سُوْرَةُ قٓ
Surah Qaaf (50) — Ayah 4
قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنقُصُ ٱلْأَرْضُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَعِندَنَا كِتَـٰبٌ حَفِيظٌۢ ﴿4﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
We know that which the earth takes of them (their dead bodies), and with Us is a Book preserved (i.e. the Book of Decrees).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَدْ
qad
Certainly
عَلِمْنَا
ʿalim'nā
We know
مَا
mā
what
تَنقُصُ
tanquṣu
diminishes
ٱلْأَرْضُ
l-arḍu
the earth
مِنْهُمْ ۖ
min'hum
of them
وَعِندَنَا
waʿindanā
and with Us
كِتَـٰبٌ
kitābun
(is) a Book
حَفِيظٌۢ
ḥafīẓun
guarded
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 4) ➊ { قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنْقُصُ الْاَرْضُ مِنْهُمْ:} They were calling resurrection impossible because, after becoming dust, all its particles become alike, so when the dust of one is indistinguishable from the dust of another, how can they be resurrected again? Allah Almighty, refuting their doubt, said: « قَدْ عَلِمْنَا » “Indeed, We have already known”—meaning, We already know which parts of their bodies the earth will diminish after death and where those parts, as they turn to dust, will be. Not even a single particle is outside Our knowledge. In {’’ مِنْهُمْ ‘‘}, the word {’’مِنْ‘‘} is for partiality; in this is an indication that not all parts of a human become dust, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لَيْسَ مِنَ الْإِنْسَانِ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا يَبْلٰي إِلَّا عَظْمًا وَاحِدًا وَ هُوَ عَجْبُ الذَّنَبِ وَ مِنْهُ يُرَكَّبُ الْخَلْقُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ] [ مسلم، الفتن، باب ما بین النفختین : ۲۹۵۵، عن أبي ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ] “Everything of the son of Adam decays except for one bone, which is the tailbone, and on the Day of Resurrection, the creation will be assembled from it.”
➋ { وَ عِنْدَنَا كِتٰبٌ حَفِيْظٌ:’’ حَفِيْظٌ ‘‘} is an intensive form. Since people consider written records more reliable, taking into account their common habit, it is said that, in addition to every particle being within Our knowledge, it is also recorded in that book which preserves all things. Then, what difficulty is there for Us in resurrecting those particles? Most commentators have taken {’’ كِتٰبٌ حَفِيْظٌ ‘‘} to mean the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz), in which Allah Almighty has already written everything that is to happen in the future, and in it, the whereabouts of every particle of theirs is also recorded. {’’ كِتٰبٌ حَفِيْظٌ ‘‘} can also mean such a book in which every person’s name, his deeds, and all the conditions he passes through in life and after death are recorded alongside, even to the extent that after death, where each particle of his body is transferred and where it is present. Therefore, denying the Resurrection on the basis that those particles cannot be gathered after becoming dust, is not correct. To instill certainty of resurrection in the disbelievers, this meaning of {’’ كِتٰبٌ حَفِيْظٌ ‘‘} is closer to the words. (And Allah knows best)
➋ { وَ عِنْدَنَا كِتٰبٌ حَفِيْظٌ:’’ حَفِيْظٌ ‘‘} is an intensive form. Since people consider written records more reliable, taking into account their common habit, it is said that, in addition to every particle being within Our knowledge, it is also recorded in that book which preserves all things. Then, what difficulty is there for Us in resurrecting those particles? Most commentators have taken {’’ كِتٰبٌ حَفِيْظٌ ‘‘} to mean the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz), in which Allah Almighty has already written everything that is to happen in the future, and in it, the whereabouts of every particle of theirs is also recorded. {’’ كِتٰبٌ حَفِيْظٌ ‘‘} can also mean such a book in which every person’s name, his deeds, and all the conditions he passes through in life and after death are recorded alongside, even to the extent that after death, where each particle of his body is transferred and where it is present. Therefore, denying the Resurrection on the basis that those particles cannot be gathered after becoming dust, is not correct. To instill certainty of resurrection in the disbelievers, this meaning of {’’ كِتٰبٌ حَفِيْظٌ ‘‘} is closer to the words. (And Allah knows best)
