سُوْرَةُ الْمُمْتَحِنَةِ
Surah Al-Mumtahana (60) — Ayah 4
قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَءَٰٓؤُا۟ مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةُ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّىٰ تُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَحْدَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ وَمَآ أَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۖ رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿4﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allâh: we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allâh Alone" - except the saying of Ibrâhîm (Abraham) to his father: "Verily, I will ask forgiveness (from Allâh) for you, but I have no power to do anything for you before Allâh." Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَدْ
qad
Indeed
كَانَتْ
kānat
(there) is
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
أُسْوَةٌ
us'watun
an example
حَسَنَةٌۭ
ḥasanatun
good
فِىٓ
fī
in
إِبْرَٰهِيمَ
ib'rāhīma
Ibrahim
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
and those
مَعَهُۥٓ
maʿahu
with him
إِذْ
idh
when
قَالُوا۟
qālū
they said
لِقَوْمِهِمْ
liqawmihim
to their people
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed, we
بُرَءَٰٓؤُا۟
buraāu
(are) disassociated
مِنكُمْ
minkum
from you
وَمِمَّا
wamimmā
and from what
تَعْبُدُونَ
taʿbudūna
you worship
مِن
min
from
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
كَفَرْنَا
kafarnā
We have denied
بِكُمْ
bikum
you
وَبَدَا
wabadā
and has appeared
بَيْنَنَا
baynanā
between us
وَبَيْنَكُمُ
wabaynakumu
and between you
ٱلْعَدَٰوَةُ
l-ʿadāwatu
enmity
وَٱلْبَغْضَآءُ
wal-baghḍāu
and hatred
أَبَدًا
abadan
forever
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
تُؤْمِنُوا۟
tu'minū
you believe
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
وَحْدَهُۥٓ
waḥdahu
Alone
إِلَّا
illā
Except
قَوْلَ
qawla
(the) saying
إِبْرَٰهِيمَ
ib'rāhīma
(of) Ibrahim
لِأَبِيهِ
li-abīhi
to his father
لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ
la-astaghfiranna
Surely I ask forgiveness
لَكَ
laka
for you
وَمَآ
wamā
but not
أَمْلِكُ
amliku
I have power
لَكَ
laka
for you
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
مِن
min
of
شَىْءٍۢ ۖ
shayin
anything
رَّبَّنَا
rabbanā
Our Lord
عَلَيْكَ
ʿalayka
upon You
تَوَكَّلْنَا
tawakkalnā
we put our trust
وَإِلَيْكَ
wa-ilayka
and to You
أَنَبْنَا
anabnā
we turn
وَإِلَيْكَ
wa-ilayka
and to You
ٱلْمَصِيرُ
l-maṣīru
(is) the final return
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 The meaning of {قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ اُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِيْۤ اِبْرٰهِيْمَ وَ الَّذِيْنَ مَعَهٗ: ’’ اُسْوَةٌ ‘‘} and {’’قُدْوَةٌ‘‘} is one who is to be followed, an example (whether good or bad), therefore, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions have been called an excellent example. That is, regarding friendship with the enemies of Allah, the disbelievers and polytheists, there was already a good example for you in Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions, which should have been before you. By {’’ وَ الَّذِيْنَ مَعَهٗ ‘‘} is meant the believing companions with him.
➋ { اِذْ قَالُوْا لِقَوْمِهِمْ اِنَّا بُرَءٰٓؤُا مِنْكُمْ …:’’ بُرَءٰٓؤُا ‘‘ ’’ بَرِيْءٌ ‘‘} is the plural, just as {’’كَرِيْمٌ‘‘} has the plural {’’كُرَمَاءُ‘‘}. That is, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions are an example for you in that they declared their disassociation and detachment from their polytheist people, their polytheism, and their deities. In {’’ وَ مِمَّا تَعْبُدُوْنَ ‘‘}, {’’مَا ‘‘} can be either a verbal noun or a relative pronoun.
➌ {كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ:} means we do not accept you, nor your religion, nor your gods, nor their worship.
➍ { وَ بَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَ الْبَغْضَآءُ اَبَدًا … :} means that after believing in our Allah and your persistence in disbelief, open enmity and heartfelt hatred have become manifest between us and you forever, until you believe in Allah alone.
➎ { اِلَّا قَوْلَ اِبْرٰهِيْمَ لِاَبِيْهِ لَاَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ:} means the entire life of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is the best example for you, except for the statement which Ibrahim (peace be upon him) made to his father that I will surely pray for your forgiveness. In this matter, he is not an example for you, nor is it permissible to follow him in this. For the prohibition of seeking forgiveness for polytheists and the details of Ibrahim (peace be upon him)'s seeking forgiveness, see the commentary of Surah Tawbah, verses (114, 113).
