سُوْرَةُ الْكَوْثَرِ
Surah Al-Kawthar (108) — Ayah 3
إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ ٱلْأَبْتَرُ ﴿3﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
For he who hates you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), he will be cut off (from posterity and every good thing in this world and in the Hereafter).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
شَانِئَكَ
shāni-aka
your enemy
هُوَ
huwa
he (is)
ٱلْأَبْتَرُ
l-abtaru
the one cut off
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.
3. Surely, it is your enemy who is cut off [3].
[3]
The Descendants of the Disbelievers of Makkah:
From ﴿شانئ﴾ ﴿شَنأ﴾ ﴿شناء﴾, the verbal noun is ﴿شَنَاٰنُ﴾ and the active participle is ﴿شانيئ﴾, and by this is meant such an enemy who is both ill-wishing and spiteful. That is, one who harbors both enmity and malice, and this is the third and ultimate degree of hostility. The Quraysh of Makkah were such enemies to you ﷺ, especially their leaders and notable people. When your ﷺ second son (who is also called Tayyib and Tahir) also passed away, all these people became very happy and started clapping and began to say to each other as a congratulation: "Batara Muhammad." The word "batar" is specifically used for the cutting of an animal's tail, and in meaning, it refers to someone who is cut off or childless, or one who has no one left to mention him in good terms. Their intent was that Muhammad ﷺ no longer has any male offspring; his matter is limited to his own lifetime only. After him, there will be no one to remember him. In response to this, Allah Almighty said that ﴿اَبْتَرْ﴾—not you ﷺ, but your enemies are so. Most of these enemies were killed in the Battle of Badr, and even if their lineage survived somewhere, none among their descendants is willing to mention such ancestors or attribute themselves to them. To speak well of them is out of the question; everyone sends curses upon them. In contrast, the honor and greatness that Allah Almighty has granted His Messenger ﷺ, and the perpetuity given to your ﷺ remembrance, is everlasting. Billions of Muslims around the world send blessings upon you ﷺ and your family many times every day. Your ﷺ name is mentioned in the calls to prayer and in prayers, and this will continue to increase until the Day of Judgment. Then, the ranks and the Maqam-e-Mahmud that will be granted to you ﷺ in the Plain of Resurrection—the books of Quran and Hadith are filled with their mention.
[3]
The Descendants of the Disbelievers of Makkah:
From ﴿شانئ﴾ ﴿شَنأ﴾ ﴿شناء﴾, the verbal noun is ﴿شَنَاٰنُ﴾ and the active participle is ﴿شانيئ﴾, and by this is meant such an enemy who is both ill-wishing and spiteful. That is, one who harbors both enmity and malice, and this is the third and ultimate degree of hostility. The Quraysh of Makkah were such enemies to you ﷺ, especially their leaders and notable people. When your ﷺ second son (who is also called Tayyib and Tahir) also passed away, all these people became very happy and started clapping and began to say to each other as a congratulation: "Batara Muhammad." The word "batar" is specifically used for the cutting of an animal's tail, and in meaning, it refers to someone who is cut off or childless, or one who has no one left to mention him in good terms. Their intent was that Muhammad ﷺ no longer has any male offspring; his matter is limited to his own lifetime only. After him, there will be no one to remember him. In response to this, Allah Almighty said that ﴿اَبْتَرْ﴾—not you ﷺ, but your enemies are so. Most of these enemies were killed in the Battle of Badr, and even if their lineage survived somewhere, none among their descendants is willing to mention such ancestors or attribute themselves to them. To speak well of them is out of the question; everyone sends curses upon them. In contrast, the honor and greatness that Allah Almighty has granted His Messenger ﷺ, and the perpetuity given to your ﷺ remembrance, is everlasting. Billions of Muslims around the world send blessings upon you ﷺ and your family many times every day. Your ﷺ name is mentioned in the calls to prayer and in prayers, and this will continue to increase until the Day of Judgment. Then, the ranks and the Maqam-e-Mahmud that will be granted to you ﷺ in the Plain of Resurrection—the books of Quran and Hadith are filled with their mention.
