سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 26
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْىِۦٓ أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ ﴿26﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, Allâh is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: "What did Allâh intend by this parable?" By it He misleads many, and many He guides thereby. And He misleads thereby only those who are Al-Fâsiqûn (the rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَا
lā
(is) not
يَسْتَحْىِۦٓ
yastaḥyī
ashamed
أَن
an
to
يَضْرِبَ
yaḍriba
set forth
مَثَلًۭا
mathalan
an example
مَّا
mā
(like) even
بَعُوضَةًۭ
baʿūḍatan
(of) a mosquito
فَمَا
famā
and (even) something
فَوْقَهَا ۚ
fawqahā
above it
فَأَمَّا
fa-ammā
Then as for
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believed
فَيَعْلَمُونَ
fayaʿlamūna
[thus] they will know
أَنَّهُ
annahu
that it
ٱلْحَقُّ
l-ḥaqu
(is) the truth
مِن
min
from
رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ
rabbihim
their Lord
وَأَمَّا
wa-ammā
And as for
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
فَيَقُولُونَ
fayaqūlūna
[thus] they will say
مَاذَآ
mādhā
what
أَرَادَ
arāda
(did) intend
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
بِهَـٰذَا
bihādhā
by this
مَثَلًۭا ۘ
mathalan
example
يُضِلُّ
yuḍillu
He lets go astray
بِهِۦ
bihi
by it
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
many
وَيَهْدِى
wayahdī
and He guides
بِهِۦ
bihi
by it
كَثِيرًۭا ۚ
kathīran
many
وَمَا
wamā
And not
يُضِلُّ
yuḍillu
He lets go astray
بِهِۦٓ
bihi
by it
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
l-fāsiqīna
the defiantly disobedient
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.
26. Allah is not ashamed to set forth the example of a mosquito or anything even smaller. [33] So those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord, but those who disbelieve say, "What does Allah mean by such an example?" By it He leads many astray and by it He guides many. But He does not lead astray except the defiantly disobedient. [34]
[33]
The Condition for the Correctness of an Example:
When the disbelievers could not come up with any answer to the challenge, they raised this objection against the Word of Allah: What need did Allah, Who is the Sovereign of all and the Greatest, have to mention examples of insignificant things like the fly and the spider in His speech? (It should be noted that Allah Almighty gave the example of the fly in [22:73] and the example of the spider in [29: 41] to clarify the weakness of the false gods of the disbelievers.) In this verse, the answer to this objection is given: Allah Almighty does not hesitate to give the example of a mosquito or even something more insignificant than that, let alone a fly or a spider. Because in terms of being His creation, all are equal. What should be considered is whether there is correspondence between the example and what is being exemplified. If correspondence is found, then the example is absolutely correct. The gods of the disbelievers are also insignificant things, and so are the fly and the spider; therefore, the analogy is correct. It is not discussed whether the one giving the example is great or small, and the objection raised by the disbelievers was completely irrational, based on foolishness and stubbornness.
[34] How is misguidance attributed to Allah Almighty? That is, from the same statement, those who seek guidance have their guidance increased, while the stubborn and rebellious have their misguidance increased, and only the wicked are inclined towards misguidance. Then Allah also leads them in that direction. As for why Allah Almighty attributed the misguidance of the rebellious to Himself, the reason is that man is only responsible for adopting the means, and as he adopts the means, so will he receive reward or punishment. As for the «مُسَبِّبَاتٌ» or results of the means, they are not in the control of man, but in the control of Allah Almighty, which often turn out as expected, and sometimes it may be contrary to expectation; therefore, the attribution of these «مُسَبِّبَاتٌ» can also be made to the doer.
[33]
The Condition for the Correctness of an Example:
When the disbelievers could not come up with any answer to the challenge, they raised this objection against the Word of Allah: What need did Allah, Who is the Sovereign of all and the Greatest, have to mention examples of insignificant things like the fly and the spider in His speech? (It should be noted that Allah Almighty gave the example of the fly in [22:73] and the example of the spider in [29: 41] to clarify the weakness of the false gods of the disbelievers.) In this verse, the answer to this objection is given: Allah Almighty does not hesitate to give the example of a mosquito or even something more insignificant than that, let alone a fly or a spider. Because in terms of being His creation, all are equal. What should be considered is whether there is correspondence between the example and what is being exemplified. If correspondence is found, then the example is absolutely correct. The gods of the disbelievers are also insignificant things, and so are the fly and the spider; therefore, the analogy is correct. It is not discussed whether the one giving the example is great or small, and the objection raised by the disbelievers was completely irrational, based on foolishness and stubbornness.
[34] How is misguidance attributed to Allah Almighty? That is, from the same statement, those who seek guidance have their guidance increased, while the stubborn and rebellious have their misguidance increased, and only the wicked are inclined towards misguidance. Then Allah also leads them in that direction. As for why Allah Almighty attributed the misguidance of the rebellious to Himself, the reason is that man is only responsible for adopting the means, and as he adopts the means, so will he receive reward or punishment. As for the «مُسَبِّبَاتٌ» or results of the means, they are not in the control of man, but in the control of Allah Almighty, which often turn out as expected, and sometimes it may be contrary to expectation; therefore, the attribution of these «مُسَبِّبَاتٌ» can also be made to the doer.
