سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 14
إِذْ جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلرُّسُلُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّنَا لَأَنزَلَ مَلَـٰٓئِكَةً فَإِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِۦ كَـٰفِرُونَ ﴿14﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
When the Messengers came to them, from before them and behind them (saying): "Worship none but Allâh", they said: "If our Lord had so willed, He would surely have sent down the angels. So indeed we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِذْ
idh
When
جَآءَتْهُمُ
jāathumu
came to them
ٱلرُّسُلُ
l-rusulu
the Messengers
مِنۢ
min
from before them
بَيْنِ
bayni
from before them
أَيْدِيهِمْ
aydīhim
from before them
وَمِنْ
wamin
and from
خَلْفِهِمْ
khalfihim
behind them
أَلَّا
allā
(saying) "Do not
تَعْبُدُوٓا۟
taʿbudū
worship
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱللَّهَ ۖ
l-laha
Allah
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They said
لَوْ
law
If
شَآءَ
shāa
(had) willed
رَبُّنَا
rabbunā
our Lord
لَأَنزَلَ
la-anzala
surely, He (would have) sent down
مَلَـٰٓئِكَةًۭ
malāikatan
Angels
فَإِنَّا
fa-innā
So indeed, we
بِمَآ
bimā
in what
أُرْسِلْتُم
ur'sil'tum
you have been sent
بِهِۦ
bihi
with
كَـٰفِرُونَ
kāfirūna
(are) 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 14) ➊ { اِذْ جَآءَتْهُمُ الرُّسُلُ مِنْۢ بَيْنِ اَيْدِيْهِمْ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ:} The plural word is used for the two messengers sent to both nations, Hud and Salih (peace be upon them), or it means that along with each of the two prophets, the believing people who conveyed the message of truth are also included, who came from every direction and in every way to deliver Allah’s message to them. “From before and behind” means to explain from every side and in every way, just as Iblis had said: « ثُمَّ لَاٰتِيَنَّهُمْ مِّنْۢ بَيْنِ اَيْدِيْهِمْ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَ عَنْ اَيْمَانِهِمْ وَ عَنْ شَمَآىِٕلِهِمْ وَ لَا تَجِدُ اَكْثَرَهُمْ شٰكِرِيْنَ» [ الأعراف : ۱۷ ] “Then I will surely come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them grateful.”
➋ { اَلَّا تَعْبُدُوْۤا اِلَّا اللّٰهَ: ’’ أَلَّا ‘‘ ’’أَنْ لَا ‘‘} In this, {’’أَنْ‘‘} is explanatory, meaning the call of all messengers was that you should not worship anyone except Allah.
➌ { قَالُوْا لَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّنَا لَاَنْزَلَ مَلٰٓىِٕكَةً …:} For its explanation, see Surah Ibrahim (9, 10) and Surah Bani Isra’il (94, 95).
➋ { اَلَّا تَعْبُدُوْۤا اِلَّا اللّٰهَ: ’’ أَلَّا ‘‘ ’’أَنْ لَا ‘‘} In this, {’’أَنْ‘‘} is explanatory, meaning the call of all messengers was that you should not worship anyone except Allah.
➌ { قَالُوْا لَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّنَا لَاَنْزَلَ مَلٰٓىِٕكَةً …:} For its explanation, see Surah Ibrahim (9, 10) and Surah Bani Isra’il (94, 95).
