سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ
Surah Ghafir (40) — Ayah 54
هُدًى وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿54﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
A guide and a reminder for men of understanding.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
هُدًۭى
hudan
A guide
وَذِكْرَىٰ
wadhik'rā
and a reminder
لِأُو۟لِى
li-ulī
for those
ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ
l-albābi
(of) understanding
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 54) ➊ Both {هُدًى وَّ ذِكْرٰى: ’’ هُدًى ‘‘} and {’’ ذِكْرٰى ‘‘} are verbal nouns in the sense of an intensive active participle, meaning such a guide and admonisher that its very existence was entirely guidance and admonition. The meaning of {’’ ذِكْرٰى ‘‘} is both admonition and reminder, that is, that book would guide them in the matters they faced and would also remind them of forgotten things, such as death, the grave, the Hereafter, Paradise and Hell, etc., thereby admonishing them. Elsewhere, regarding the Torah, it is said: « اِنَّاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرٰىةَ فِيْهَا هُدًى وَّ نُوْرٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّوْنَ الَّذِيْنَ اَسْلَمُوْا لِلَّذِيْنَ هَادُوْا وَ الرَّبّٰنِيُّوْنَ وَ الْاَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوْا مِنْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ وَ كَانُوْا عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَآءَ » [ المائدۃ : ۴۴ ] “Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light; by it the prophets who submitted judged for those who became Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars, for they were entrusted with the protection of Allah’s Book, and they were witnesses over it.”
➋ {لِاُولِي الْاَلْبَابِ: ’’ الْاَلْبَابِ ‘‘ ’’ لُبٌّ ‘‘} is the plural, meaning intellects. That is, only those with intellects obtain guidance and admonition from this book. In the entire Quran, the word {’’ الْاَلْبَابِ ‘‘} always appears in the plural. That is, in Allah’s Book, there is no guidance or admonition for those who do not possess intellect, or who possess only the intellect for worldly outward matters, as is said regarding the disbelievers: « وَ لٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ (6) يَعْلَمُوْنَ ظَاهِرًا مِّنَ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ هُمْ عَنِ الْاٰخِرَةِ هُمْ غٰفِلُوْنَ» [ الروم : ۶، ۷ ] “But most people do not know. They know only the outward of the worldly life, and of the Hereafter, they are heedless.” Rather, in it is guidance and admonition for those who possess every kind of intellect, for both the outward and real matters of the world and for the Hereafter as well. Everywhere, according to the words of the Quran, I have translated {’’ اُوْلُوْا الْاَلْبَاب‘‘} as “those with intellects,” whereas generally it is translated as “those with intellect.” Certainly, by reflecting on the words of the Quran, amazing secrets are revealed.
➋ {لِاُولِي الْاَلْبَابِ: ’’ الْاَلْبَابِ ‘‘ ’’ لُبٌّ ‘‘} is the plural, meaning intellects. That is, only those with intellects obtain guidance and admonition from this book. In the entire Quran, the word {’’ الْاَلْبَابِ ‘‘} always appears in the plural. That is, in Allah’s Book, there is no guidance or admonition for those who do not possess intellect, or who possess only the intellect for worldly outward matters, as is said regarding the disbelievers: « وَ لٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ (6) يَعْلَمُوْنَ ظَاهِرًا مِّنَ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ هُمْ عَنِ الْاٰخِرَةِ هُمْ غٰفِلُوْنَ» [ الروم : ۶، ۷ ] “But most people do not know. They know only the outward of the worldly life, and of the Hereafter, they are heedless.” Rather, in it is guidance and admonition for those who possess every kind of intellect, for both the outward and real matters of the world and for the Hereafter as well. Everywhere, according to the words of the Quran, I have translated {’’ اُوْلُوْا الْاَلْبَاب‘‘} as “those with intellects,” whereas generally it is translated as “those with intellect.” Certainly, by reflecting on the words of the Quran, amazing secrets are revealed.
