سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 101
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَسْـَٔلُوا۟ عَنْ أَشْيَآءَ إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ وَإِن تَسْـَٔلُوا۟ عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنْهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ﴿101﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if you ask about them while the Qur’ân is being revealed, they will be made plain to you. Allâh has forgiven that, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَسْـَٔلُوا۟
tasalū
ask
عَنْ
ʿan
about
أَشْيَآءَ
ashyāa
things
إِن
in
if
تُبْدَ
tub'da
made clear
لَكُمْ
lakum
to you
تَسُؤْكُمْ
tasu'kum
it may distress you
وَإِن
wa-in
and if
تَسْـَٔلُوا۟
tasalū
you ask
عَنْهَا
ʿanhā
about it
حِينَ
ḥīna
when
يُنَزَّلُ
yunazzalu
is being revealed
ٱلْقُرْءَانُ
l-qur'ānu
the Quran
تُبْدَ
tub'da
it would be made clear
لَكُمْ
lakum
to you
عَفَا
ʿafā
has (been) pardoned
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(by) Allah
عَنْهَا ۗ
ʿanhā
[about] it
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
and Allah
غَفُورٌ
ghafūrun
(is) Oft-Forgiving
حَلِيمٌۭ
ḥalīmun
All-Forbearing
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 101) ➊ {لَا تَسْـَٔلُوْا عَنْ اَشْيَآءَ … :} That is, if you ask unnecessary questions and their answers come against your ease, you will fall into difficulty for no reason, and then, in case of not fulfilling them, you will be considered disobedient to Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Now, while the Quran is being revealed, the answer to your questions can also be revealed, so you may have many things made obligatory or forbidden upon yourselves. On this basis, in several narrations, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade excessive questioning. Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Indeed, the greatest criminal among the Muslims in terms of crime is the one who asked about something that was not forbidden, then because of his question, it was made forbidden.” [بخاری، الاعتصام، باب ما یکرہ من کثرۃ السؤال… : ۷۲۸۹۔ مسلم : ۲۳۵۸ ] See also Surah Al-Baqarah (108).
➋ {عَفَا اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا:} One meaning is that the questions you have already asked, Allah Almighty has forgiven them, and another meaning could be that it is Allah’s mercy and forgiveness that He has overlooked those things, has not mentioned them, and has left you the option to do or not do them. (Razi, Ibn Kathir)
➋ {عَفَا اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا:} One meaning is that the questions you have already asked, Allah Almighty has forgiven them, and another meaning could be that it is Allah’s mercy and forgiveness that He has overlooked those things, has not mentioned them, and has left you the option to do or not do them. (Razi, Ibn Kathir)
