سُوْرَةُ الزُّخْرُفِ
Surah Az-Zukhruf (43) — Ayah 21
أَمْ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمْ كِتَـٰبًا مِّن قَبْلِهِۦ فَهُم بِهِۦ مُسْتَمْسِكُونَ ﴿21﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Or have We given them any Book before this (the Qur’ân) to which they are holding fast?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَمْ
am
Or
ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمْ
ātaynāhum
have We given them
كِتَـٰبًۭا
kitāban
a book
مِّن
min
before it
قَبْلِهِۦ
qablihi
before it
فَهُم
fahum
so they
بِهِۦ
bihi
to it
مُسْتَمْسِكُونَ
mus'tamsikūna
(are) holding fast
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 21){ اَمْ اٰتَيْنٰهُمْ كِتٰبًا مِّنْ قَبْلِهٖ … : ’’ اَمْ ‘‘} Before this, there is a sentence consisting of a hamzah of interrogation, which is sometimes mentioned and sometimes omitted. Here, it is being mentioned that the polytheists, by declaring the angels to be the daughters of Allah Almighty, made them partners of Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty refuted their statement. Obviously, knowledge of the angels being feminine can either be through observation or by Allah Almighty informing, which would be present in any book revealed by Him. In {’’ اَشَهِدُوْا خَلْقَهُمْ ‘‘} (Were they present at their creation), the first possibility is refuted and their observation is negated, meaning they did not witness their creation to know whether they are masculine or feminine, and in {’’ اَمْ اٰتَيْنٰهُمْ كِتٰبًا مِّنْ قَبْلِهٖ ‘‘} (Or have We given them a book before this), the second possibility is refuted. The meaning is that they have no transmitted evidence for the angels being feminine or for their worship. They will not find it written in any heavenly book that the angels are the daughters of Allah Almighty or that they have any share in His dominion. Allah Almighty has repeated this point at several places. See Surah Ar-Rum (35), Fatir (40), As-Saffat (156, 157), Al-Ahqaf (4), An-Naml (64), Al-Hajj (8), and Al-An'am (48).
