سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 158
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ ٱلْأُمِّىِّ ٱلَّذِى يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿158﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allâh - to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), who believes in Allâh and His Words [(this Qur’ân), the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and also Allâh’s Word: "Be!" - and he was, i.e. ‘Îsâ (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), عليهما السلام], and follow him so that you may be guided."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O
ٱلنَّاسُ
l-nāsu
mankind
إِنِّى
innī
Indeed I am
رَسُولُ
rasūlu
(the) Messenger
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
إِلَيْكُمْ
ilaykum
to you
جَمِيعًا
jamīʿan
all
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the One
لَهُۥ
lahu
for Whom
مُلْكُ
mul'ku
(is the) dominion
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
لَآ
lā
(There is) no
إِلَـٰهَ
ilāha
god
إِلَّا
illā
except
هُوَ
huwa
Him
يُحْىِۦ
yuḥ'yī
He gives life
وَيُمِيتُ ۖ
wayumītu
and causes death
فَـَٔامِنُوا۟
faāminū
So believe
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
وَرَسُولِهِ
warasūlihi
and His Messenger
ٱلنَّبِىِّ
l-nabiyi
the Prophet
ٱلْأُمِّىِّ
l-umiyi
the unlettered
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the one who
يُؤْمِنُ
yu'minu
believes
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
وَكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ
wakalimātihi
and His Words
وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ
wa-ittabiʿūhu
and follow him
لَعَلَّكُمْ
laʿallakum
so that you may
تَهْتَدُونَ
tahtadūna
(be) guided
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 158) ➊ {قُلْ يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اِنِّيْ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ اِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيْعًا …:} That is, my messengership is for all the people of the world and until the Day of Judgment. Both of these points are clearly evident in the meaning of { ’’ جَمِيْعًا ‘‘ }, and the One who has sent me to convey the message of guidance is He who is the King of the heavens and the earth, the only One worthy of worship, and the Owner of life and death. Now, in the case of not believing in me, consider your outcome. The mention of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) being a Messenger for all nations until the Day of Judgment has been stated by Allah Almighty at several places. See Surah Saba (28), Furqan (1), and Ahzab (40). For the explicit statement of the universality of the messengership with the words "wherever it reaches," see Surah An'am (19). For the explicit mention of Arabs and the People of the Book, see Surah Al Imran (20) and other verses.
➋ {فَاٰمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رَسُوْلِهِ …:} In the previous verse and in this one, the special mention of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as the unlettered Prophet has been made, and in several places in the Noble Qur'an, it has been stated that before prophethood, you were unlettered and completely unaware of the previous books and the reality of faith. Thus, it is said: "You did not know how to write nor did you read before this." [ العنکبوت : ۴۸ ] And it is said: "These are from the news of the unseen. Before this, neither you knew them, nor your people." [ ھود : ۴۹ ] And it is said: "Before revelation, you did not know what the Book is, nor what faith is." [ الشوریٰ : ۵۲ ] Rather, it is said: "You did not even expect that you would be given the Book." [ القصص : ۸۶ ] It is surprising about many people that they accept the Qur'an and yet say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew everything even before his birth. Then what remains of the special attribute of being unlettered, that a completely unlettered person became the teacher of all the literate, intellectuals, philosophers, and those who excel in other sciences of the world.
➌ { يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَ كَلِمٰتِهٖ:} For the mention of the unlimitedness of Allah Almighty's words, see Surah Kahf (109) and Luqman (27).
➍ { لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُوْنَ:} It is understood that now guidance is only in believing in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and following him, and that is to follow his guidance and footsteps in every aspect of life (whether individual or collective); apart from this, there is no way to guidance. See Surah Najm (3, 4).
➋ {فَاٰمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رَسُوْلِهِ …:} In the previous verse and in this one, the special mention of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as the unlettered Prophet has been made, and in several places in the Noble Qur'an, it has been stated that before prophethood, you were unlettered and completely unaware of the previous books and the reality of faith. Thus, it is said: "You did not know how to write nor did you read before this." [ العنکبوت : ۴۸ ] And it is said: "These are from the news of the unseen. Before this, neither you knew them, nor your people." [ ھود : ۴۹ ] And it is said: "Before revelation, you did not know what the Book is, nor what faith is." [ الشوریٰ : ۵۲ ] Rather, it is said: "You did not even expect that you would be given the Book." [ القصص : ۸۶ ] It is surprising about many people that they accept the Qur'an and yet say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew everything even before his birth. Then what remains of the special attribute of being unlettered, that a completely unlettered person became the teacher of all the literate, intellectuals, philosophers, and those who excel in other sciences of the world.
➌ { يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَ كَلِمٰتِهٖ:} For the mention of the unlimitedness of Allah Almighty's words, see Surah Kahf (109) and Luqman (27).
➍ { لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُوْنَ:} It is understood that now guidance is only in believing in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and following him, and that is to follow his guidance and footsteps in every aspect of life (whether individual or collective); apart from this, there is no way to guidance. See Surah Najm (3, 4).
