سُوْرَةُ الْجُمُعَةِ
Surah Al-Jumu'a (62) — Ayah 5
مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ ٱلْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًۢا ۚ بِئْسَ مَثَلُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿5﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The likeness of those who were entrusted with the (obligation of the) Taurât (Torah) (i.e. to obey its commandments and to practise its laws), but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is as the likeness of a donkey which carries huge burdens of books (but understands nothing from them). How bad is the example of people who deny the Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, signs, revelations) of Allâh. And Allâh guides not the people who are Zâlimûn(polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَثَلُ
mathalu
(The) likeness
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those who
حُمِّلُوا۟
ḥummilū
were entrusted
ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ
l-tawrāta
(with) the Taurat
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
لَمْ
lam
not
يَحْمِلُوهَا
yaḥmilūhā
they bore it
كَمَثَلِ
kamathali
(is) like
ٱلْحِمَارِ
l-ḥimāri
the donkey
يَحْمِلُ
yaḥmilu
who carries
أَسْفَارًۢا ۚ
asfāran
books
بِئْسَ
bi'sa
Wretched is
مَثَلُ
mathalu
(the) example
ٱلْقَوْمِ
l-qawmi
(of) the people
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
كَذَّبُوا۟
kadhabū
deny
بِـَٔايَـٰتِ
biāyāti
(the) Signs
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
لَا
lā
(does) not
يَهْدِى
yahdī
guide
ٱلْقَوْمَ
l-qawma
the people
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
the wrongdoers
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 5) ➊ {مَثَلُ الَّذِيْنَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرٰىةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوْهَا …:’’ اَسْفَارًا ‘‘ ’’سِفْرٌ‘‘} is the plural of “sifrun”, a great book. {’’سَفَرَ يَسْفُرُ‘‘ (ن) ’’اَلْكِتَابَ‘‘} means to write. The plural of {’’اَلسَّافِرُ أَيْ اَلْكَاتِبُ‘‘} is {’’سَفَرَةٌ‘‘}, as He said: « بِاَيْدِيْ سَفَرَةٍ (15) كِرَامٍۭ بَرَرَةٍ » [ عبس : ۱۵،۱۶ ] “In the hands of such scribes, who are noble and righteous.”
➋ Some scholars have said, Allah Almighty refuted the Jews in three matters: they boasted that they were the People of the Book while the Arabs were unlettered, so to refute this He likened them to a donkey carrying great books. They boasted that they were the friends and beloved of Allah, so Allah Almighty said: « فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ» [ الجمعۃ : ۶ ] “(If that is so) then wish for death.” Thirdly, they had “Sabbath” (Saturday) which the Muslims did not have, so Allah Almighty mentioned His favor upon the Muslims in the form of the day of Jumu’ah, from which the Jews, due to their ignorance, were deprived. (Al-Kashshaf)
➌ The meaning of the burden of the Torah being placed is that the responsibility of acting upon it was placed, as He said: « اِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْاَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ وَ الْجِبَالِ فَاَبَيْنَ اَنْ يَّحْمِلْنَهَا وَ اَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَ حَمَلَهَا الْاِنْسَانُ» [ الأحزاب:۷۲ ] “Indeed, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and feared it; but man undertook to bear it.” {’’ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوْهَا ‘‘} Then they did not act upon it, meaning just as books are loaded on a donkey and it does not know what is on its back, similarly are those people upon whom the burden of the Torah was placed to act upon it, but they did not care what was in it and what it wanted from them.
➍ {بِئْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوْا بِاٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ :} Denying the signs of Allah means denying those glad tidings which Allah Almighty revealed in the Torah regarding the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. (See Al-A’raf: 157) {’’ بِئْسَ ‘‘} is a verb of censure, {’’ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوْا بِاٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} is its subject, and its specific object of censure is omitted, meaning {’’هٰذَا الْمَثَلُ ۔‘‘} that is, the example of those who denied the signs of Allah is an evil example, which should not be applicable to the believers. Just as no Muslim should be the subject of the example of the dog, so that the example of the dog applies to him. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: [ لَيْسَ لَنَا مَثَلُ السَّوْءِ، الَّذِيْ يَعُوْدُ فِيْ هِبَتِهِ كَالْكَلْبِ يَرْجِعُ فِيْ قَيْهٖ ] [ بخاري، الھبۃ و فضلھا، باب لا یحل لأحد أن یرجع في ھبتہ وصدقتہ : ۲۶۲۲ ] “This evil example is not for us; the person who takes back his gift is like the dog who returns to its vomit.”
