سُوْرَةُ النَّبَاِ
Surah An-Naba (78) — Ayah 38
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ صَفًّا ۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا ﴿38﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The Day that Ar-Rûh [Jibrîl (Gabriel) or another angel] and the angels will stand forth in rows, they will not speak except him whom the Most Gracious (Allâh) allows, and he will speak what is right.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَوْمَ
yawma
(The) Day
يَقُومُ
yaqūmu
will stand
ٱلرُّوحُ
l-rūḥu
the Spirit
وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ
wal-malāikatu
and the Angels
صَفًّۭا ۖ
ṣaffan
(in) rows
لَّا
lā
not
يَتَكَلَّمُونَ
yatakallamūna
they will speak
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَنْ
man
(one) who
أَذِنَ
adhina
permits
لَهُ
lahu
[for] him
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ
l-raḥmānu
the Most Gracious
وَقَالَ
waqāla
and he (will) say
صَوَابًۭا
ṣawāban
(what is) correct
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 38) ➊ By {يَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الرُّوْحُ وَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُ صَفًّا …:’’ الرُّوْحُ ‘‘} is meant Jibreel (Gabriel), peace be upon him, as He said: « نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوْحُ الْاَمِيْنُ » [ الشعراء : ۱۹۳ ] "The trustworthy spirit has brought it down." His separate mention is to express the greatness of his status, as in Surah Al-Baqarah: « مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلّٰهِ وَ مَلٰٓىِٕكَتِهٖ وَ رُسُلِهٖ وَ جِبْرِيْلَ وَ مِيْكٰىلَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۹۸ ] "Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Jibreel and Mikael, then indeed Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers." The second meaning, which is apparent from the word, is the souls of the children of Adam.
➋ According to authentic (Sahih) ahadith, this refers to the time when Allah Almighty will descend from the heavens to the earth in the field of resurrection for the decision between the righteous and the wicked, and people will be distressed by the heat of the sun and their sweat, and they will go to all the prophets from Adam (peace be upon him) to Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him) so that they may intercede with Allah Almighty for the reckoning to begin, but no prophet will have the courage or strength to speak to Allah Almighty. In the end, the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), will be commanded to speak, and by his intercession, the reckoning of all people will begin. (Ahsan al-Tafasir) See Sahih Bukhari (7440, 7510).
➌ For { لَا يَتَكَلَّمُوْنَ اِلَّا مَنْ … :}, on the Day of Resurrection, there are two conditions for one who will speak (intercede) with Allah Almighty: the first is that the Most Merciful grants him permission to speak (intercede), as He said: « مَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْ يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهٗۤ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِهٖ » [ البقرۃ : ۲۵۵ ] "Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?" The second is that he speaks rightly, and does not err in intercession, for example, he should not intercede for one who is not deserving, as Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) will not be able to intercede for his father Azar. Another interpretation is that for the one on whose behalf intercession is sought with Allah Almighty, there are two conditions: the first is that the Most Merciful grants permission for intercession on his behalf, as He said: « لَا يَشْفَعُوْنَ اِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضٰى » [ الأنبیاء : ۲۸ ] "They (the angels) do not intercede except for him whom He approves." The second is that {’’ قَالَ صَوَابًا ‘‘} that is, in the world he spoke rightly, meaning he said the word of Tawheed, he was a Muslim. The disbeliever and polytheist did not speak rightly in the world, so permission for intercession will not be granted on his behalf. (Jami' al-Bayan)
➋ According to authentic (Sahih) ahadith, this refers to the time when Allah Almighty will descend from the heavens to the earth in the field of resurrection for the decision between the righteous and the wicked, and people will be distressed by the heat of the sun and their sweat, and they will go to all the prophets from Adam (peace be upon him) to Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him) so that they may intercede with Allah Almighty for the reckoning to begin, but no prophet will have the courage or strength to speak to Allah Almighty. In the end, the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), will be commanded to speak, and by his intercession, the reckoning of all people will begin. (Ahsan al-Tafasir) See Sahih Bukhari (7440, 7510).
➌ For { لَا يَتَكَلَّمُوْنَ اِلَّا مَنْ … :}, on the Day of Resurrection, there are two conditions for one who will speak (intercede) with Allah Almighty: the first is that the Most Merciful grants him permission to speak (intercede), as He said: « مَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْ يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهٗۤ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِهٖ » [ البقرۃ : ۲۵۵ ] "Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?" The second is that he speaks rightly, and does not err in intercession, for example, he should not intercede for one who is not deserving, as Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) will not be able to intercede for his father Azar. Another interpretation is that for the one on whose behalf intercession is sought with Allah Almighty, there are two conditions: the first is that the Most Merciful grants permission for intercession on his behalf, as He said: « لَا يَشْفَعُوْنَ اِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضٰى » [ الأنبیاء : ۲۸ ] "They (the angels) do not intercede except for him whom He approves." The second is that {’’ قَالَ صَوَابًا ‘‘} that is, in the world he spoke rightly, meaning he said the word of Tawheed, he was a Muslim. The disbeliever and polytheist did not speak rightly in the world, so permission for intercession will not be granted on his behalf. (Jami' al-Bayan)
