سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 71
وَحَسِبُوٓا۟ أَلَّا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ فَعَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ ثُمَّ تَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ عَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿71﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They thought there will be no Fitnah (trial or punishment), so they became blind and deaf; after that Allâh turned to them (with Forgiveness); yet again many of them became blind and deaf. And Allâh is the All-Seer of what they do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَحَسِبُوٓا۟
waḥasibū
And they thought
أَلَّا
allā
that not
تَكُونَ
takūna
will be (for them)
فِتْنَةٌۭ
fit'natun
a trial
فَعَمُوا۟
faʿamū
so they became blind
وَصَمُّوا۟
waṣammū
and they became deaf
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
تَابَ
tāba
turned
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
to them
ثُمَّ
thumma
then (again)
عَمُوا۟
ʿamū
they became blind
وَصَمُّوا۟
waṣammū
and they became deaf
كَثِيرٌۭ
kathīrun
many
مِّنْهُمْ ۚ
min'hum
of them
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
بَصِيرٌۢ
baṣīrun
(is) All-Seer
بِمَا
bimā
of what
يَعْمَلُونَ
yaʿmalūna
they do
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 71) ➊ The original meaning of {وَ حَسِبُوْۤا اَلَّا تَكُوْنَ فِتْنَةٌ: ’’ فِتْنَةٌ ‘‘} is "trial." The meaning is that they thought, "No matter what sins we commit, even if we kill the prophets, since we are the sons and beloved ones of Allah, no kind of misfortune, evil, or calamity such as the dominance of enemies will ever befall us in this world." (Kabir)
➋ {فَعَمُوْا وَ صَمُّوْا:} But due to being blind and deaf to the truth, calamity befell them. The first time, Allah Almighty set Nebuchadnezzar upon them, who burned their Masjid al-Aqsa, looted their wealth, and took the majority of them as slaves to Babylon. See Surah Bani Isra'il (4 to 8).
➌ {ثُمَّ تَابَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِمْ:} That is, Allah Almighty delivered them from the slavery of Nebuchadnezzar, and they reformed themselves and remained upright for some time.
➍ {ثُمَّ عَمُوْا وَ صَمُّوْا كَثِيْرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ……:} That is, then once again they reverted to their former rebellion, to the extent that they killed great prophets like Zakariya and Yahya (peace be upon them), and behaved extremely disrespectfully towards 'Isa (peace be upon him), even attempting to kill him as well. Some have specified the first period of misguidance with the time of Zakariya and Yahya (peace be upon them), and the second period with the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and here in {’’ كَثِيْرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ‘‘} there is an indication that some among them became truth-seeking Muslims, such as 'Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) and his companions. And it is possible that: «لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْاَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ» [ بنی إسرائیل : ۴ ] ("Indeed, you will surely cause corruption on the earth twice") refers to these two periods. (Kabir) «وَ اللّٰهُ بَصِيْرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُوْنَ» The purpose of this is to warn them of Allah and His punishment.
➋ {فَعَمُوْا وَ صَمُّوْا:} But due to being blind and deaf to the truth, calamity befell them. The first time, Allah Almighty set Nebuchadnezzar upon them, who burned their Masjid al-Aqsa, looted their wealth, and took the majority of them as slaves to Babylon. See Surah Bani Isra'il (4 to 8).
➌ {ثُمَّ تَابَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِمْ:} That is, Allah Almighty delivered them from the slavery of Nebuchadnezzar, and they reformed themselves and remained upright for some time.
➍ {ثُمَّ عَمُوْا وَ صَمُّوْا كَثِيْرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ……:} That is, then once again they reverted to their former rebellion, to the extent that they killed great prophets like Zakariya and Yahya (peace be upon them), and behaved extremely disrespectfully towards 'Isa (peace be upon him), even attempting to kill him as well. Some have specified the first period of misguidance with the time of Zakariya and Yahya (peace be upon them), and the second period with the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and here in {’’ كَثِيْرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ‘‘} there is an indication that some among them became truth-seeking Muslims, such as 'Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) and his companions. And it is possible that: «لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْاَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ» [ بنی إسرائیل : ۴ ] ("Indeed, you will surely cause corruption on the earth twice") refers to these two periods. (Kabir) «وَ اللّٰهُ بَصِيْرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُوْنَ» The purpose of this is to warn them of Allah and His punishment.
