سُوْرَةُ الشُّوْرٰي
Surah Ash-Shura (42) — Ayah 19
ٱللَّهُ لَطِيفٌۢ بِعِبَادِهِۦ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْقَوِىُّ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ﴿19﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Allâh is very Gracious and Kind to His slaves. He gives provisions to whom He wills. And He is the All-Strong, the All-Mighty.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
لَطِيفٌۢ
laṭīfun
(is) Subtle
بِعِبَادِهِۦ
biʿibādihi
with His slaves
يَرْزُقُ
yarzuqu
He gives provision
مَن
man
(to) whom
يَشَآءُ ۖ
yashāu
He wills
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
ٱلْقَوِىُّ
l-qawiyu
(is) the All-Strong
ٱلْعَزِيزُ
l-ʿazīzu
the All-Mighty
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 19) ➊ { اَللّٰهُ لَطِيْفٌۢ بِعِبَادِهٖ: ’’ لَطِيْفٌ‘‘} Something that cannot be grasped. The attribute of Allah "Latif" is in the sense that He is aware of the finest of things, and also in the sense that His planning is extremely subtle, which cannot be seen. In this sense, it also means the One who shows kindness and grace, as He bestows favors in such a subtle way that it cannot be perceived how it happened. (Mufradat) Thus, in {’’ لَطِيْفٌ‘‘}, two attributes are combined: one is extremely perceptive, and the other is extremely kind. Included in these is perfect knowledge, without which there can be no question of subtle perception. For Allah to be "Latif" to His servants means that no material or spiritual need of theirs, however small, is hidden from Him, and with His perfect kindness and subtle ways, He arranges such that every servant, indeed every creature, has its needs fulfilled according to its condition, and it does not even realize how they were fulfilled. Some scholars have said that although the word {’’ بِعِبَادِهٖ ‘‘} is general, here it refers to Allah's believing servants, and some have said that in {’’ بِعِبَادِهٖ ‘‘} both believers and disbelievers are included; in this world, both benefit from His general kindness, but in the Hereafter, His kindness and grace will be exclusive to the believers.
➋ { يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ:} That is why, despite countless people among them denying and mocking, He does not let them starve, but fulfills all their needs with His kindness and grace. However, He gives provision to whom He wills and as much as He wills, and if He wishes to close someone's account of sustenance, He does so. The relevance of mentioning this here is that most people, in pursuit of sustenance, forget the Provider.
➌ { وَ هُوَ الْقَوِيُّ:} That is, whatever He wishes to do, to whomever He wishes to give as much provision as He wills, He has full power over it, and is not dependent on anyone in any matter.
➍ {الْعَزِيْزُ:} That is, just as in all other matters, in the matter of provision as well, no one has any power over Him that if He wishes to give, anyone can prevent Him, or if He does not wish to give, anyone can take from Him. The word {’’ الْقَوِيُّ الْعَزِيْزُ ‘‘} with the definite article "al" creates exclusivity, meaning both attributes are only in Him, not in anyone else, as was said: [ اَللّٰهُمَّ لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ ] [ بخاري، القدر، باب لا مانع لما أعطی اللّٰہ : ۶۶۱۵ ] "O Allah! There is no withholder of what You give, and no giver of what You withhold."
➋ { يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ:} That is why, despite countless people among them denying and mocking, He does not let them starve, but fulfills all their needs with His kindness and grace. However, He gives provision to whom He wills and as much as He wills, and if He wishes to close someone's account of sustenance, He does so. The relevance of mentioning this here is that most people, in pursuit of sustenance, forget the Provider.
➌ { وَ هُوَ الْقَوِيُّ:} That is, whatever He wishes to do, to whomever He wishes to give as much provision as He wills, He has full power over it, and is not dependent on anyone in any matter.
➍ {الْعَزِيْزُ:} That is, just as in all other matters, in the matter of provision as well, no one has any power over Him that if He wishes to give, anyone can prevent Him, or if He does not wish to give, anyone can take from Him. The word {’’ الْقَوِيُّ الْعَزِيْزُ ‘‘} with the definite article "al" creates exclusivity, meaning both attributes are only in Him, not in anyone else, as was said: [ اَللّٰهُمَّ لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ ] [ بخاري، القدر، باب لا مانع لما أعطی اللّٰہ : ۶۶۱۵ ] "O Allah! There is no withholder of what You give, and no giver of what You withhold."
