سُوْرَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 6
خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ثَمَـٰنِيَةَ أَزْوَٰجٍ ۚ يَخْلُقُكُمْ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ خَلْقًا مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ فِى ظُلُمَـٰتٍ ثَلَـٰثٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُصْرَفُونَ ﴿6﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He created you (all) from a single person (Adam); then made from him his wife [Hawwâ’ (Eve)]. And He has sent down for you of cattle eight pairs (of the sheep, two, male and female; of the goats, two, male and female; of the oxen, two, male and female; and of the camels, two, male and female). He creates you in the wombs of your mothers: creation after creation in three veils of darkness. Such is Allâh your Lord. His is the kingdom. Lâ ilâha illâ Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). How then are you turned away?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
خَلَقَكُم
khalaqakum
He created you
مِّن
min
from
نَّفْسٍۢ
nafsin
a soul
وَٰحِدَةٍۢ
wāḥidatin
single
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
جَعَلَ
jaʿala
He made
مِنْهَا
min'hā
from it
زَوْجَهَا
zawjahā
its mate
وَأَنزَلَ
wa-anzala
And He sent down
لَكُم
lakum
for you
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ
l-anʿāmi
the cattle
ثَمَـٰنِيَةَ
thamāniyata
eight
أَزْوَٰجٍۢ ۚ
azwājin
kinds
يَخْلُقُكُمْ
yakhluqukum
He creates you
فِى
fī
in
بُطُونِ
buṭūni
(the) wombs
أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ
ummahātikum
(of) your mothers
خَلْقًۭا
khalqan
creation
مِّنۢ
min
after
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
خَلْقٍۢ
khalqin
creation
فِى
fī
in
ظُلُمَـٰتٍۢ
ẓulumātin
darkness[es]
ثَلَـٰثٍۢ ۚ
thalāthin
three
ذَٰلِكُمُ
dhālikumu
That
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(is) Allah
رَبُّكُمْ
rabbukum
your Lord
لَهُ
lahu
for Him
ٱلْمُلْكُ ۖ
l-mul'ku
(is) the dominion
لَآ
lā
(There is) no
إِلَـٰهَ
ilāha
god
إِلَّا
illā
except
هُوَ ۖ
huwa
He
فَأَنَّىٰ
fa-annā
Then how
تُصْرَفُونَ
tuṣ'rafūna
are you turning away
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 6) ➊ { خَلَقَكُمْ مِّنْ نَّفْسٍ وَّاحِدَةٍ … :} For its explanation, see the first verse of Surah An-Nisa.
➋ { وَ اَنْزَلَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ الْاَنْعَامِ ثَمٰنِيَةَ اَزْوَاجٍ:} This too is evidence of Allah Almighty’s oneness, power, and greatness. For details, see Surah Al-An’am (143, 144) regarding the creation of eight kinds of animals. The word {’’ اَنْزَلَ ‘‘} (sent down) is used to draw attention to the fact that the blessings you receive come only from Allah Almighty, as He said: « وَ فِي السَّمَآءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَ مَا تُوْعَدُوْنَ» [الذاریات : ۲۲ ] “And in the heaven is your provision and that which you are promised.” Out of countless animals, these particular animals are mentioned because mostly these animals are used by people for food, clothing, and other necessities. Since iron also holds fundamental importance in human needs, the same words are used for it: « وَ اَنْزَلْنَا الْحَدِيْدَ فِيْهِ بَاْسٌ شَدِيْدٌ وَّ مَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ» [ الحدید : ۲۵ ] “And We sent down iron, in which is strong material for war and benefits for mankind.”
➌ { يَخْلُقُكُمْ فِيْ بُطُوْنِ اُمَّهٰتِكُمْ خَلْقًا مِّنْۢ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ:} By “one creation after another” is meant all the stages from a drop of sperm to a complete human being. See Surah Al-Mu’minun (12 to 14).
➍ { فِيْ ظُلُمٰتٍ ثَلٰثٍ :} This refers to the darkness of the belly, the darkness of the womb, and the darkness of the membrane that is wrapped around the child. The creation of you in various stages within so many layers of darkness in your mothers’ wombs, providing for your every need there, protecting you from every harm and injury, and then bringing you safely into this world—this is the craftsmanship of that One Being alone. See also Surah Al-Mursalat (20 to 23) and Surah Abasa (17 to 20).
➎ { ذٰلِكُمُ اللّٰهُ رَبُّكُمْ … :} That is, when your Lord is Allah Almighty and all sovereignty belongs to Him, then necessarily your God (deity) is also He alone. How can anyone else be a deity, who is neither your Creator, nor Owner, nor Sustainer, nor King, nor has any share in these matters? Then how and where are you being turned away by making such deities? It is clear that the original nature of man is the belief in Tawheed (oneness of Allah). The one who diverts from this is Satan or other people who lead him to the wrong path. In this, man’s sense of honor is stirred—that instead of using your own intellect and will, you are blindly following others onto the wrong path. Think for a moment: how have you been turned away from the straight path and where are you being taken?
➋ { وَ اَنْزَلَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ الْاَنْعَامِ ثَمٰنِيَةَ اَزْوَاجٍ:} This too is evidence of Allah Almighty’s oneness, power, and greatness. For details, see Surah Al-An’am (143, 144) regarding the creation of eight kinds of animals. The word {’’ اَنْزَلَ ‘‘} (sent down) is used to draw attention to the fact that the blessings you receive come only from Allah Almighty, as He said: « وَ فِي السَّمَآءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَ مَا تُوْعَدُوْنَ» [الذاریات : ۲۲ ] “And in the heaven is your provision and that which you are promised.” Out of countless animals, these particular animals are mentioned because mostly these animals are used by people for food, clothing, and other necessities. Since iron also holds fundamental importance in human needs, the same words are used for it: « وَ اَنْزَلْنَا الْحَدِيْدَ فِيْهِ بَاْسٌ شَدِيْدٌ وَّ مَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ» [ الحدید : ۲۵ ] “And We sent down iron, in which is strong material for war and benefits for mankind.”
➌ { يَخْلُقُكُمْ فِيْ بُطُوْنِ اُمَّهٰتِكُمْ خَلْقًا مِّنْۢ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ:} By “one creation after another” is meant all the stages from a drop of sperm to a complete human being. See Surah Al-Mu’minun (12 to 14).
➍ { فِيْ ظُلُمٰتٍ ثَلٰثٍ :} This refers to the darkness of the belly, the darkness of the womb, and the darkness of the membrane that is wrapped around the child. The creation of you in various stages within so many layers of darkness in your mothers’ wombs, providing for your every need there, protecting you from every harm and injury, and then bringing you safely into this world—this is the craftsmanship of that One Being alone. See also Surah Al-Mursalat (20 to 23) and Surah Abasa (17 to 20).
➎ { ذٰلِكُمُ اللّٰهُ رَبُّكُمْ … :} That is, when your Lord is Allah Almighty and all sovereignty belongs to Him, then necessarily your God (deity) is also He alone. How can anyone else be a deity, who is neither your Creator, nor Owner, nor Sustainer, nor King, nor has any share in these matters? Then how and where are you being turned away by making such deities? It is clear that the original nature of man is the belief in Tawheed (oneness of Allah). The one who diverts from this is Satan or other people who lead him to the wrong path. In this, man’s sense of honor is stirred—that instead of using your own intellect and will, you are blindly following others onto the wrong path. Think for a moment: how have you been turned away from the straight path and where are you being taken?
