سُوْرَةُ الْحَدِيْدِ
Surah Al-Hadid (57) — Ayah 29
لِّئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَلَّا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ مِّن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ ۙ وَأَنَّ ٱلْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ﴿29﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
So that the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) may know that they have no power whatsoever over the Grace of Allâh, and that (His) Grace is (entirely) in His Hand to bestow it on whomsoever He wills. And Allâh is the Owner of Great Bounty.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لِّئَلَّا
li-allā
So that
يَعْلَمَ
yaʿlama
may know
أَهْلُ
ahlu
(the) People
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
(of) the Book
أَلَّا
allā
that not
يَقْدِرُونَ
yaqdirūna
they have power
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
anything
مِّن
min
from
فَضْلِ
faḍli
(the) Bounty
ٱللَّهِ ۙ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَأَنَّ
wa-anna
and that
ٱلْفَضْلَ
l-faḍla
the Bounty
بِيَدِ
biyadi
(is) in Allah's Hand
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(is) in Allah's Hand
يُؤْتِيهِ
yu'tīhi
He gives it
مَن
man
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 29) ➊ { لِئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ اَهْلُ الْكِتٰبِ اَلَّا يَقْدِرُوْنَ عَلٰى شَيْءٍ مِّنْ فَضْلِ اللّٰهِ:} That is, O you who believe! Allah has given you glad tidings of two portions from His mercy and a great light so that the People of the Book may not know regarding you that these Muslims cannot attain anything from Allah’s bounty.
➋ { وَ اَنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللّٰهِ …:} From the context, it is apparent that before this, {’’وَلِيَعْلَمُوْا‘‘} (and so that they may know) is omitted, meaning: and so that they may know that bounty is not in the hands of the People of the Book or anyone else, but in the hand of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. Thus, by His will, He has chosen those who believe in this last Prophet with sincerity for His special bounty, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.
➌ Ibn Jarir and many other commentators have said that the meaning of {’’ لِئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ اَهْلُ الْكِتٰبِ ‘‘} is {’’ لِيَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ‘‘}. In this case, the meaning is that Allah has given you glad tidings of two portions from His mercy and a great light so that the People of the Book (who do not believe that anyone besides themselves can receive Allah’s bounty) may know that they have no power over anything from Allah’s bounty, and that all bounty is in the hand of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.
On this interpretation, the objection is raised that {’’لَا‘‘} is considered superfluous, whereas how can any word in Allah’s speech be superfluous? The answer is that here, the superfluity of {’’لَا‘‘} does not mean it is useless, but that it is brought for emphasis of the negation present in the later {’’ اَلَّا يَقْدِرُوْنَ ‘‘}, just as it is said in one place: « مَا مَنَعَكَ اَنْ تَسْجُدَ» [ صٓ : ۷۵ ] “What prevented you that you prostrate?” and in another place: « مَا مَنَعَكَ اَلَّا تَسْجُدَ» [ الأعراف : ۱۲ ] “What prevented you that you do not prostrate?” Here, in {’’ اَلَّا تَسْجُدَ ‘‘}, {’’لاَ‘‘} is for emphasis of the negation that is present in the context of {’’ مَنَعَكَ ‘‘}. This interpretation of {’’ لِئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ اَهْلُ الْكِتٰبِ ‘‘} is also correct and very excellent.
➋ { وَ اَنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللّٰهِ …:} From the context, it is apparent that before this, {’’وَلِيَعْلَمُوْا‘‘} (and so that they may know) is omitted, meaning: and so that they may know that bounty is not in the hands of the People of the Book or anyone else, but in the hand of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. Thus, by His will, He has chosen those who believe in this last Prophet with sincerity for His special bounty, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.
➌ Ibn Jarir and many other commentators have said that the meaning of {’’ لِئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ اَهْلُ الْكِتٰبِ ‘‘} is {’’ لِيَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ‘‘}. In this case, the meaning is that Allah has given you glad tidings of two portions from His mercy and a great light so that the People of the Book (who do not believe that anyone besides themselves can receive Allah’s bounty) may know that they have no power over anything from Allah’s bounty, and that all bounty is in the hand of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.
On this interpretation, the objection is raised that {’’لَا‘‘} is considered superfluous, whereas how can any word in Allah’s speech be superfluous? The answer is that here, the superfluity of {’’لَا‘‘} does not mean it is useless, but that it is brought for emphasis of the negation present in the later {’’ اَلَّا يَقْدِرُوْنَ ‘‘}, just as it is said in one place: « مَا مَنَعَكَ اَنْ تَسْجُدَ» [ صٓ : ۷۵ ] “What prevented you that you prostrate?” and in another place: « مَا مَنَعَكَ اَلَّا تَسْجُدَ» [ الأعراف : ۱۲ ] “What prevented you that you do not prostrate?” Here, in {’’ اَلَّا تَسْجُدَ ‘‘}, {’’لاَ‘‘} is for emphasis of the negation that is present in the context of {’’ مَنَعَكَ ‘‘}. This interpretation of {’’ لِئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ اَهْلُ الْكِتٰبِ ‘‘} is also correct and very excellent.
