سُوْرَةُ الزُّخْرُفِ
Surah Az-Zukhruf (43) — Ayah 20
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْ شَآءَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ مَا عَبَدْنَـٰهُم ۗ مَّا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ ﴿20﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And they said: "If it had been the Will of the Most Gracious (Allâh), we should not have worshipped them (false deities)." They have no knowledge whatsoever of that. They do nothing but lie!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَالُوا۟
waqālū
And they say
لَوْ
law
If
شَآءَ
shāa
had willed
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ
l-raḥmānu
the Most Gracious
مَا
mā
we would not have worshipped them
عَبَدْنَـٰهُم ۗ
ʿabadnāhum
we would not have worshipped them
مَّا
mā
Not
لَهُم
lahum
they have
بِذَٰلِكَ
bidhālika
about that
مِنْ
min
any
عِلْمٍ ۖ
ʿil'min
knowledge
إِنْ
in
Nothing
هُمْ
hum
they (do)
إِلَّا
illā
but
يَخْرُصُونَ
yakhruṣūna
lie
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 20) ➊ { وَ قَالُوْا لَوْ شَآءَ الرَّحْمٰنُ مَا عَبَدْنٰهُمْ:} This was another argument of the disbelievers of Makkah regarding their misguidance and polytheistic insolence, meaning that instead of considering themselves guilty, they placed all the blame on divine destiny, saying that it was Allah’s will and He had written in our fate that we should consider angels as goddesses and worship them. Such a false argument from divine destiny has always been the practice of those who follow falsehood, and it still is today. Whereas Allah’s will is one thing and His approval is another. If it were as these polytheists claimed, then what need was there for Allah to send messengers and reveal books to prohibit shirk? (Ibn Kathir) For further details, see the exegesis of Surah Al-An’am (148) and Surah An-Nahl (35).
➋ { مَا لَهُمْ بِذٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ:} That is, they do not understand the reality of destiny and misinterpret Allah’s will. Shah Abdul Qadir writes: “That is, it is true that nothing happens without Allah’s will, but that does not mean it is good. He created food (sustenance) and also poison, but who eats poison?” (Mawdhih)
➌ {اِنْ هُمْ اِلَّا يَخْرُصُوْنَ:} That is, out of ignorance, they make such statements that have no basis.
➋ { مَا لَهُمْ بِذٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ:} That is, they do not understand the reality of destiny and misinterpret Allah’s will. Shah Abdul Qadir writes: “That is, it is true that nothing happens without Allah’s will, but that does not mean it is good. He created food (sustenance) and also poison, but who eats poison?” (Mawdhih)
➌ {اِنْ هُمْ اِلَّا يَخْرُصُوْنَ:} That is, out of ignorance, they make such statements that have no basis.
