سُوْرَةُ الْمُلْكِ
Surah Al-Mulk (67) — Ayah 19
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَـٰٓفَّـٰتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ ۚ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۭ بَصِيرٌ ﴿19﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Do they not see the birds above them, spreading out their wings and folding them in? None upholds them except the Most Gracious (Allâh). Verily, He is the All-Seer of everything.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَوَلَمْ
awalam
Do not
يَرَوْا۟
yaraw
they see
إِلَى
ilā
[to]
ٱلطَّيْرِ
l-ṭayri
the birds
فَوْقَهُمْ
fawqahum
above them
صَـٰٓفَّـٰتٍۢ
ṣāffātin
spreading (their wings)
وَيَقْبِضْنَ ۚ
wayaqbiḍ'na
and folding
مَا
mā
Not
يُمْسِكُهُنَّ
yum'sikuhunna
holds them
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ۚ
l-raḥmānu
the Most Gracious
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, He
بِكُلِّ
bikulli
(is) of every
شَىْءٍۭ
shayin
thing
بَصِيرٌ
baṣīrun
All-Seer
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 19) ➊ {اَوَ لَمْ يَرَوْا اِلَى الطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صٰٓفّٰتٍ … :} In this verse, Allah Almighty has described another aspect of His power: it is commonly observed that material things which have weight tend to move downward, but birds, despite having weight, fly in the air. While flying, they often spread their wings, and sometimes they fold them as well. There is none holding them except that Most Merciful (Infinitely Merciful) One. {’’ صٰٓفّٰتٍ ‘‘} is an active participle which indicates continuity, and {’’ يَقْبِضْنَ ‘‘} is a present tense verb which indicates renewal. Birds flying high in the sky mostly fly with their wings spread, and sometimes they flap their wings as well.
➋ { اِنَّهٗ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيْرٌ:} Surely, He is All-Seeing of everything. It is He alone who holds the birds flying in the air, He alone keeps the earth suspended in the air from falling, and He alone keeps the heavens established in their place without pillars. In short, He alone is constantly watching over and maintaining everything in this universe, and He alone is holding it all together; if He were to turn His attention away for even a moment, everything would perish, as He has said: « اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ اَنْ تَزُوْلَا وَ لَىِٕنْ زَالَتَاۤ اِنْ اَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ اَحَدٍ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِهٖ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ حَلِيْمًا غَفُوْرًا » [ فاطر : ۴۱ ] "Indeed, Allah alone holds the heavens and the earth lest they move from their places, and if they were to move, there is none who could hold them after Him. Surely, He is always Most Forbearing, Infinitely Forgiving."
➋ { اِنَّهٗ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيْرٌ:} Surely, He is All-Seeing of everything. It is He alone who holds the birds flying in the air, He alone keeps the earth suspended in the air from falling, and He alone keeps the heavens established in their place without pillars. In short, He alone is constantly watching over and maintaining everything in this universe, and He alone is holding it all together; if He were to turn His attention away for even a moment, everything would perish, as He has said: « اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ اَنْ تَزُوْلَا وَ لَىِٕنْ زَالَتَاۤ اِنْ اَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ اَحَدٍ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِهٖ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ حَلِيْمًا غَفُوْرًا » [ فاطر : ۴۱ ] "Indeed, Allah alone holds the heavens and the earth lest they move from their places, and if they were to move, there is none who could hold them after Him. Surely, He is always Most Forbearing, Infinitely Forgiving."
