سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْعَامِ
Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 165
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَـٰتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌۢ ﴿165﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And it is He Who has made you generations coming after generations, replacing each other on the earth. And He has raised you in ranks, some above others that He may try you in that which He has bestowed on you. Surely your Lord is Swift in retribution, and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
(is) the One Who
جَعَلَكُمْ
jaʿalakum
(has) made you
خَلَـٰٓئِفَ
khalāifa
successors
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
(of) the earth
وَرَفَعَ
warafaʿa
and raised
بَعْضَكُمْ
baʿḍakum
some of you
فَوْقَ
fawqa
above
بَعْضٍۢ
baʿḍin
others
دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ
darajātin
(in) ranks
لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ
liyabluwakum
so that He may test you
فِى
fī
in
مَآ
mā
what
ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۗ
ātākum
He has given you
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
رَبَّكَ
rabbaka
your Lord
سَرِيعُ
sarīʿu
(is) swift
ٱلْعِقَابِ
l-ʿiqābi
(in) the punishment
وَإِنَّهُۥ
wa-innahu
and indeed, He (is)
لَغَفُورٌۭ
laghafūrun
[certainly], Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٌۢ
raḥīmun
Most Merciful
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 165) ➊ { وَ هُوَ الَّذِيْ جَعَلَكُمْ خَلٰٓىِٕفَ الْاَرْضِ:} That is, He granted succession on the earth one after another, or made one another’s successor and heir.
➋ {وَ رَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجٰتٍ …… :} That is, the purpose of granting superiority to some over others in appearance and form, wealth and status, and knowledge and intellect is to test you in the blessings He has given; if you choose disbelief and fail, then punishment will come very soon, because everything that is to come is near, and death and the Resurrection are certainly coming and coming very soon. And if you believe, and then there is any slip, then that Pure Being is exceedingly Forgiving and extremely Merciful.
➋ {وَ رَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجٰتٍ …… :} That is, the purpose of granting superiority to some over others in appearance and form, wealth and status, and knowledge and intellect is to test you in the blessings He has given; if you choose disbelief and fail, then punishment will come very soon, because everything that is to come is near, and death and the Resurrection are certainly coming and coming very soon. And if you believe, and then there is any slip, then that Pure Being is exceedingly Forgiving and extremely Merciful.
