سُوْرَةُ الزُّخْرُفِ
Surah Az-Zukhruf (43) — Ayah 13
لِتَسْتَوُۥا۟ عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِۦ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا ٱسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَـٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُۥ مُقْرِنِينَ ﴿13﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the Favour of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: "Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لِتَسْتَوُۥا۟
litastawū
That you may sit firmly
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
ظُهُورِهِۦ
ẓuhūrihi
their backs
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
تَذْكُرُوا۟
tadhkurū
remember
نِعْمَةَ
niʿ'mata
(the) favor
رَبِّكُمْ
rabbikum
(of) your Lord
إِذَا
idhā
when
ٱسْتَوَيْتُمْ
is'tawaytum
you sit firmly
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
on them
وَتَقُولُوا۟
wataqūlū
and say
سُبْحَـٰنَ
sub'ḥāna
Glory be (to)
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the One Who
سَخَّرَ
sakhara
(has) subjected
لَنَا
lanā
to us
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
this
وَمَا
wamā
and not
كُنَّا
kunnā
we were
لَهُۥ
lahu
of it
مُقْرِنِينَ
muq'rinīna
capable
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 14,13) ➊ { لِتَسْتَوٗا عَلٰى ظُهُوْرِهٖ … :} When a person mounts horses, donkeys, mules, camels, or boats and sits firmly, due to it becoming a common habit, he does not even realize what a great blessing it is from Allah Almighty that these rides have been subjected to him. Just try to sit firmly on a lion, tiger, or any other wild animal, then he will realize the value of this blessing of Allah Almighty. The same is the case with riding on ships among mountain-like waves in the sea with peace and tranquility. Therefore, Allah Almighty said that He made for you rides from ships and cattle, so that you may sit firmly on their backs, then when you have settled firmly on them, remember the blessing of your Lord in subjecting them to you.
➋ { وَ تَقُوْلُوْا سُبْحٰنَ الَّذِيْ سَخَّرَ لَنَا هٰذَا … :} And along with remembering in your heart, also declare the glorification of Allah Almighty with your tongue in these words, so that you remain aware and keep acknowledging that bringing these rides under control was never within our power, and also that for achieving our purposes, the need for these rides is a necessity for us helpless servants. Our Master is free from all kinds of need and compulsion. If a person thinks, then before the rides, the back of the earth is also like the backs of cattle and ships, upon which he is riding, absorbed in travel among the events and blows of time. So our beginning was from our Lord, He made the back of the earth a bed for us to live our lives, then He made the backs of cattle and ships a place of comfort for us, now all our lives we keep riding on them with peace and tranquility.
➌ { وَ اِنَّاۤ اِلٰى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُوْنَ:} And it is certain that after completing the journey of worldly life, we are to return to our Lord. Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "In this is a reminder from the journey of the world to the journey of the Hereafter, just as Allah Almighty has reminded from worldly provision to the provision of the Hereafter, He said: «وَ تَزَوَّدُوْا فَاِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوٰى» [ البقرۃ : ۱۹۷ ] 'And take provision, for indeed the best quality of provision is (to guard oneself) from asking.' And with worldly clothing, He has reminded of the clothing of the Hereafter, He said: « وَ رِيْشًا وَ لِبَاسُ التَّقْوٰى ذٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ » [ الأعراف : ۲۶ ] 'And (take) adornment and the clothing of taqwa! That is best.'"
➍ {’’ عَلٰى ظُهُوْرِهٖ ‘‘} In {’’ هٖ ‘‘} the pronoun refers back to the relative pronoun in {’’ مَا تَرْكَبُوْنَ ‘‘}. Although its meaning is general, due to the word being singular, the pronoun is brought in the singular.
➎ This supplication is after mounting the ride; at the time of mounting, {’’بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ‘‘} should be recited, as Nuh (peace be upon him) said to those who boarded the ship with him: « وَ قَالَ ارْكَبُوْا فِيْهَا بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ مَجْرٖىهَا وَ مُرْسٰىهَا اِنَّ رَبِّيْ لَغَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ » [ھود : ۴۱ ] "And he said, 'Board it; its sailing and its stopping are with the name of Allah. Indeed, my Lord is surely Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.'"