➏ { وَ مَاۤ اَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ اللّٰهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ:} means I will surely seek forgiveness for you, but I do not have the power to obtain anything for you from Allah Almighty; if He wills, He will forgive you, and if He wills, He will punish you. It is understood from this that even the prophets do not have the authority to have whomever they wish forgiven, whether it is the father of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the son of Nuh (peace be upon him), or the uncle of our Prophet (peace be upon him), Abu Talib.
➐ { رَبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا:} is the statement of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions, which is connected with the previous statement before {’’ اِلَّا قَوْلَ اِبْرٰهِيْمَ لِاَبِيْهِ …‘‘}, and is among those things in which following Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions is commanded. It is as if Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions said this to their people: « اِنَّا بُرَءٰٓؤُا مِنْكُمْ ...... حَتّٰى تُؤْمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَحْدَهٗۤ » and said this to their Lord: « رَبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا ...... اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَزِيْزُ الْحَكِيْمُ ». In saying both these things, they are an example for us, and we are commanded to follow them.
➑ {وَ اِلَيْكَ اَنَبْنَا وَ اِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيْرُ: ’’ اَنَبْنَا ‘‘ ’’أَنَابَ يُنِيْبُ إِنَابَةً ‘‘} is the first person plural past tense verb from (Form IV, 'af'ala). {’’ الْمَصِيْرُ ‘‘ ’’ صَارَ يَصِيْرُ ‘‘} is a verbal noun from the meem form. The coming first of {’’ عَلَيْكَ ‘‘} and {’’ اِلَيْكَ ‘‘} gives the meaning of restriction, that O our Lord! We have relied only upon You, not upon anyone else, and to You alone we have turned, not to anyone else, (You alone created all), and (in the end) to You alone is the return.
➋ { اِذْ قَالُوْا لِقَوْمِهِمْ اِنَّا بُرَءٰٓؤُا مِنْكُمْ …:’’ بُرَءٰٓؤُا ‘‘ ’’ بَرِيْءٌ ‘‘} is the plural, just as {’’كَرِيْمٌ‘‘} has the plural {’’كُرَمَاءُ‘‘}. That is, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions are an example for you in that they declared their disassociation and detachment from their polytheist people, their polytheism, and their deities. In {’’ وَ مِمَّا تَعْبُدُوْنَ ‘‘}, {’’مَا ‘‘} can be either a verbal noun or a relative pronoun.
➌ {كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ:} means we do not accept you, nor your religion, nor your gods, nor their worship.
➍ { وَ بَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَ الْبَغْضَآءُ اَبَدًا … :} means that after believing in our Allah and your persistence in disbelief, open enmity and heartfelt hatred have become manifest between us and you forever, until you believe in Allah alone.
➎ { اِلَّا قَوْلَ اِبْرٰهِيْمَ لِاَبِيْهِ لَاَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ:} means the entire life of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is the best example for you, except for the statement which Ibrahim (peace be upon him) made to his father that I will surely pray for your forgiveness. In this matter, he is not an example for you, nor is it permissible to follow him in this. For the prohibition of seeking forgiveness for polytheists and the details of Ibrahim (peace be upon him)'s seeking forgiveness, see the commentary of Surah Tawbah, verses (114, 113).
➏ { وَ مَاۤ اَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ اللّٰهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ:} means I will surely seek forgiveness for you, but I do not have the power to obtain anything for you from Allah Almighty; if He wills, He will forgive you, and if He wills, He will punish you. It is understood from this that even the prophets do not have the authority to have whomever they wish forgiven, whether it is the father of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the son of Nuh (peace be upon him), or the uncle of our Prophet (peace be upon him), Abu Talib.
➐ { رَبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا:} is the statement of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions, which is connected with the previous statement before {’’ اِلَّا قَوْلَ اِبْرٰهِيْمَ لِاَبِيْهِ …‘‘}, and is among those things in which following Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions is commanded. It is as if Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his companions said this to their people: « اِنَّا بُرَءٰٓؤُا مِنْكُمْ ...... حَتّٰى تُؤْمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَحْدَهٗۤ » and said this to their Lord: « رَبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا ...... اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَزِيْزُ الْحَكِيْمُ ». In saying both these things, they are an example for us, and we are commanded to follow them.
➑ {وَ اِلَيْكَ اَنَبْنَا وَ اِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيْرُ: ’’ اَنَبْنَا ‘‘ ’’أَنَابَ يُنِيْبُ إِنَابَةً ‘‘} is the first person plural past tense verb from (Form IV, 'af'ala). {’’ الْمَصِيْرُ ‘‘ ’’ صَارَ يَصِيْرُ ‘‘} is a verbal noun from the meem form. The coming first of {’’ عَلَيْكَ ‘‘} and {’’ اِلَيْكَ ‘‘} gives the meaning of restriction, that O our Lord! We have relied only upon You, not upon anyone else, and to You alone we have turned, not to anyone else, (You alone created all), and (in the end) to You alone is the return.
