سُوْرَةُ يُوْنُسَ
Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 39
بَلْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِمَا لَمْ يُحِيطُوا۟ بِعِلْمِهِۦ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِهِمْ تَأْوِيلُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿39﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Nay, they have belied the knowledge whereof they could not comprehend and what has not yet been fulfilled (i.e. their punishment). Thus those before them did belie. Then see what was the end of the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers)!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
بَلْ
bal
Nay
كَذَّبُوا۟
kadhabū
they denied
بِمَا
bimā
what
لَمْ
lam
not
يُحِيطُوا۟
yuḥīṭū
they could encompass
بِعِلْمِهِۦ
biʿil'mihi
(of) its knowledge
وَلَمَّا
walammā
and not
يَأْتِهِمْ
yatihim
has come (to) them
تَأْوِيلُهُۥ ۚ
tawīluhu
its interpretation
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Thus
كَذَّبَ
kadhaba
denied
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those
مِن
min
before them
قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ
qablihim
before them
فَٱنظُرْ
fa-unẓur
then see
كَيْفَ
kayfa
how
كَانَ
kāna
was
عَـٰقِبَةُ
ʿāqibatu
(the) end
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
(of) the wrongdoers
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
39. Rather, they have denied that which they could not comprehend with their knowledge, even though its final outcome [56] has not yet come to them. Those before them also denied in the same way; so see what was the end of the wrongdoers.
[55]
Internal and External Proofs of the Quran Being from Allah:
To reject something, two types of evidence are required: one is external testimony or testimonies, and the other is internal testimony or testimonies. The negation of external testimony is in such a way that no objector has ever seen anyone coming to you to teach you the Quran, nor have you ever gone to anyone to learn the Quran, nor was this work carried out through correspondence or messengers. The negation of internal testimonies is in such a way that whatever news or prophecy the Quran gave was never proven false; rather, it was always proven correct in terms of history and occurrence. These two reasons can be considered scholarly or certain. Other than these, there can be no reasonable cause on the basis of which the Quran can be rejected.
[56]
The Meaning of Ta'wil and Its Examples:
Ta'wil refers to the time when a given news comes to pass; then, when that news actually occurs, at that time everyone fully understands it, even if before that, due to ignorance or forgetfulness, the meaning of that verse was not understood. There are many such examples in the Quran, of which only one example is mentioned here. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ departed from this mortal world, this shock was so overwhelming for the Companions that some lost their senses. Let alone others, even a wise and prudent Companion like Sayyiduna Umar ؓ stood up and began to address the people, saying, "Whoever says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has passed away, I will cut off his head." At that moment, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ arrived and addressed the people, reciting this verse:
﴿وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُوْلٌ ۚ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ ۭ اَفَا۟يِٕنْ مَّاتَ اَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلٰٓي اَعْقَابِكُمْ﴾
"(i.e., Muhammad ﷺ is only a Messenger; messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels?)" The Companions say that when Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ recited this verse, it seemed as if this verse had been revealed that very day. Then, whoever you saw was reciting this very verse. Although this verse had been revealed long before, and the Companions had recited it hundreds of times, its meaning became clear only when he actually passed away. The above example relates to forgetfulness, and examples of ignorance are all those scientific theories that conflict with revelation, such as: How did the universe begin? How was Adam created? How did the earth, sun, and moon come into existence? What will be the end of the universe? The theories that astronomers have established regarding these matters are based merely on conjecture and estimation, and their knowledge is also limited, whereas revelation is a certain thing, which has been revealed by such an All-Knowing and All-Seeing Being whose knowledge is unlimited. There are also some matters for which the time of ta'wil has arrived, and science has bowed its head in submission before revelation. For example, the sun was considered stationary, but today it is considered to be in motion. Today, it is also being accepted that all human voices are preserved in the atmosphere, and also that the effects of a person's actions are imprinted on his body. This is exactly what the Quran has stated in these words: that the angels record all of a person's deeds, and with Us is a complete record of it.
[55]
Internal and External Proofs of the Quran Being from Allah:
To reject something, two types of evidence are required: one is external testimony or testimonies, and the other is internal testimony or testimonies. The negation of external testimony is in such a way that no objector has ever seen anyone coming to you to teach you the Quran, nor have you ever gone to anyone to learn the Quran, nor was this work carried out through correspondence or messengers. The negation of internal testimonies is in such a way that whatever news or prophecy the Quran gave was never proven false; rather, it was always proven correct in terms of history and occurrence. These two reasons can be considered scholarly or certain. Other than these, there can be no reasonable cause on the basis of which the Quran can be rejected.
[56]
The Meaning of Ta'wil and Its Examples:
Ta'wil refers to the time when a given news comes to pass; then, when that news actually occurs, at that time everyone fully understands it, even if before that, due to ignorance or forgetfulness, the meaning of that verse was not understood. There are many such examples in the Quran, of which only one example is mentioned here. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ departed from this mortal world, this shock was so overwhelming for the Companions that some lost their senses. Let alone others, even a wise and prudent Companion like Sayyiduna Umar ؓ stood up and began to address the people, saying, "Whoever says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has passed away, I will cut off his head." At that moment, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ arrived and addressed the people, reciting this verse:
﴿وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُوْلٌ ۚ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ ۭ اَفَا۟يِٕنْ مَّاتَ اَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلٰٓي اَعْقَابِكُمْ﴾
"(i.e., Muhammad ﷺ is only a Messenger; messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels?)" The Companions say that when Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ recited this verse, it seemed as if this verse had been revealed that very day. Then, whoever you saw was reciting this very verse. Although this verse had been revealed long before, and the Companions had recited it hundreds of times, its meaning became clear only when he actually passed away. The above example relates to forgetfulness, and examples of ignorance are all those scientific theories that conflict with revelation, such as: How did the universe begin? How was Adam created? How did the earth, sun, and moon come into existence? What will be the end of the universe? The theories that astronomers have established regarding these matters are based merely on conjecture and estimation, and their knowledge is also limited, whereas revelation is a certain thing, which has been revealed by such an All-Knowing and All-Seeing Being whose knowledge is unlimited. There are also some matters for which the time of ta'wil has arrived, and science has bowed its head in submission before revelation. For example, the sun was considered stationary, but today it is considered to be in motion. Today, it is also being accepted that all human voices are preserved in the atmosphere, and also that the effects of a person's actions are imprinted on his body. This is exactly what the Quran has stated in these words: that the angels record all of a person's deeds, and with Us is a complete record of it.
