سُوْرَةُ الْجَاثِيَةِ
Surah Al-Jaathiya (45) — Ayah 18
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِيعَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ فَٱتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿18﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then We have put you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) on a (plain) way of (Our) commandment [like the one which We commanded Our Messengers before you (i.e. legal ways and laws of the Islâmic Monotheism)]. So follow you that (Islâmic Monotheism and its laws), and follow not the desires of those who know not. (Tafsir At-Tabarî).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
جَعَلْنَـٰكَ
jaʿalnāka
We put you
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
شَرِيعَةٍۢ
sharīʿatin
an ordained way
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْأَمْرِ
l-amri
the matter
فَٱتَّبِعْهَا
fa-ittabiʿ'hā
so follow it
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
تَتَّبِعْ
tattabiʿ
follow
أَهْوَآءَ
ahwāa
(the) desires
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those who
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
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 18) ➊ The meaning of { ثُمَّ جَعَلْنٰكَ عَلٰى شَرِيْعَةٍ مِّنَ الْاَمْرِ: ’’ شَرِيْعَةٍ ‘‘} is a clear path and an evident way. By {’’ الْاَمْرِ ‘‘} is meant "the matter of religion." That is, when the Children of Israel, due to their rebellion, stubbornness, and hostility, did not remain firm upon the clear commands of the religion but instead split into many misguided sects, and their enmity and misguidance towards those who called to the clear and authentic religion reached such an extent that they did not even refrain from killing a distinguished prophet like the Messiah (peace be upon him), rather, in their assumption, they crucified him and considered themselves satisfied. When their rebellion reached this level, they were deprived of the virtue that they had in the form of leadership of the world. Then, O Muhammad! We set you upon the clear path and way of this matter (i.e., religion), and the service that was previously entrusted to the earlier prophets, We entrusted to you.
➋ { فَاتَّبِعْهَا وَ لَا تَتَّبِعْ اَهْوَآءَ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ:} Therefore, you should follow Our prescribed way and obey the commands We have revealed, and do not follow the desires of those who do not know, that is, those who do not possess knowledge of divine revelation, or, despite having knowledge, do not act upon it, because they too are among those who do not know. By them are meant the People of the Book and the polytheists of Arabia. The emphasis on following only the commands revealed by Allah has been mentioned at numerous places in the Noble Qur’an; for details, see Surah Al-Ma’idah (48 to 50) and Surah Al-A’raf (3).
➋ { فَاتَّبِعْهَا وَ لَا تَتَّبِعْ اَهْوَآءَ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ:} Therefore, you should follow Our prescribed way and obey the commands We have revealed, and do not follow the desires of those who do not know, that is, those who do not possess knowledge of divine revelation, or, despite having knowledge, do not act upon it, because they too are among those who do not know. By them are meant the People of the Book and the polytheists of Arabia. The emphasis on following only the commands revealed by Allah has been mentioned at numerous places in the Noble Qur’an; for details, see Surah Al-Ma’idah (48 to 50) and Surah Al-A’raf (3).
