سُوْرَةُ الرَّعْدِ
Surah Ar-Ra'd (13) — Ayah 37
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ حُكْمًا عَرَبِيًّا ۚ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم بَعْدَ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا وَاقٍ ﴿37﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And thus have We sent it (the Qur’ân) down to be a judgement of authority in Arabic. Were you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) to follow their (vain) desires after the knowledge which has come to you, then you will not have any Walî (protector) or Wâq (defender) against Allâh.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَكَذَٰلِكَ
wakadhālika
And thus
أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ
anzalnāhu
We have revealed it
حُكْمًا
ḥuk'man
(to be) a judgment of authority
عَرَبِيًّۭا ۚ
ʿarabiyyan
(in) Arabic
وَلَئِنِ
wala-ini
And if
ٱتَّبَعْتَ
ittabaʿta
you follow
أَهْوَآءَهُم
ahwāahum
their desires
بَعْدَ مَا
baʿdamā
after what
جَآءَكَ
jāaka
came to you
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْعِلْمِ
l-ʿil'mi
the knowledge
مَا
mā
not
لَكَ
laka
for you
مِنَ
mina
against
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
مِن
min
any
وَلِىٍّۢ
waliyyin
protector
وَلَا
walā
and not
وَاقٍۢ
wāqin
defender
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.
37. And to Him is my return. (Thus We have revealed this Qur’an as a judgment in Arabic [48]. So if, after the knowledge that has come to you, you follow their desires [49], you will have no protector or defender against Allah.)
[48]
The Quran is a ﴿حَكَمَ﴾ for Previous Scriptures:
That is, just as We revealed the scriptures of previous prophets in their respective national languages, in the same way, We have revealed this Quran to Muhammad al-Arabi ﷺ in his national language, Arabic, and have sent it down as a criterion. That is, it holds the status of a standard for the previous revealed books, and through its explanation, it becomes clear where the People of the Book made alterations in their scriptures, which commands and verses they concealed, and what additions they made to their religion on their own.
[49]
What is Meant by ﴿العلم﴾?
In this verse, the address is to the general Muslims, but for further emphasis, you ﷺ have also been addressed, and by "knowledge" is meant the knowledge of revelation, i.e., after the commands sent down from Allah have come, neither anyone's statement can be accepted nor any compromise can be made. And if, after knowing that "this matter is truly sent down from Allah," someone acts otherwise, then no one can save him from Allah's grasp. It should be clear that after the authenticity of any hadith is established, in terms of following, both the Book and the Sunnah are on the same level, and in the early generations, the word "al-ilm" (knowledge) was commonly used for the knowledge of hadith as well. And for those who declare personal imitation (taqlid shakhsi) as obligatory, there is a lesson in this verse, because the word "al-ilm" cannot be applied to the jurisprudence of any Imam. Furthermore, personal imitation is that very evil which has become a major cause of division within the Muslim Ummah, and until the Ummah abandons the claim of the obligation of personal imitation, it is impossible for unity to be established within it. And the only way to be saved from division is that, in their differences, people should refer only to the Book and the Sunnah.
[48]
The Quran is a ﴿حَكَمَ﴾ for Previous Scriptures:
That is, just as We revealed the scriptures of previous prophets in their respective national languages, in the same way, We have revealed this Quran to Muhammad al-Arabi ﷺ in his national language, Arabic, and have sent it down as a criterion. That is, it holds the status of a standard for the previous revealed books, and through its explanation, it becomes clear where the People of the Book made alterations in their scriptures, which commands and verses they concealed, and what additions they made to their religion on their own.
[49]
What is Meant by ﴿العلم﴾?
In this verse, the address is to the general Muslims, but for further emphasis, you ﷺ have also been addressed, and by "knowledge" is meant the knowledge of revelation, i.e., after the commands sent down from Allah have come, neither anyone's statement can be accepted nor any compromise can be made. And if, after knowing that "this matter is truly sent down from Allah," someone acts otherwise, then no one can save him from Allah's grasp. It should be clear that after the authenticity of any hadith is established, in terms of following, both the Book and the Sunnah are on the same level, and in the early generations, the word "al-ilm" (knowledge) was commonly used for the knowledge of hadith as well. And for those who declare personal imitation (taqlid shakhsi) as obligatory, there is a lesson in this verse, because the word "al-ilm" cannot be applied to the jurisprudence of any Imam. Furthermore, personal imitation is that very evil which has become a major cause of division within the Muslim Ummah, and until the Ummah abandons the claim of the obligation of personal imitation, it is impossible for unity to be established within it. And the only way to be saved from division is that, in their differences, people should refer only to the Book and the Sunnah.
