سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 117
مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرْتَنِى بِهِۦٓ أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ ۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِى كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ ﴿117﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allâh) did command me to say: ‘Worship Allâh, my Lord and your Lord.’ And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things. (This is a great admonition and warning to the Christians of the whole world).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَا
mā
Not
قُلْتُ
qul'tu
I said
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَآ
mā
what
أَمَرْتَنِى
amartanī
You commanded me
بِهِۦٓ
bihi
[with it]
أَنِ
ani
that
ٱعْبُدُوا۟
uʿ'budū
You worship
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
رَبِّى
rabbī
my Lord
وَرَبَّكُمْ ۚ
warabbakum
and your Lord
وَكُنتُ
wakuntu
And I was
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
over them
شَهِيدًۭا
shahīdan
a witness
مَّا
mā
that
دُمْتُ
dum'tu
as long as I
فِيهِمْ ۖ
fīhim
(was) among them
فَلَمَّا
falammā
then when
تَوَفَّيْتَنِى
tawaffaytanī
You raised me
كُنتَ
kunta
You were
أَنتَ
anta
[You]
ٱلرَّقِيبَ
l-raqība
the Watcher
عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ
ʿalayhim
over them
وَأَنتَ
wa-anta
and You
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
(are) on
كُلِّ
kulli
every
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
thing
شَهِيدٌ
shahīdun
a Witness
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 117) ➊ { اَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللّٰهَ …:} That is, worship only Allah, Who is the Lord of me and all of you.
➋ {فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ:} The Qadianis use this verse as evidence that Isa (peace be upon him) has passed away, but they do not see that Isa (peace be upon him) will give this statement on the Day of Resurrection, after he has come to earth, completed his life, and passed away. If it is insisted that {’’ تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ ‘‘} refers to the first time, when he was raised to the heavens, then it should be known that the word "wafaat" has come in the Qur'an in three meanings: one is death, as in: «اَللّٰهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْاَنْفُسَ حِيْنَ مَوْتِهَا » [ الزمر : ۴۲ ] "Allah takes the souls at the time of their death." The second is sleep, as in: « {وَ هُوَ الَّذِيْ يَتَوَفّٰىكُمْ بِالَّيْلِ} » [الأنعام : ۶۰ ] "And He it is Who takes your souls by night." The third is being raised up bodily, as is here and in Surah Al-Imran (55) and Surah An-Nisa (158).
➌ {كُنْتَ اَنْتَ الرَّقِيْبَ عَلَيْهِمْ … :} That is, I can only bear witness to their apparent deeds as long as I was among them; when You took me up, then You alone were the Watcher over them, and You are Witness over all things, meaning that even during my presence among them, You alone were the Witness, and after my separation, You alone are the Witness. "Shaheed" is among the beautiful names of Allah. Shahadah can mean seeing, hearing, and knowing, and it can also mean bearing witness with words. (Kabir) But in the case of others, the word "shaheed" or "shahid" in an absolute sense (when there is no specific context) is used in the meaning of bearing witness with words. This also proves that the One Who knows everything and everyone at all times is only Allah. Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, some men from my Ummah will be brought and they will be turned towards the left side. I will say: 'These are my companions.' It will be said: 'You do not know what new things they introduced after you.' Then I will say just as Allah's righteous servant (Isa, peace be upon him) will say: «وَ كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيْدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيْهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ كُنْتَ اَنْتَ الرَّقِيْبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ اَنْتَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيْدٌ» Then it will be said that since you parted from them, they kept turning back on their heels (became apostates)." [ بخاری، التفسیر، باب : «وکنت علیہم…» : ۴۶۲۵ ]
➋ {فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ:} The Qadianis use this verse as evidence that Isa (peace be upon him) has passed away, but they do not see that Isa (peace be upon him) will give this statement on the Day of Resurrection, after he has come to earth, completed his life, and passed away. If it is insisted that {’’ تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ ‘‘} refers to the first time, when he was raised to the heavens, then it should be known that the word "wafaat" has come in the Qur'an in three meanings: one is death, as in: «اَللّٰهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْاَنْفُسَ حِيْنَ مَوْتِهَا » [ الزمر : ۴۲ ] "Allah takes the souls at the time of their death." The second is sleep, as in: « {وَ هُوَ الَّذِيْ يَتَوَفّٰىكُمْ بِالَّيْلِ} » [الأنعام : ۶۰ ] "And He it is Who takes your souls by night." The third is being raised up bodily, as is here and in Surah Al-Imran (55) and Surah An-Nisa (158).
➌ {كُنْتَ اَنْتَ الرَّقِيْبَ عَلَيْهِمْ … :} That is, I can only bear witness to their apparent deeds as long as I was among them; when You took me up, then You alone were the Watcher over them, and You are Witness over all things, meaning that even during my presence among them, You alone were the Witness, and after my separation, You alone are the Witness. "Shaheed" is among the beautiful names of Allah. Shahadah can mean seeing, hearing, and knowing, and it can also mean bearing witness with words. (Kabir) But in the case of others, the word "shaheed" or "shahid" in an absolute sense (when there is no specific context) is used in the meaning of bearing witness with words. This also proves that the One Who knows everything and everyone at all times is only Allah. Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, some men from my Ummah will be brought and they will be turned towards the left side. I will say: 'These are my companions.' It will be said: 'You do not know what new things they introduced after you.' Then I will say just as Allah's righteous servant (Isa, peace be upon him) will say: «وَ كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيْدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيْهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ كُنْتَ اَنْتَ الرَّقِيْبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ اَنْتَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيْدٌ» Then it will be said that since you parted from them, they kept turning back on their heels (became apostates)." [ بخاری، التفسیر، باب : «وکنت علیہم…» : ۴۶۲۵ ]
