سُوْرَةُ الزُّخْرُفِ
Surah Az-Zukhruf (43) — Ayah 28
وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةًۢ بَاقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِۦ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ﴿28﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And he made it [i.e. Lâ ilâha illallâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh Alone)] a Word lasting among his offspring, (True Monotheism), that they may turn back (i.e. to repent to Allâh or receive admonition).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَجَعَلَهَا
wajaʿalahā
And he made it
كَلِمَةًۢ
kalimatan
a word
بَاقِيَةًۭ
bāqiyatan
lasting
فِى
fī
among
عَقِبِهِۦ
ʿaqibihi
his descendents
لَعَلَّهُمْ
laʿallahum
so that they may
يَرْجِعُونَ
yarjiʿūna
return
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 28) ➊ In {وَ جَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةً: ’’ جَعَلَهَا ‘‘}, the pronoun in {’’هَا‘‘} refers to the word of Tawheed {’’ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ ‘‘}, because the summary of {’’ اِنَّنِيْ بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُوْنَ ‘‘} is {’’ لَا إِلٰهَ ‘‘} and the summary of {’’ اِلَّا الَّذِيْ فَطَرَنِيْ ‘‘} is {’’ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ ‘‘}.
➋ In { بَاقِيَةً فِيْ عَقِبِهٖ: ’’ جَعَلَهَا ‘‘}, the subject pronoun may refer to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) or to Allah Almighty. In the first case, it means that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) made this word remain among his offspring in two ways: first, he advised his children and their children advised their children about it, as He said: « وَ وَصّٰى بِهَاۤ اِبْرٰهٖمُ بَنِيْهِ وَ يَعْقُوْبُ يٰبَنِيَّ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اصْطَفٰى لَكُمُ الدِّيْنَ فَلَا تَمُوْتُنَّ اِلَّا وَ اَنْتُمْ مُّسْلِمُوْنَ» [ البقرۃ : ۱۳۲ ] "And Ibrahim enjoined the same upon his sons, and so did Yaqub: 'O my sons! Indeed, Allah has chosen this religion for you, so do not die except as Muslims.'" Second, he prayed to Allah Almighty that this word remain among his offspring, that among his offspring there be a Muslim Ummah, i.e., obedient to Allah, that they remain safe from idol worship, remain steadfast in faith and righteous deeds, and that among them there be prophets, messengers, and those who call to this word, as Allah Almighty said: « وَ اِذِ ابْتَلٰۤى اِبْرٰهٖمَ رَبُّهٗ بِكَلِمٰتٍ فَاَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ اِنِّيْ جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ اِمَامًا قَالَ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِيْ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظّٰلِمِيْنَ» [ البقرۃ : ۱۲۴ ] "And when Ibrahim was tried by his Lord with certain words and he fulfilled them. He said, 'Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people.' He said, 'And from my descendants?' He said, 'My covenant does not include the wrongdoers.'" And Ibrahim (peace be upon him) prayed: «وَ اجْنُبْنِيْ وَ بَنِيَّ اَنْ نَّعْبُدَ الْاَصْنَامَ » [ إبراہیم : ۳۵ ] "And keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols." And he prayed: « رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِيْ مُقِيْمَ الصَّلٰوةِ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِيْ» [ إبراھیم : ۴۰ ] "My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and from my descendants as well." And Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) prayed: «رَبَّنَا وَ اجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَاۤ اُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۲۸ ] "Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim [submissive] nation to You." And they also prayed: « رَبَّنَا وَ ابْعَثْ فِيْهِمْ رَسُوْلًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوْا عَلَيْهِمْ اٰيٰتِكَ وَ يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتٰبَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ يُزَكِّيْهِمْ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۲۹ ] "Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them."
And if in {’’ جَعَلَهَا ‘‘} the subject pronoun refers to Allah Almighty, then it means that Allah Almighty made this word remain among the offspring of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and among them there have always been those who believe in this word and call to it, and will continue to be. Thus, by accepting the prayer of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Ismail (peace be upon him), He sent Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in Makkah, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ أَنَا دَعْوَةُ أَبِيْ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ ] [ سلسلۃ الأحادیث الصحیحۃ، ح : ۱۵۴۶ ] "I am the prayer of my father Ibrahim." Similarly, among his offspring, He sent Ishaq, Yaqub, and many prophets (peace be upon them), as He said: « وَ وَهَبْنَا لَهٗۤ اِسْحٰقَ وَ يَعْقُوْبَ وَ جَعَلْنَا فِيْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ النُّبُوَّةَ وَ الْكِتٰبَ » [ العنکبوت : ۲۷ ] "And We gave him Ishaq and Yaqub, and placed among his descendants prophethood and the Book."
