سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 110
قُلِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ أَوِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ ۖ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوا۟ فَلَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَٱبْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلًا ﴿110﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم): "Invoke Allâh or invoke the Most Gracious (Allâh), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names. And offer your Salât (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice, but follow a way between.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱدْعُوا۟
id'ʿū
Invoke
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
أَوِ
awi
or
ٱدْعُوا۟
id'ʿū
invoke
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ ۖ
l-raḥmāna
the Most Gracious
أَيًّۭا
ayyan
By whatever (name)
مَّا
mā
By whatever (name)
تَدْعُوا۟
tadʿū
you invoke
فَلَهُ
falahu
to Him (belongs)
ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ
l-asmāu
the Most Beautiful Names
ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ
l-ḥus'nā
the Most Beautiful Names
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَجْهَرْ
tajhar
be loud
بِصَلَاتِكَ
biṣalātika
in your prayers
وَلَا
walā
and not
تُخَافِتْ
tukhāfit
be silent
بِهَا
bihā
therein
وَٱبْتَغِ
wa-ib'taghi
but seek
بَيْنَ
bayna
between
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that
سَبِيلًۭا
sabīlan
a way
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.
Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful [128]; whichever name you call, to Him belong the best names." And do not recite your prayer too loudly, nor in a very low voice, but seek a way between those.
[128]
Ar-Rahman is a Personal Name of Allah; The Aversion of the Quraysh to Ar-Rahman, and Other Attributive Names of Allah:
After Allah, Ar-Rahman is also a personal name of Allah, ranking second. This is why, just as no creature can have the name Allah or its attribute, similarly, Ar-Rahman cannot be the name or attribute of any creature. However, this name of Allah was not common in Arabia, and they were averse to this name and hesitated to apply it to Allah. When they heard this name from your tongue, they would say, "You forbid us from associating partners with Allah, yet you yourself have made Ar-Rahman a deity along with Allah." The answer to their objection is given in this verse: Allah and Ar-Rahman are not two gods, but two names of the same Being. You may call upon Him by whichever you wish. In fact, Allah has many other beautiful attributive names as well. You may call upon Allah by them. According to authentic ahadith, these names are ninety-nine. And from the enumeration of the names mentioned in the hadith, it is known that besides these, there are many other names mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah. [نيز ديكهئے سورة رعد آيت نمبر 30 كا حاشيه]
[129]
Recitation of the Quran in a Voice Between Loud and Low:
For the explanation of this sentence, consider the following hadith: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ؓ says: This verse was revealed when you ﷺ used to hide from the disbelievers in Makkah. When you led the companions in prayer, you would recite the Quran aloud. When the polytheists heard the Quran, they would revile the Quran, the bearer of the Quran, and the one who brought it (Jibreel). At that time, Allah commanded His Prophet not to recite the Quran aloud in prayer so that the polytheists would not revile the Quran, nor so softly that your companions could not hear. Rather, adopt a middle course. [بخاري، كتاب التفسير، ترمذي، ابواب التفسير]
And Sayyidah Aisha ؓ says that this verse was revealed regarding supplication. [حواله ايضاً]
[128]
Ar-Rahman is a Personal Name of Allah; The Aversion of the Quraysh to Ar-Rahman, and Other Attributive Names of Allah:
After Allah, Ar-Rahman is also a personal name of Allah, ranking second. This is why, just as no creature can have the name Allah or its attribute, similarly, Ar-Rahman cannot be the name or attribute of any creature. However, this name of Allah was not common in Arabia, and they were averse to this name and hesitated to apply it to Allah. When they heard this name from your tongue, they would say, "You forbid us from associating partners with Allah, yet you yourself have made Ar-Rahman a deity along with Allah." The answer to their objection is given in this verse: Allah and Ar-Rahman are not two gods, but two names of the same Being. You may call upon Him by whichever you wish. In fact, Allah has many other beautiful attributive names as well. You may call upon Allah by them. According to authentic ahadith, these names are ninety-nine. And from the enumeration of the names mentioned in the hadith, it is known that besides these, there are many other names mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah. [نيز ديكهئے سورة رعد آيت نمبر 30 كا حاشيه]
[129]
Recitation of the Quran in a Voice Between Loud and Low:
For the explanation of this sentence, consider the following hadith: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ؓ says: This verse was revealed when you ﷺ used to hide from the disbelievers in Makkah. When you led the companions in prayer, you would recite the Quran aloud. When the polytheists heard the Quran, they would revile the Quran, the bearer of the Quran, and the one who brought it (Jibreel). At that time, Allah commanded His Prophet not to recite the Quran aloud in prayer so that the polytheists would not revile the Quran, nor so softly that your companions could not hear. Rather, adopt a middle course. [بخاري، كتاب التفسير، ترمذي، ابواب التفسير]
And Sayyidah Aisha ؓ says that this verse was revealed regarding supplication. [حواله ايضاً]
