سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 34
وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلَّا يُعَذِّبَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآءَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿34﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And why should not Allâh punish them while they hinder (men) from Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm, and they are not its guardians? None can be its guardians except Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2), but most of them know not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَا
wamā
But what
لَهُمْ
lahum
(is) for them
أَلَّا
allā
that not
يُعَذِّبَهُمُ
yuʿadhibahumu
(should) punish them
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
وَهُمْ
wahum
while they
يَصُدُّونَ
yaṣuddūna
hinder (people)
عَنِ
ʿani
from
ٱلْمَسْجِدِ
l-masjidi
Al-Masjid
ٱلْحَرَامِ
l-ḥarāmi
Al-Haraam
وَمَا
wamā
while not
كَانُوٓا۟
kānū
they are
أَوْلِيَآءَهُۥٓ ۚ
awliyāahu
its guardians
إِنْ
in
Not (can be)
أَوْلِيَآؤُهُۥٓ
awliyāuhu
its guardians
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ
l-mutaqūna
the ones who fear Allah
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
أَكْثَرَهُمْ
aktharahum
most of them
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
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 34) {وَ مَا لَهُمْ اَلَّا يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللّٰهُ … :} In this verse, several reasons are mentioned for their deserving of punishment. Firstly, they have imposed a restriction on the entry of Muslims into Masjid al-Haram. Secondly, they have forcibly assumed ownership and custodianship of Masjid al-Haram, whereas the custodianship of the Ka'bah is the right only of the monotheistic, God-fearing people, not of the polytheists. See Surah At-Tawbah (17, 18). Thirdly, instead of worshipping Allah in a manner befitting His majesty and as He has prescribed, they perform worship by clapping and whistling through singing. Therefore, why should punishment not come upon them? Punishment will come, and certainly will come. In the previous verse, the punishment that was negated was the one that wipes out entire nations, i.e., the punishment of total destruction. In this verse, the punishment is mentioned which was imposed upon them as a lesson in the form of famine, fear, and war. See Surah An-Nahl (112, 113), Surah As-Sajdah (21), and Surah Ad-Dukhan (10 to 16). This punishment was imposed upon the people of Makkah in the form of the Battle of Badr, famine, hunger, fear, and finally the conquest of Makkah. As a result, their great leaders were killed or captured, and those who survived eventually entered Islam.