➌ { لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُوْنَ:} That is, if some of them go astray and start committing shirk, then upon the call of the monotheists, they return to Allah Almighty. In this, there is a warning to the people of Makkah that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has brought the same word that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) left among his offspring, so accept his call and refrain from shirk. The Noble Qur'an has stated that not all the offspring of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) became believers, but among them there have been both righteous and wicked people. See Surah Al-Baqarah (124), As-Saffat (113), An-Nisa (55, 54), and Surah Al-Hadid (26). The next verse mentions this same point.
➋ In { بَاقِيَةً فِيْ عَقِبِهٖ: ’’ جَعَلَهَا ‘‘}, the subject pronoun may refer to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) or to Allah Almighty. In the first case, it means that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) made this word remain among his offspring in two ways: first, he advised his children and their children advised their children about it, as He said: « وَ وَصّٰى بِهَاۤ اِبْرٰهٖمُ بَنِيْهِ وَ يَعْقُوْبُ يٰبَنِيَّ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اصْطَفٰى لَكُمُ الدِّيْنَ فَلَا تَمُوْتُنَّ اِلَّا وَ اَنْتُمْ مُّسْلِمُوْنَ» [ البقرۃ : ۱۳۲ ] "And Ibrahim enjoined the same upon his sons, and so did Yaqub: 'O my sons! Indeed, Allah has chosen this religion for you, so do not die except as Muslims.'" Second, he prayed to Allah Almighty that this word remain among his offspring, that among his offspring there be a Muslim Ummah, i.e., obedient to Allah, that they remain safe from idol worship, remain steadfast in faith and righteous deeds, and that among them there be prophets, messengers, and those who call to this word, as Allah Almighty said: « وَ اِذِ ابْتَلٰۤى اِبْرٰهٖمَ رَبُّهٗ بِكَلِمٰتٍ فَاَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ اِنِّيْ جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ اِمَامًا قَالَ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِيْ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظّٰلِمِيْنَ» [ البقرۃ : ۱۲۴ ] "And when Ibrahim was tried by his Lord with certain words and he fulfilled them. He said, 'Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people.' He said, 'And from my descendants?' He said, 'My covenant does not include the wrongdoers.'" And Ibrahim (peace be upon him) prayed: «وَ اجْنُبْنِيْ وَ بَنِيَّ اَنْ نَّعْبُدَ الْاَصْنَامَ » [ إبراہیم : ۳۵ ] "And keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols." And he prayed: « رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِيْ مُقِيْمَ الصَّلٰوةِ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِيْ» [ إبراھیم : ۴۰ ] "My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and from my descendants as well." And Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) prayed: «رَبَّنَا وَ اجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَاۤ اُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۲۸ ] "Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim [submissive] nation to You." And they also prayed: « رَبَّنَا وَ ابْعَثْ فِيْهِمْ رَسُوْلًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوْا عَلَيْهِمْ اٰيٰتِكَ وَ يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتٰبَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ يُزَكِّيْهِمْ » [ البقرۃ : ۱۲۹ ] "Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them."
And if in {’’ جَعَلَهَا ‘‘} the subject pronoun refers to Allah Almighty, then it means that Allah Almighty made this word remain among the offspring of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and among them there have always been those who believe in this word and call to it, and will continue to be. Thus, by accepting the prayer of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Ismail (peace be upon him), He sent Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in Makkah, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ أَنَا دَعْوَةُ أَبِيْ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ ] [ سلسلۃ الأحادیث الصحیحۃ، ح : ۱۵۴۶ ] "I am the prayer of my father Ibrahim." Similarly, among his offspring, He sent Ishaq, Yaqub, and many prophets (peace be upon them), as He said: « وَ وَهَبْنَا لَهٗۤ اِسْحٰقَ وَ يَعْقُوْبَ وَ جَعَلْنَا فِيْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ النُّبُوَّةَ وَ الْكِتٰبَ » [ العنکبوت : ۲۷ ] "And We gave him Ishaq and Yaqub, and placed among his descendants prophethood and the Book."
➌ { لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُوْنَ:} That is, if some of them go astray and start committing shirk, then upon the call of the monotheists, they return to Allah Almighty. In this, there is a warning to the people of Makkah that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has brought the same word that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) left among his offspring, so accept his call and refrain from shirk. The Noble Qur'an has stated that not all the offspring of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) became believers, but among them there have been both righteous and wicked people. See Surah Al-Baqarah (124), As-Saffat (113), An-Nisa (55, 54), and Surah Al-Hadid (26). The next verse mentions this same point.
