qul
Say
أَفَرَءَيْتُم
afara-aytum
Then do you see
مَّا
mā
what
تَدْعُونَ
tadʿūna
you invoke
مِن
min
besides
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
إِنْ
in
if
أَرَادَنِىَ
arādaniya
Allah intended for me
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah intended for me
بِضُرٍّ
biḍurrin
harm
هَلْ
hal
are
هُنَّ
hunna
they
كَـٰشِفَـٰتُ
kāshifātu
removers
ضُرِّهِۦٓ
ḍurrihi
(of) harm (from) Him
أَوْ
aw
or
أَرَادَنِى
arādanī
if He intended for me
بِرَحْمَةٍ
biraḥmatin
mercy
هَلْ
hal
are
هُنَّ
hunna
they
مُمْسِكَـٰتُ
mum'sikātu
withholders
رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ
raḥmatihi
(of) His mercy
قُلْ
qul
Say
حَسْبِىَ
ḥasbiya
Sufficient (is) Allah for me
ٱللَّهُ ۖ
l-lahu
Sufficient (is) Allah for me
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
upon Him
يَتَوَكَّلُ
yatawakkalu
put trust
ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
l-mutawakilūna
those who trust
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 38) ➊ { وَ لَىِٕنْ سَاَلْتَهُمْ مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ … :} In this verse, the ignorance of the polytheists and the contradiction between their words and actions is highlighted. It is said, if you ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say, Allah did. The necessary result of this admission is that when He is the Creator, then He is also the Owner; then how can anyone else have any authority over benefit or harm? Therefore, after this admission, to make them confess that those beings besides Allah have no power over benefit or harm, it is said, say to them, then tell me, those beings whom you call upon besides Allah, if Allah intends to harm me or cause me any loss, can they remove His harm or loss, or if He wants to show mercy to me, can they withhold His mercy? Allah did not mention the answer of the disbelievers here. Either because the answer is absolutely clear that when Allah is the Creator and Owner, then what can anyone else do against His will, or because the polytheists, even knowing that their deities have no power, will not say that they can neither remove harm nor withhold His mercy, rather, they will be left speechless and remain silent.
➋ { قُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ … :} That is, if the disbelievers remain silent in response to this question, then you yourself say that Allah is sufficient for me; all those who trust, place their trust in Him alone. The meaning is that all those who trust must place their trust in Him, because when something needs to be emphasized strongly, it is stated in the form of a declaration, for example, if it is to be said that today everyone should pray Asr at a certain place, it will be said, today everyone is praying Asr at that place or will pray.
➌ {هَلْ هُنَّ كٰشِفٰتُ ضُرِّهٖۤ … :} Mentioning the beings besides Allah in the feminine form is meant to express their powerlessness and to belittle them.
➍ "No one besides Allah has ownership over benefit or harm"—this subject has been stated by Allah in various ways throughout the Qur'an. See Surah Ra'd (14–16), Furqan (3), An'am (17), and Surah Yunus (106, 107).
➋ { قُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ … :} That is, if the disbelievers remain silent in response to this question, then you yourself say that Allah is sufficient for me; all those who trust, place their trust in Him alone. The meaning is that all those who trust must place their trust in Him, because when something needs to be emphasized strongly, it is stated in the form of a declaration, for example, if it is to be said that today everyone should pray Asr at a certain place, it will be said, today everyone is praying Asr at that place or will pray.
➌ {هَلْ هُنَّ كٰشِفٰتُ ضُرِّهٖۤ … :} Mentioning the beings besides Allah in the feminine form is meant to express their powerlessness and to belittle them.
➍ "No one besides Allah has ownership over benefit or harm"—this subject has been stated by Allah in various ways throughout the Qur'an. See Surah Ra'd (14–16), Furqan (3), An'am (17), and Surah Yunus (106, 107).