➎ Ustadh Muhammad Abduh, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: “What is the reason that the condition of these scholars is not different from those who possess knowledge of the Qur’an and Hadith but do not act upon it, or make arbitrary interpretations like the Jews?” Shah Abdul Qadir, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: “The scholars of the Jews were such that they read the book and nothing affected their hearts; may Allah protect us.” (Mawduh)
➏ {وَ اللّٰهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ :} That is, knowingly not accepting is clear injustice, and Allah does not grant the ability to walk the straight path to such wrongdoers, because it is not His way to forcibly guide those who do not wish for it.
➋ Some scholars have said, Allah Almighty refuted the Jews in three matters: they boasted that they were the People of the Book while the Arabs were unlettered, so to refute this He likened them to a donkey carrying great books. They boasted that they were the friends and beloved of Allah, so Allah Almighty said: « فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ» [ الجمعۃ : ۶ ] “(If that is so) then wish for death.” Thirdly, they had “Sabbath” (Saturday) which the Muslims did not have, so Allah Almighty mentioned His favor upon the Muslims in the form of the day of Jumu’ah, from which the Jews, due to their ignorance, were deprived. (Al-Kashshaf)
➌ The meaning of the burden of the Torah being placed is that the responsibility of acting upon it was placed, as He said: « اِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْاَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ وَ الْجِبَالِ فَاَبَيْنَ اَنْ يَّحْمِلْنَهَا وَ اَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَ حَمَلَهَا الْاِنْسَانُ» [ الأحزاب:۷۲ ] “Indeed, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and feared it; but man undertook to bear it.” {’’ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوْهَا ‘‘} Then they did not act upon it, meaning just as books are loaded on a donkey and it does not know what is on its back, similarly are those people upon whom the burden of the Torah was placed to act upon it, but they did not care what was in it and what it wanted from them.
➍ {بِئْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوْا بِاٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ :} Denying the signs of Allah means denying those glad tidings which Allah Almighty revealed in the Torah regarding the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. (See Al-A’raf: 157) {’’ بِئْسَ ‘‘} is a verb of censure, {’’ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَّبُوْا بِاٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} is its subject, and its specific object of censure is omitted, meaning {’’هٰذَا الْمَثَلُ ۔‘‘} that is, the example of those who denied the signs of Allah is an evil example, which should not be applicable to the believers. Just as no Muslim should be the subject of the example of the dog, so that the example of the dog applies to him. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: [ لَيْسَ لَنَا مَثَلُ السَّوْءِ، الَّذِيْ يَعُوْدُ فِيْ هِبَتِهِ كَالْكَلْبِ يَرْجِعُ فِيْ قَيْهٖ ] [ بخاري، الھبۃ و فضلھا، باب لا یحل لأحد أن یرجع في ھبتہ وصدقتہ : ۲۶۲۲ ] “This evil example is not for us; the person who takes back his gift is like the dog who returns to its vomit.”
➎ Ustadh Muhammad Abduh, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: “What is the reason that the condition of these scholars is not different from those who possess knowledge of the Qur’an and Hadith but do not act upon it, or make arbitrary interpretations like the Jews?” Shah Abdul Qadir, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: “The scholars of the Jews were such that they read the book and nothing affected their hearts; may Allah protect us.” (Mawduh)
➏ {وَ اللّٰهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ :} That is, knowingly not accepting is clear injustice, and Allah does not grant the ability to walk the straight path to such wrongdoers, because it is not His way to forcibly guide those who do not wish for it.
