سُوْرَةُ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ
Surah Ibrahim (14) — Ayah 27
يُثَبِّتُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱلْقَوْلِ ٱلثَّابِتِ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ وَيُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ۚ وَيَفْعَلُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ ﴿27﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Allâh will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allâh Alone and none else), and in the Hereafter. And Allâh will cause to go astray those who are Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers), and Allâh does what He wills.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يُثَبِّتُ
yuthabbitu
Allah keeps firm
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah keeps firm
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
بِٱلْقَوْلِ
bil-qawli
with the firm word
ٱلثَّابِتِ
l-thābiti
with the firm word
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ
l-ḥayati
the life
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
(of) the world
وَفِى
wafī
and in
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ
l-ākhirati
the Hereafter
وَيُضِلُّ
wayuḍillu
And Allah lets go astray
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
And Allah lets go astray
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ۚ
l-ẓālimīna
the wrongdoers
وَيَفْعَلُ
wayafʿalu
And Allah does
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
And Allah does
مَا
mā
what
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
He wills
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.
27. Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word (the pure word) in the life of this world [34] and in the Hereafter, and Allah lets the wrongdoers go astray [35]. And Allah does whatever He wills.
[34] Among the blessings of the Kalimah Tayyibah is that a believer never panics in any situation. Even in times of trials and difficulties, he keeps his trust in Allah, remains steadfast, and endures everything with perseverance. In the Hereafter, he will encounter exactly the same conditions and scenes in which he already believed. Therefore, there will be no reason for him to panic there either, and by the blessing of this Kalimah, he will remain steadfast there as well.
[35]
Questioning and Answering in the Grave:
Apart from this world and the Hereafter, there is a third stage: the realm of Barzakh or the stage of the grave. That is, when the angels will question the deceased in the grave, even then the believer will remain steadfast, as is clear from the following hadith: Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib says that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When a Muslim is questioned in the grave, he will say ﴿اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَ اِلٰهَ الآَاللّٰهُ وَاَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ﴾ In this verse, ‘the firm word’ refers to this.” [بخاری، کتاب التفسیر، نیز کتاب الجنائز، باب ماجاء فی عذاب القبر مسلم، کتاب الجنۃ وصفۃ نعیمھا واھاھا۔ باب عرض مقعد المیت من الجنۃ]
And the wording of the narration in Tirmidhi is as follows: When he is asked in the grave, “Who is your Lord? What is your religion? And who is your Prophet?” [ترمذي۔ كتاب التفسير]
Supplication for the Deceased After Burial:
That is why, when a believer is buried, after burial, standing by the side of his grave, this supplication is also made: ﴿اَللّٰهُمَّ ثَبِّتْهُ بالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ﴾ And by ‘the firm word’ is meant this Kalimah Tayyibah. And when the angels question the wrongdoer, i.e., the disbeliever and the polytheist, in the grave, he will not be able to answer anything except to say, “Alas! I do not know. I used to say only what the people used to say.” That is, whatever false and baseless beliefs those people had invented and adopted in the world, he will completely forget them, because their foundation was on falsehood and untruth. As is clear from the following ahadith:
1. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When a person is placed in his grave and his companions turn back, he certainly hears the sound of their sandals. At that time, two angels come to him, make him sit up, and say: What did you use to believe about this man, i.e., Muhammad ﷺ? If he is a believer, he says: I bear witness that he is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. Then it is said to him: Look at your place in Hell; Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it. So he will see both places together. Qatadah says: It has also been narrated to us that his grave is made spacious for him. Then, while narrating Anas’s hadith, he said: If he is a hypocrite or a disbeliever, he is asked: What did you use to say about this man? He says: I do not know; I used to say what the people used to say. It will be said to him: Neither did you understand yourself, nor did you recite yourself. Then he will be struck with iron hammers in such a way that he will scream, and everything around him except jinn and mankind will hear his scream. [بخاري، كتاب الجنائز۔ باب ماجاء فى عذاب القبر]
2. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When the deceased is placed in the grave, two angels come to him whose color is black and whose eyes are blue. One is called Munkar and the other Nakir. They say: What did you use to say about this man? If he is a believer, he says: He is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger. They say: We knew you would say this. Then his grave is made seventy by seventy cubits for him, and it is illuminated for him. Then it is said to him: Sleep. He says: I will go to my family to inform them. They say: Sleep like a bridegroom whom none awakens except the dearest of his people, until Allah raises him from his resting place. If he is a hypocrite, he says (in response to the angels): I heard people saying something, so I said the same; I do not know. They say: We knew you would say this. It is said to the earth: Close in upon him. So it closes in upon him, and his ribs are crushed together. He remains in torment therein until Allah raises him from his grave. [ترمذي، بحواله مشكوة۔ كتاب الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة۔ فصل ثاني]
3. It is narrated from Bara’ bin Azib ؓ that he narrated from the Prophet ﷺ: Two angels come to the deceased, make him sit up, and say: Who is this man who was sent among you? He says: He is the Messenger of Allah. They say: How did you come to know this? He says: I read the Book of Allah, believed in it, and affirmed it as true. This is the meaning of Allah’s statement: Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word... (the verse). A caller from the heavens calls out: My servant has spoken the truth; spread out for him a bed from Paradise and clothe him with garments from Paradise, and open for him a door to Paradise. It is opened for him, and its breeze and fragrance come to him, and his grave is expanded as far as the eye can see. And as for the disbeliever, regarding his death, it is mentioned: Then his soul is returned to his body. Two angels come to him, make him sit up, and say: Who is your Lord? He says: Alas, alas, I do not know. They say: What is your religion? He says: Alas, alas, I do not know. They say: Who is this man who was sent among you? He says: Alas, alas, I do not know. A caller from the heavens calls out: He has lied; spread out for him a bed from the Fire and clothe him with garments from the Fire, and open for him a door to Hell. Its heat and flames come to him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: His grave is constricted for him until his ribs are crushed together. Then a blind and deaf angel is appointed over him, with an iron hammer, which if struck upon a mountain would turn it to dust. He strikes him with it, and everything between the east and west except jinn and mankind hears his scream. He becomes dust, then his soul is returned to him. [احمد، ابو داؤد، بحوالہ مشکوۃ کتاب الاعتصام بالکتاب والسنۃ فصل ثانی]
[34] Among the blessings of the Kalimah Tayyibah is that a believer never panics in any situation. Even in times of trials and difficulties, he keeps his trust in Allah, remains steadfast, and endures everything with perseverance. In the Hereafter, he will encounter exactly the same conditions and scenes in which he already believed. Therefore, there will be no reason for him to panic there either, and by the blessing of this Kalimah, he will remain steadfast there as well.