Ali Azdi says that Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, taught him that when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would set out on a journey and sit firmly on his ride, he would say { ’’اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ‘‘} three times, then say: [ سُبْحَانَ الَّذِيْ سَخَّرَ لَنَا هٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِيْنَ وَإِنَّا إِلٰی رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُوْنَ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِيْ سَفَرِنَا هٰذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوٰی وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضٰی، اَللّٰهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هٰذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ، اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيْفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسُوْءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَ الْأَهْلِ ] "Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could never have brought it under control, and indeed, to our Lord we will surely return. O Allah! We ask You for goodness and taqwa in this journey of ours, and for deeds that You are pleased with. O Allah! Make this journey easy for us and fold up its distance for us. O Allah! You are the companion in the journey and the successor over the family. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the hardship of travel, from having a distressing sight, and from returning with loss in wealth and family." And when he would return from the journey, he would say these same words and add: [ آئِبُوْنَ تَائِبُوْنَ عَابِدُوْنَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُوْنَ ] [ مسلم، الحج، باب استحباب الذکر إذا رکب دابتہ … : ۱۳۴۲ ] "We are returning, repenting, worshipping, and praising our Lord alone." Other supplications for travel are also mentioned in the books of hadith.
➋ { وَ تَقُوْلُوْا سُبْحٰنَ الَّذِيْ سَخَّرَ لَنَا هٰذَا … :} And along with remembering in your heart, also declare the glorification of Allah Almighty with your tongue in these words, so that you remain aware and keep acknowledging that bringing these rides under control was never within our power, and also that for achieving our purposes, the need for these rides is a necessity for us helpless servants. Our Master is free from all kinds of need and compulsion. If a person thinks, then before the rides, the back of the earth is also like the backs of cattle and ships, upon which he is riding, absorbed in travel among the events and blows of time. So our beginning was from our Lord, He made the back of the earth a bed for us to live our lives, then He made the backs of cattle and ships a place of comfort for us, now all our lives we keep riding on them with peace and tranquility.
➌ { وَ اِنَّاۤ اِلٰى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُوْنَ:} And it is certain that after completing the journey of worldly life, we are to return to our Lord. Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "In this is a reminder from the journey of the world to the journey of the Hereafter, just as Allah Almighty has reminded from worldly provision to the provision of the Hereafter, He said: «وَ تَزَوَّدُوْا فَاِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوٰى» [ البقرۃ : ۱۹۷ ] 'And take provision, for indeed the best quality of provision is (to guard oneself) from asking.' And with worldly clothing, He has reminded of the clothing of the Hereafter, He said: « وَ رِيْشًا وَ لِبَاسُ التَّقْوٰى ذٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ » [ الأعراف : ۲۶ ] 'And (take) adornment and the clothing of taqwa! That is best.'"
➍ {’’ عَلٰى ظُهُوْرِهٖ ‘‘} In {’’ هٖ ‘‘} the pronoun refers back to the relative pronoun in {’’ مَا تَرْكَبُوْنَ ‘‘}. Although its meaning is general, due to the word being singular, the pronoun is brought in the singular.
➎ This supplication is after mounting the ride; at the time of mounting, {’’بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ‘‘} should be recited, as Nuh (peace be upon him) said to those who boarded the ship with him: « وَ قَالَ ارْكَبُوْا فِيْهَا بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ مَجْرٖىهَا وَ مُرْسٰىهَا اِنَّ رَبِّيْ لَغَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ » [ھود : ۴۱ ] "And he said, 'Board it; its sailing and its stopping are with the name of Allah. Indeed, my Lord is surely Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.'"
Ali Azdi says that Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, taught him that when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would set out on a journey and sit firmly on his ride, he would say { ’’اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ‘‘} three times, then say: [ سُبْحَانَ الَّذِيْ سَخَّرَ لَنَا هٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِيْنَ وَإِنَّا إِلٰی رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُوْنَ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِيْ سَفَرِنَا هٰذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوٰی وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضٰی، اَللّٰهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هٰذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ، اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيْفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسُوْءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَ الْأَهْلِ ] "Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could never have brought it under control, and indeed, to our Lord we will surely return. O Allah! We ask You for goodness and taqwa in this journey of ours, and for deeds that You are pleased with. O Allah! Make this journey easy for us and fold up its distance for us. O Allah! You are the companion in the journey and the successor over the family. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the hardship of travel, from having a distressing sight, and from returning with loss in wealth and family." And when he would return from the journey, he would say these same words and add: [ آئِبُوْنَ تَائِبُوْنَ عَابِدُوْنَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُوْنَ ] [ مسلم، الحج، باب استحباب الذکر إذا رکب دابتہ … : ۱۳۴۲ ] "We are returning, repenting, worshipping, and praising our Lord alone." Other supplications for travel are also mentioned in the books of hadith.
