سُوْرَةُ الزُّخْرُفِ
Surah Az-Zukhruf (43) — Ayah 5
أَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنكُمُ ٱلذِّكْرَ صَفْحًا أَن كُنتُمْ قَوْمًا مُّسْرِفِينَ ﴿5﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Shall We then (warn you not and) take away the Reminder (this Qur’ân) from you, because you are a people Musrifûn.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَنَضْرِبُ
afanaḍribu
Then should We take away
عَنكُمُ
ʿankumu
from you
ٱلذِّكْرَ
l-dhik'ra
the Reminder
صَفْحًا
ṣafḥan
disregarding (you)
أَن
an
because
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you are
قَوْمًۭا
qawman
a people
مُّسْرِفِينَ
mus'rifīna
transgressing
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 5) ➊ When {اَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنْكُمُ الذِّكْرَ صَفْحًا: ’’ضَرَبَ‘‘} is followed by {’’عَنْ‘‘}, its meaning becomes {’’صَرَفَ عَنْهُ‘‘} (to turn away, to avoid). {’’ صَفْحًا ‘‘ ’’صَفَحَ عَنْهُ‘‘} is a verbal noun, and its meaning is also to avoid. Now, there can be several constructions of {’’ اَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنْكُمُ الذِّكْرَ صَفْحًا ‘‘ }; one is that this verbal noun is an absolute object for emphasis, because the meaning of {’’ اَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنْكُمْ ‘‘} is also to avoid, and { ’’ صَفْحًا ‘‘ } has the same meaning. Thus, this verbal noun is an absolute object with a verb of similar meaning, like {’’قَعَدْتُ جُلُوْسًا‘‘}. The meaning would be: "Shall We remove this reminder from you, completely remove it?" And another is that {’’ صَفْحًا ‘‘} is an object of reason or a circumstantial adverb, meaning: "Shall We remove this reminder from you because of Our avoidance, or while turning away?"
➋ Before { اَنْ كُنْتُمْ قَوْمًا مُّسْرِفِيْنَ: ’’ اَنْ ‘‘}, the prepositional letter "lam" is omitted, and in {’’ كُنْتُمْ ‘‘} there is continuity: {’’أَيْ لِأَنْ كُنْتُمْ‘‘} "because you have been transgressing people." The meaning of the verse is that We have revealed such a highly ranked Qur'an in your language for your understanding, but you persisted in excess and extravagance and continued to deny, so should We, due to your continuous excess and denial, remove this reminder from you while turning away and stop explaining to you? That is, We will not do so, nor does this befit Our mercy, because your excess and misguidance are actually the reason for the Qur'an being revealed. Thus, despite their denial, the Qur'an continued to be revealed for twenty-three years, countless blessed souls believed in it, and for those who persisted in disbelief, the proof was established, and from their descendants too, countless people became followers of Islam.
➋ Before { اَنْ كُنْتُمْ قَوْمًا مُّسْرِفِيْنَ: ’’ اَنْ ‘‘}, the prepositional letter "lam" is omitted, and in {’’ كُنْتُمْ ‘‘} there is continuity: {’’أَيْ لِأَنْ كُنْتُمْ‘‘} "because you have been transgressing people." The meaning of the verse is that We have revealed such a highly ranked Qur'an in your language for your understanding, but you persisted in excess and extravagance and continued to deny, so should We, due to your continuous excess and denial, remove this reminder from you while turning away and stop explaining to you? That is, We will not do so, nor does this befit Our mercy, because your excess and misguidance are actually the reason for the Qur'an being revealed. Thus, despite their denial, the Qur'an continued to be revealed for twenty-three years, countless blessed souls believed in it, and for those who persisted in disbelief, the proof was established, and from their descendants too, countless people became followers of Islam.
