سُوْرَةُ الطُّوْرِ
Surah At-Tur (52) — Ayah 21
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَـٰنٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَآ أَلَتْنَـٰهُم مِّنْ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ ۚ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهِينٌ ﴿21﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith: to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything. Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
And those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believed
وَٱتَّبَعَتْهُمْ
wa-ittabaʿathum
and followed them
ذُرِّيَّتُهُم
dhurriyyatuhum
their offspring
بِإِيمَـٰنٍ
biīmānin
in faith
أَلْحَقْنَا
alḥaqnā
We will join
بِهِمْ
bihim
with them
ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ
dhurriyyatahum
their offspring
وَمَآ
wamā
and not
أَلَتْنَـٰهُم
alatnāhum
We will deprive them
مِّنْ
min
of
عَمَلِهِم
ʿamalihim
their deeds
مِّن
min
(in) any
شَىْءٍۢ ۚ
shayin
thing
كُلُّ
kullu
Every
ٱمْرِئٍۭ
im'ri-in
person
بِمَا
bimā
for what
كَسَبَ
kasaba
he earned
رَهِينٌۭ
rahīnun
(is) pledged
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 21) ➊ The tanween on {وَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ اتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُمْ بِاِيْمَانٍ: ’’ بِاِيْمَانٍ ‘‘} is for tankeer and taqleel, therefore the translation is: "and their offspring followed them in any degree of faith."
➋ { اَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ:} Tabari has narrated its explanation from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) with an authentic chain from Ali bin Abi Talhah: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالٰی يَرْفَعُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانُوْا دُوْنَهُ فِي الْعَمَلِ، لِيُقِرَّ اللّٰهُ بِهِمْ عَيْنَهُ ] [ طبري : ۳۲۶۲۲ ] "Allah Almighty will raise the offspring for the sake of the believer, even if they are lesser in deeds than him, so that Allah may cool his eyes through them." Previously, in Surah Ra'd (23), it was stated that among the parents and wives and children of the people of Paradise, whoever is righteous will enter Paradise with them, and in Surah Ghafir (8), it was stated that the angels pray to Allah Almighty for the believers that He admits them and their parents, wives, and offspring into Paradise.
In the verse under commentary, along with entry into Paradise, another great glad tiding is given: if the offspring, by bringing faith of any degree, continued to follow in the footsteps of their righteous parents, then even if they are not deserving of that high rank in terms of faith or deeds which their parents will attain, still Allah Almighty will join them with their parents.
➌ { وَ مَاۤ اَلَتْنٰهُمْ مِّنْ عَمَلِهِمْ مِّنْ شَيْءٍ: ’’أَلَتَ يَأْلِتُ أَلْتًا‘‘ (ض) ’’ اَلشَّيْءُ ‘‘} means the decrease of something. {’’أَلَتَ الرَّجُلَ حَقَّهُ‘‘} "To decrease in the right of a person, not to give fully." That is, it will not happen that We bring the parents down from their high rank to join them with their offspring, because that would necessitate decreasing the reward of their deeds. Therefore, We will not decrease their deeds in any way, rather, purely out of Our grace, We will raise the rank of the offspring and bring them to the high rank of the parents.
➍ Just as the ranks of the offspring will be elevated due to the blessing of the parents' deeds, likewise, by virtue of the offspring's supplication, Allah Almighty will also bestow grace upon the parents. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَيَرْفَعُ الدَّرَجَةَ لِلْعَبْدِ الصَّالِحِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، فَيَقُوْلُ يَا رَبِّ! أَنّٰی لِيْ هٰذِهِ ؟ فَيَقُوْلُ بِاسْتِغْفَارِ وَلَدِكَ لَكَ ] [ مسند أحمد : 509/2، ح : ۱۰۶۱۰، مسند احمد کے محققین نے اس کی سند کو حسن اور ابن کثیر نے صحیح قرار دیا ہے ] "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will raise the rank of the righteous servant in Paradise, so he will say: 'O my Lord! How did I attain this rank?' Allah Almighty will say: 'Because of your child's seeking forgiveness for you.'" This is supported by the well-known hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he said: [ إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُوْ لَهُ ] [مسلم، الوصیۃ، باب ما یلحق الإنسان من الثواب بعد وفاتہ : ۱۶۳۱ ] "When a person dies, his deeds are cut off from him except for three: ongoing charity, or knowledge from which benefit is derived, or a righteous child who prays for him."
