سُوْرَةُ الزُّخْرُفِ
Surah Az-Zukhruf (43) — Ayah 60
وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنكُم مَّلَـٰٓئِكَةً فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ ﴿60﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if it were Our Will, We would have [destroyed you (mankind) all, and] made angels to replace you on the earth. [Tafsir At-Tabarî].
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
نَشَآءُ
nashāu
We willed
لَجَعَلْنَا
lajaʿalnā
surely We (could have) made
مِنكُم
minkum
among you
مَّلَـٰٓئِكَةًۭ
malāikatan
Angels
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
يَخْلُفُونَ
yakhlufūna
succeeding
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 60) {وَ لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ … :} That is, on this earth, humans are born from a father and mother; ‘Isa (peace be upon him) was born without a father, but that did not make him a deity. Rather, he is a created being like other humans, just as angels, despite being created without parents and residing in the heavens, are still created beings and did not become deities. In fact, if We will, We can bring them to the earth in your place and make them your successors; neither can you deny it nor do they have the power to refuse, so how did they become deities? Another interpretation of this verse is that if We will, We can destroy you and bring the angels in your place, who will populate the earth and worship Us.
