سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 4
بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ ﴿4﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Giving glad tidings [of Paradise to the one who believes in the Oneness of Allâh (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism) and fears Allâh much (abstains from all kinds of sins and evil deeds) and loves Allâh much (performing all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], and warning (of punishment in the Hell-Fire to the one who disbelieves in the Oneness of Allâh), but most of them turn away, so they hear not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
بَشِيرًۭا
bashīran
A giver of glad tidings
وَنَذِيرًۭا
wanadhīran
and a warner
فَأَعْرَضَ
fa-aʿraḍa
but turn away
أَكْثَرُهُمْ
aktharuhum
most of them
فَهُمْ
fahum
so they
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَسْمَعُونَ
yasmaʿūna
hear
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 4) ➊ { بَشِيْرًا وَّ نَذِيْرًا:} This is the fourth and fifth attribute, that this Book gives glad tidings of the best outcome in both worlds, this world and the Hereafter, to those who believe, and warns the deniers of the worst outcome in this world and the Hereafter.
➋ { فَاَعْرَضَ اَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُوْنَ:} After mentioning the attributes of the Noble Qur’an, the reaction of people to it is described, that most of them turned away, so they do not listen. Here, “most” refers to the disbelievers. Not listening means that they do not listen at all, rather they get up from the gathering (see: Saad: 6), or they put their fingers in their ears and cover themselves with their garments (see: Nuh: 7), or they make noise and commotion so that neither do they listen themselves nor let anyone else listen, as is mentioned in verse (26) of this Surah Ha Meem As-Sajdah. Not listening also means that they do not accept it, because if they are not going to accept, then listening or not listening is the same, as He said: «وَ لَقَدْ ذَرَاْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيْرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْاِنْسِ لَهُمْ قُلُوْبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُوْنَ بِهَا وَ لَهُمْ اَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُوْنَ بِهَا وَ لَهُمْ اٰذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُوْنَ بِهَا اُولٰٓىِٕكَ كَالْاَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ اَضَلُّ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ هُمُ الْغٰفِلُوْنَ » [ الأعراف : ۱۷۹ ] “And surely, We have created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle, rather they are more astray. They are the heedless ones.” And in the next verse of this Surah: « وَ قَالُوْا قُلُوْبُنَا فِيْۤ اَكِنَّةٍ مِّمَّا تَدْعُوْنَاۤ اِلَيْهِ وَ فِيْۤ اٰذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَّ مِنْۢ بَيْنِنَا وَ بَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَاعْمَلْ اِنَّنَا عٰمِلُوْنَ» [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۵ ] “And they said: Our hearts are in coverings from that to which you call us, and in our ears is a heaviness, and between us and you is a barrier, so do (as you will), indeed, we are doing (as we will).”
➌ Regarding the majority of people, the Noble Qur’an said: « اَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۰۰ ] “Most of them do not believe.” And He said: «اَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ» [ الأنعام : ۳۷ ] “Most of them do not know.” And He said: « اَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُوْنَ » [الأنعام : ۱۱۱ ] “Most of them act ignorantly.” And He said: « وَ لَا تَجِدُ اَكْثَرَهُمْ شٰكِرِيْنَ» [الأعراف : ۱۷ ] “And you will not find most of them grateful.” And He said: « وَ اِنْ وَّجَدْنَاۤ اَكْثَرَهُمْ لَفٰسِقِيْنَ» [ الأعراف : ۱۰۲ ] “And indeed, We found most of them defiantly disobedient.” And He said: «وَ مَا يَتَّبِعُ اَكْثَرُهُمْ اِلَّا ظَنًّا » [ یونس : ۳۶ ] “And most of them follow nothing but assumption.” And He said: « وَ لٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَشْكُرُوْنَ» [ یونس : ۶۰ ] “But most of them are not grateful.” And He said: « وَ مَا يُؤْمِنُ اَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللّٰهِ اِلَّا وَ هُمْ مُّشْرِكُوْنَ» [ یوسف : ۱۰۶ ] “And most of them do not believe in Allah except while they associate partners with Him.” And He said: « اِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ لَاٰيَةً وَ مَا كَانَ اَكْثَرُهُمْ مُّؤْمِنِيْنَ» [ الشعراء : ۸ ] “Indeed, in that is surely a great sign, but most of them were not believers.” Whereas regarding the believers and grateful servants, He said that they are very few, as He said: « اِلَّا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَ قَلِيْلٌ مَّا هُمْ » [ صٓ : ۲۴ ] “Except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and they are very few.” And He said: « وَ قَلِيْلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُوْرُ» [ سبا : ۱۳ ] “And few of My servants are truly grateful.” From these verses, the reality of the disbelievers’ prevailing system of democracy becomes clear, whose foundation is on the majority of the people, whether they are Muslims or disbelievers, righteous or defiantly disobedient. Then this majority is also given the authority to make constitutions and laws, whether they are in accordance with Allah’s religion or in conflict with it. That is why the disbelievers of the world use all their efforts to establish democracy in all Muslim countries, because through this they can prevent the commands of Allah and His Messenger from being implemented in these countries and can maintain their own influence.
