سُوْرَةُ الْحَدِيْدِ
Surah Al-Hadid (57) — Ayah 21
سَابِقُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ﴿21﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your Lord (Allâh), and Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heaven and the earth, prepared for those who believe in Allâh and His Messengers. That is the Grace of Allâh which He bestows on whom He is pleased with. And Allâh is the Owner of Great Bounty.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
سَابِقُوٓا۟
sābiqū
Race
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
مَغْفِرَةٍۢ
maghfiratin
(the) forgiveness
مِّن
min
from
رَّبِّكُمْ
rabbikum
your Lord
وَجَنَّةٍ
wajannatin
and a Garden
عَرْضُهَا
ʿarḍuhā
its width
كَعَرْضِ
kaʿarḍi
(is) like (the) width
ٱلسَّمَآءِ
l-samāi
(of) the heaven
وَٱلْأَرْضِ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
أُعِدَّتْ
uʿiddat
prepared
لِلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
for those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۚ
warusulihi
and His Messengers
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
فَضْلُ
faḍlu
(is the) Bounty
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
يُؤْتِيهِ
yu'tīhi
He gives
مَن
man
(to) whom
يَشَآءُ ۚ
yashāu
He wills
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
ذُو
dhū
(is) the Possessor of Bounty
ٱلْفَضْلِ
l-faḍli
(is) the Possessor of Bounty
ٱلْعَظِيمِ
l-ʿaẓīmi
the Great
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 {سَابِقُوْۤا اِلٰى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ: ’’ سَابِقُوْۤا ‘‘ ’’سَبَقَ يَسْبِقُ سَبْقًا‘‘} (ض،ن) is the imperative form of the verb from the Mufa‘alah pattern. It contains the meaning of competition, that is, hasten towards such deeds in competition with one another by which you may become deserving of forgiveness and Paradise. For example, being in the first row on the battlefield, joining the opening Takbir with the Imam, and spending more than others in the way of Allah, etc. This verse is similar to verse (133) of Surah Al-Imran; also refer to its explanation.
➋ The word { وَ جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَآءِ وَ الْاَرْضِ: ’’ السَّمَآءِ ‘‘} is used here as a generic term, meaning all the heavens. The evidence for this is this verse from Surah Al-Imran: « وَ سَارِعُوْۤا اِلٰى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ وَ جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمٰوٰتُ وَ الْاَرْضُ » [آل عمران : ۱۳۳] “And race with one another towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth.”
➌ In { اُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رُسُلِهٖ:} it is only mentioned that Paradise has been prepared for the believers, whereas in Surah Al-Imran (133 to 135) some of the deeds of those believers are also mentioned due to which they become deserving of Allah’s grace. The first of these deeds is spending in ease and hardship, which has already been mentioned here in {’’ اَنْفَقُوْا ‘‘}.
➍ { ذٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللّٰهِ يُؤْتِيْهِ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ …:} From this it is understood that entry into Paradise will be solely by Allah’s grace, because nothing is obligatory upon Allah, and no matter how many deeds a person performs, they cannot compensate for even a single blessing granted by Allah in this world. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: [ لَنْ يُّدْخِلَ أَحَدًا عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّةَ، قَالُوْا وَلاَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ !؟ قَالَ لاَ، وَلاَ أَنَا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَّتَغَمَّدَنِيَ اللّٰهُ بِفَضْلٍ وَ رَحْمَةٍ ] [ بخاري، المرضٰی، باب تمنی المریض الموت : ۵۶۷۳] “No one’s deeds will ever admit him to Paradise.” The people asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Not even you?” He said, “No, not even me, unless Allah covers me with His grace and mercy.” However, righteous deeds become a means of attaining Allah’s grace and mercy; see the explanation of Surah Al-A‘raf (43).
➋ The word { وَ جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَآءِ وَ الْاَرْضِ: ’’ السَّمَآءِ ‘‘} is used here as a generic term, meaning all the heavens. The evidence for this is this verse from Surah Al-Imran: « وَ سَارِعُوْۤا اِلٰى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ وَ جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمٰوٰتُ وَ الْاَرْضُ » [آل عمران : ۱۳۳] “And race with one another towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth.”
➌ In { اُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رُسُلِهٖ:} it is only mentioned that Paradise has been prepared for the believers, whereas in Surah Al-Imran (133 to 135) some of the deeds of those believers are also mentioned due to which they become deserving of Allah’s grace. The first of these deeds is spending in ease and hardship, which has already been mentioned here in {’’ اَنْفَقُوْا ‘‘}.
➍ { ذٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللّٰهِ يُؤْتِيْهِ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ …:} From this it is understood that entry into Paradise will be solely by Allah’s grace, because nothing is obligatory upon Allah, and no matter how many deeds a person performs, they cannot compensate for even a single blessing granted by Allah in this world. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: [ لَنْ يُّدْخِلَ أَحَدًا عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّةَ، قَالُوْا وَلاَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ !؟ قَالَ لاَ، وَلاَ أَنَا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَّتَغَمَّدَنِيَ اللّٰهُ بِفَضْلٍ وَ رَحْمَةٍ ] [ بخاري، المرضٰی، باب تمنی المریض الموت : ۵۶۷۳] “No one’s deeds will ever admit him to Paradise.” The people asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Not even you?” He said, “No, not even me, unless Allah covers me with His grace and mercy.” However, righteous deeds become a means of attaining Allah’s grace and mercy; see the explanation of Surah Al-A‘raf (43).