➎ {كُلُّ امْرِئٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهِيْنٌ: ’’رَهَنَ يَرْهَنُ رَهْنًا‘‘} (f) To mortgage. {’’ رَهِيْنٌ ‘‘} Mortgaged. If a person takes a loan from someone and the lender, as a guarantee for the recovery of his right, keeps something of his as collateral (mortgage), then until he repays the loan, the mortgaged item is not released, and if he cannot repay, it is seized. Here, Allah Almighty first mentioned His grace that if the deeds of the righteous offspring are not worthy of the rank of their parents, even then they will be joined with their parents. Now He mentions His justice: no person will be seized for another's sin, rather every person will be seized only for what he has earned, whether he is a father or a son. Then, either a person will present the deed whose fulfillment was due from him and be released, or, due to being unable to present it, will remain detained. See also Surah An'am (164), Fatir (18), and Surah Muddathir (38).
➋ { اَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ:} Tabari has narrated its explanation from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) with an authentic chain from Ali bin Abi Talhah: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالٰی يَرْفَعُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانُوْا دُوْنَهُ فِي الْعَمَلِ، لِيُقِرَّ اللّٰهُ بِهِمْ عَيْنَهُ ] [ طبري : ۳۲۶۲۲ ] "Allah Almighty will raise the offspring for the sake of the believer, even if they are lesser in deeds than him, so that Allah may cool his eyes through them." Previously, in Surah Ra'd (23), it was stated that among the parents and wives and children of the people of Paradise, whoever is righteous will enter Paradise with them, and in Surah Ghafir (8), it was stated that the angels pray to Allah Almighty for the believers that He admits them and their parents, wives, and offspring into Paradise.
In the verse under commentary, along with entry into Paradise, another great glad tiding is given: if the offspring, by bringing faith of any degree, continued to follow in the footsteps of their righteous parents, then even if they are not deserving of that high rank in terms of faith or deeds which their parents will attain, still Allah Almighty will join them with their parents.
➌ { وَ مَاۤ اَلَتْنٰهُمْ مِّنْ عَمَلِهِمْ مِّنْ شَيْءٍ: ’’أَلَتَ يَأْلِتُ أَلْتًا‘‘ (ض) ’’ اَلشَّيْءُ ‘‘} means the decrease of something. {’’أَلَتَ الرَّجُلَ حَقَّهُ‘‘} "To decrease in the right of a person, not to give fully." That is, it will not happen that We bring the parents down from their high rank to join them with their offspring, because that would necessitate decreasing the reward of their deeds. Therefore, We will not decrease their deeds in any way, rather, purely out of Our grace, We will raise the rank of the offspring and bring them to the high rank of the parents.
➍ Just as the ranks of the offspring will be elevated due to the blessing of the parents' deeds, likewise, by virtue of the offspring's supplication, Allah Almighty will also bestow grace upon the parents. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَيَرْفَعُ الدَّرَجَةَ لِلْعَبْدِ الصَّالِحِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، فَيَقُوْلُ يَا رَبِّ! أَنّٰی لِيْ هٰذِهِ ؟ فَيَقُوْلُ بِاسْتِغْفَارِ وَلَدِكَ لَكَ ] [ مسند أحمد : 509/2، ح : ۱۰۶۱۰، مسند احمد کے محققین نے اس کی سند کو حسن اور ابن کثیر نے صحیح قرار دیا ہے ] "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will raise the rank of the righteous servant in Paradise, so he will say: 'O my Lord! How did I attain this rank?' Allah Almighty will say: 'Because of your child's seeking forgiveness for you.'" This is supported by the well-known hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he said: [ إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُوْ لَهُ ] [مسلم، الوصیۃ، باب ما یلحق الإنسان من الثواب بعد وفاتہ : ۱۶۳۱ ] "When a person dies, his deeds are cut off from him except for three: ongoing charity, or knowledge from which benefit is derived, or a righteous child who prays for him."
➎ {كُلُّ امْرِئٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهِيْنٌ: ’’رَهَنَ يَرْهَنُ رَهْنًا‘‘} (f) To mortgage. {’’ رَهِيْنٌ ‘‘} Mortgaged. If a person takes a loan from someone and the lender, as a guarantee for the recovery of his right, keeps something of his as collateral (mortgage), then until he repays the loan, the mortgaged item is not released, and if he cannot repay, it is seized. Here, Allah Almighty first mentioned His grace that if the deeds of the righteous offspring are not worthy of the rank of their parents, even then they will be joined with their parents. Now He mentions His justice: no person will be seized for another's sin, rather every person will be seized only for what he has earned, whether he is a father or a son. Then, either a person will present the deed whose fulfillment was due from him and be released, or, due to being unable to present it, will remain detained. See also Surah An'am (164), Fatir (18), and Surah Muddathir (38).
