سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 31
فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ غُرَابًا يَبْحَثُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيُرِيَهُۥ كَيْفَ يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَةَ أَخِيهِ ۚ قَالَ يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْغُرَابِ فَأُوَٰرِىَ سَوْءَةَ أَخِى ۖ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلنَّـٰدِمِينَ ﴿31﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then Allâh sent a crow who scratched the ground to show him to hide the dead body of his brother. He (the murderer) said: "Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother?" Then he became one of those who regretted.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَبَعَثَ
fabaʿatha
Then (was) sent
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(by) Allah
غُرَابًۭا
ghurāban
a crow
يَبْحَثُ
yabḥathu
it (was) scratching
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
لِيُرِيَهُۥ
liyuriyahu
to show him
كَيْفَ
kayfa
how
يُوَٰرِى
yuwārī
to hide
سَوْءَةَ
sawata
(the) dead body
أَخِيهِ ۚ
akhīhi
(of) his brother
قَالَ
qāla
He said
يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ
yāwaylatā
Woe to me
أَعَجَزْتُ
aʿajaztu
Am I unable
أَنْ
an
that
أَكُونَ
akūna
I can be
مِثْلَ
mith'la
like
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
this
ٱلْغُرَابِ
l-ghurābi
[the] crow
فَأُوَٰرِىَ
fa-uwāriya
and hide
سَوْءَةَ
sawata
(the) dead body
أَخِى ۖ
akhī
(of) my brother
فَأَصْبَحَ
fa-aṣbaḥa
Then he became
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلنَّـٰدِمِينَ
l-nādimīna
the regretful
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 31) ➊ {فَبَعَثَ اللّٰهُ غُرَابًا يَّبْحَثُ فِي الْاَرْضِ:} And it is narrated that a crow dug the earth and buried another crow; when he saw the crow’s goodwill for the other crow, he became regretful of his own action. (Muwaddih) But this is derived from Israelite traditions; what is understood from the apparent words of the Quran is only that when he saw it scratching the earth, he realized that he should bury him. (Qurtubi)
➋ {فَاَصْبَحَ مِنَ النّٰدِمِيْنَ:} That is, he became regretful over his brother's death and for not quickly understanding how to dispose of him, because if he had regretted his action and repented, his sin would have been forgiven and the sin of murders committed in the world would not have been upon him. (Qurtubi)
➋ {فَاَصْبَحَ مِنَ النّٰدِمِيْنَ:} That is, he became regretful over his brother's death and for not quickly understanding how to dispose of him, because if he had regretted his action and repented, his sin would have been forgiven and the sin of murders committed in the world would not have been upon him. (Qurtubi)