➋ { فَاَعْرَضَ اَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُوْنَ:} After mentioning the attributes of the Noble Qur’an, the reaction of people to it is described, that most of them turned away, so they do not listen. Here, “most” refers to the disbelievers. Not listening means that they do not listen at all, rather they get up from the gathering (see: Saad: 6), or they put their fingers in their ears and cover themselves with their garments (see: Nuh: 7), or they make noise and commotion so that neither do they listen themselves nor let anyone else listen, as is mentioned in verse (26) of this Surah Ha Meem As-Sajdah. Not listening also means that they do not accept it, because if they are not going to accept, then listening or not listening is the same, as He said: «وَ لَقَدْ ذَرَاْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيْرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْاِنْسِ لَهُمْ قُلُوْبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُوْنَ بِهَا وَ لَهُمْ اَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُوْنَ بِهَا وَ لَهُمْ اٰذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُوْنَ بِهَا اُولٰٓىِٕكَ كَالْاَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ اَضَلُّ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ هُمُ الْغٰفِلُوْنَ » [ الأعراف : ۱۷۹ ] “And surely, We have created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle, rather they are more astray. They are the heedless ones.” And in the next verse of this Surah: « وَ قَالُوْا قُلُوْبُنَا فِيْۤ اَكِنَّةٍ مِّمَّا تَدْعُوْنَاۤ اِلَيْهِ وَ فِيْۤ اٰذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَّ مِنْۢ بَيْنِنَا وَ بَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَاعْمَلْ اِنَّنَا عٰمِلُوْنَ» [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۵ ] “And they said: Our hearts are in coverings from that to which you call us, and in our ears is a heaviness, and between us and you is a barrier, so do (as you will), indeed, we are doing (as we will).”
➌ Regarding the majority of people, the Noble Qur’an said: « اَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۰۰ ] “Most of them do not believe.” And He said: «اَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ» [ الأنعام : ۳۷ ] “Most of them do not know.” And He said: « اَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُوْنَ » [الأنعام : ۱۱۱ ] “Most of them act ignorantly.” And He said: « وَ لَا تَجِدُ اَكْثَرَهُمْ شٰكِرِيْنَ» [الأعراف : ۱۷ ] “And you will not find most of them grateful.” And He said: « وَ اِنْ وَّجَدْنَاۤ اَكْثَرَهُمْ لَفٰسِقِيْنَ» [ الأعراف : ۱۰۲ ] “And indeed, We found most of them defiantly disobedient.” And He said: «وَ مَا يَتَّبِعُ اَكْثَرُهُمْ اِلَّا ظَنًّا » [ یونس : ۳۶ ] “And most of them follow nothing but assumption.” And He said: « وَ لٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَشْكُرُوْنَ» [ یونس : ۶۰ ] “But most of them are not grateful.” And He said: « وَ مَا يُؤْمِنُ اَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللّٰهِ اِلَّا وَ هُمْ مُّشْرِكُوْنَ» [ یوسف : ۱۰۶ ] “And most of them do not believe in Allah except while they associate partners with Him.” And He said: « اِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ لَاٰيَةً وَ مَا كَانَ اَكْثَرُهُمْ مُّؤْمِنِيْنَ» [ الشعراء : ۸ ] “Indeed, in that is surely a great sign, but most of them were not believers.” Whereas regarding the believers and grateful servants, He said that they are very few, as He said: « اِلَّا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَ قَلِيْلٌ مَّا هُمْ » [ صٓ : ۲۴ ] “Except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and they are very few.” And He said: « وَ قَلِيْلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُوْرُ» [ سبا : ۱۳ ] “And few of My servants are truly grateful.” From these verses, the reality of the disbelievers’ prevailing system of democracy becomes clear, whose foundation is on the majority of the people, whether they are Muslims or disbelievers, righteous or defiantly disobedient. Then this majority is also given the authority to make constitutions and laws, whether they are in accordance with Allah’s religion or in conflict with it. That is why the disbelievers of the world use all their efforts to establish democracy in all Muslim countries, because through this they can prevent the commands of Allah and His Messenger from being implemented in these countries and can maintain their own influence.