[35]
Questioning and Answering in the Grave:
Apart from this world and the Hereafter, there is a third stage: the realm of Barzakh or the stage of the grave. That is, when the angels will question the deceased in the grave, even then the believer will remain steadfast, as is clear from the following hadith: Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib says that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When a Muslim is questioned in the grave, he will say ﴿اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَ اِلٰهَ الآَاللّٰهُ وَاَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ﴾ In this verse, ‘the firm word’ refers to this.” [بخاری، کتاب التفسیر، نیز کتاب الجنائز، باب ماجاء فی عذاب القبر مسلم، کتاب الجنۃ وصفۃ نعیمھا واھاھا۔ باب عرض مقعد المیت من الجنۃ]
And the wording of the narration in Tirmidhi is as follows: When he is asked in the grave, “Who is your Lord? What is your religion? And who is your Prophet?” [ترمذي۔ كتاب التفسير]
Supplication for the Deceased After Burial:
That is why, when a believer is buried, after burial, standing by the side of his grave, this supplication is also made: ﴿اَللّٰهُمَّ ثَبِّتْهُ بالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ﴾ And by ‘the firm word’ is meant this Kalimah Tayyibah. And when the angels question the wrongdoer, i.e., the disbeliever and the polytheist, in the grave, he will not be able to answer anything except to say, “Alas! I do not know. I used to say only what the people used to say.” That is, whatever false and baseless beliefs those people had invented and adopted in the world, he will completely forget them, because their foundation was on falsehood and untruth. As is clear from the following ahadith:
1. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When a person is placed in his grave and his companions turn back, he certainly hears the sound of their sandals. At that time, two angels come to him, make him sit up, and say: What did you use to believe about this man, i.e., Muhammad ﷺ? If he is a believer, he says: I bear witness that he is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. Then it is said to him: Look at your place in Hell; Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it. So he will see both places together. Qatadah says: It has also been narrated to us that his grave is made spacious for him. Then, while narrating Anas’s hadith, he said: If he is a hypocrite or a disbeliever, he is asked: What did you use to say about this man? He says: I do not know; I used to say what the people used to say. It will be said to him: Neither did you understand yourself, nor did you recite yourself. Then he will be struck with iron hammers in such a way that he will scream, and everything around him except jinn and mankind will hear his scream. [بخاري، كتاب الجنائز۔ باب ماجاء فى عذاب القبر]
2. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When the deceased is placed in the grave, two angels come to him whose color is black and whose eyes are blue. One is called Munkar and the other Nakir. They say: What did you use to say about this man? If he is a believer, he says: He is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger. They say: We knew you would say this. Then his grave is made seventy by seventy cubits for him, and it is illuminated for him. Then it is said to him: Sleep. He says: I will go to my family to inform them. They say: Sleep like a bridegroom whom none awakens except the dearest of his people, until Allah raises him from his resting place. If he is a hypocrite, he says (in response to the angels): I heard people saying something, so I said the same; I do not know. They say: We knew you would say this. It is said to the earth: Close in upon him. So it closes in upon him, and his ribs are crushed together. He remains in torment therein until Allah raises him from his grave. [ترمذي، بحواله مشكوة۔ كتاب الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة۔ فصل ثاني]
3. It is narrated from Bara’ bin Azib ؓ that he narrated from the Prophet ﷺ: Two angels come to the deceased, make him sit up, and say: Who is this man who was sent among you? He says: He is the Messenger of Allah. They say: How did you come to know this? He says: I read the Book of Allah, believed in it, and affirmed it as true. This is the meaning of Allah’s statement: Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word... (the verse). A caller from the heavens calls out: My servant has spoken the truth; spread out for him a bed from Paradise and clothe him with garments from Paradise, and open for him a door to Paradise. It is opened for him, and its breeze and fragrance come to him, and his grave is expanded as far as the eye can see. And as for the disbeliever, regarding his death, it is mentioned: Then his soul is returned to his body. Two angels come to him, make him sit up, and say: Who is your Lord? He says: Alas, alas, I do not know. They say: What is your religion? He says: Alas, alas, I do not know. They say: Who is this man who was sent among you? He says: Alas, alas, I do not know. A caller from the heavens calls out: He has lied; spread out for him a bed from the Fire and clothe him with garments from the Fire, and open for him a door to Hell. Its heat and flames come to him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: His grave is constricted for him until his ribs are crushed together. Then a blind and deaf angel is appointed over him, with an iron hammer, which if struck upon a mountain would turn it to dust. He strikes him with it, and everything between the east and west except jinn and mankind hears his scream. He becomes dust, then his soul is returned to him. [احمد، ابو داؤد، بحوالہ مشکوۃ کتاب الاعتصام بالکتاب والسنۃ فصل ثانی]
