سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 45
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ فَٱخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ ۗ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ ﴿45﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And indeed We gave Mûsâ (Moses) the Scripture, but dispute arose therein. And had it not been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, (the torment would have overtaken them) and the matter would have been settled between them. But truly, they are in grave doubt thereto (i.e. about the Qur’ân). [Tafsir Al-Qurtubi].
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And certainly
ءَاتَيْنَا
ātaynā
We gave
مُوسَى
mūsā
Musa
ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ
l-kitāba
the Book
فَٱخْتُلِفَ
fa-ukh'tulifa
but disputes arose
فِيهِ ۗ
fīhi
therein
وَلَوْلَا
walawlā
And had it not been
كَلِمَةٌۭ
kalimatun
(for) a word
سَبَقَتْ
sabaqat
(that) preceded
مِن
min
from
رَّبِّكَ
rabbika
your Lord
لَقُضِىَ
laquḍiya
surely, would have been settled
بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ
baynahum
between them
وَإِنَّهُمْ
wa-innahum
But indeed, they
لَفِى
lafī
surely (are) in
شَكٍّۢ
shakkin
doubt
مِّنْهُ
min'hu
about it
مُرِيبٍۢ
murībin
disquieting
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 45) ➊ { وَ لَقَدْ اٰتَيْنَا مُوْسَى الْكِتٰبَ فَاخْتُلِفَ فِيْهِ:} The purpose here is also to console the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), meaning that before this, the Torah was revealed to Musa (peace be upon him), but people differed regarding accepting or rejecting it. In the same way, if these disbelievers of Makkah are opposing the Qur’an, then why should you be distressed? (Qurtubi)
➋ { وَ لَوْ لَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ:} That is, if it had not already been decreed that the evil deeds of the disbelievers would not be seized immediately but that they would be given respite in this world for a certain period and the real decision would be made in the Hereafter, then their matter would have already been decided. See Surah Ibrahim (14:42), An-Nahl (16:61), and Fatir (35:45).
In {’’ وَ لَوْ لَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ ‘‘}, it is also included that if Allah Almighty had not decreed that from the progeny of these disbelievers, Muslims would be born who would raise the banner of Islam, then their story would have been ended, just as after the mistreatment in Ta’if, Allah Almighty sent the Angel of the Mountains to console the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he came and offered the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that if you wish, I will join the two mountains over these disbelievers. (These are two mountains of Makkah, one is Abu Qubais and the other is its opposite, Qu‘ayqi‘an.) So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ بَلْ أَرْجُوْ أَنْ يُّخْرِجَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ أَصْلاَبِهِمْ مَنْ يَّعْبُدُ اللّٰهَ وَحْدَهُ لاَ يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا] [ بخاري، بدء الخلق، باب إذا قال أحدکم آمین… : ۳۲۳۱، عن عائشۃ رضی اللہ عنھا ] “Rather, I hope that Allah Almighty will bring forth from their descendants those who will worship Allah alone, and will not associate anything with Him.”
In {’’ وَ لَوْ لَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ ‘‘}, it is also included that after the drowning of Pharaoh, it was decreed that instead of the punishments that used to come upon previous nations, now in this world, the disbelievers would be punished at the hands of Muslims through jihad, and the final decision would be on the Day of Resurrection. This entire verse and its commentary have already been mentioned in Surah Hud, Ayah (110); see there.
➌ For the literal explanation of { وَ اِنَّهُمْ لَفِيْ شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيْبٍ: ’’ شَكٍّ ‘‘} and {’’ مُرِيْبٍ ‘‘}, see Surah Hud (62).
➋ { وَ لَوْ لَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ:} That is, if it had not already been decreed that the evil deeds of the disbelievers would not be seized immediately but that they would be given respite in this world for a certain period and the real decision would be made in the Hereafter, then their matter would have already been decided. See Surah Ibrahim (14:42), An-Nahl (16:61), and Fatir (35:45).
In {’’ وَ لَوْ لَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ ‘‘}, it is also included that if Allah Almighty had not decreed that from the progeny of these disbelievers, Muslims would be born who would raise the banner of Islam, then their story would have been ended, just as after the mistreatment in Ta’if, Allah Almighty sent the Angel of the Mountains to console the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he came and offered the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that if you wish, I will join the two mountains over these disbelievers. (These are two mountains of Makkah, one is Abu Qubais and the other is its opposite, Qu‘ayqi‘an.) So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ بَلْ أَرْجُوْ أَنْ يُّخْرِجَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ أَصْلاَبِهِمْ مَنْ يَّعْبُدُ اللّٰهَ وَحْدَهُ لاَ يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا] [ بخاري، بدء الخلق، باب إذا قال أحدکم آمین… : ۳۲۳۱، عن عائشۃ رضی اللہ عنھا ] “Rather, I hope that Allah Almighty will bring forth from their descendants those who will worship Allah alone, and will not associate anything with Him.”
In {’’ وَ لَوْ لَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ ‘‘}, it is also included that after the drowning of Pharaoh, it was decreed that instead of the punishments that used to come upon previous nations, now in this world, the disbelievers would be punished at the hands of Muslims through jihad, and the final decision would be on the Day of Resurrection. This entire verse and its commentary have already been mentioned in Surah Hud, Ayah (110); see there.
➌ For the literal explanation of { وَ اِنَّهُمْ لَفِيْ شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيْبٍ: ’’ شَكٍّ ‘‘} and {’’ مُرِيْبٍ ‘‘}, see Surah Hud (62).
