سُوْرَةُ النَّمْلِ
Surah An-Naml (27) — Ayah 59
قُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَسَلَـٰمٌ عَلَىٰ عِبَادِهِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱصْطَفَىٰٓ ۗ ءَآللَّهُ خَيْرٌ أَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿59﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "Praise and thanks be to Allâh, and peace be on His slaves whom He has chosen (for His Message)! Is Allâh better, or (all) that you ascribe as partners (to Him)?" (Of course, Allâh is Better).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱلْحَمْدُ
l-ḥamdu
All praise (be)
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
وَسَلَـٰمٌ
wasalāmun
and peace (be)
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
upon
عِبَادِهِ
ʿibādihi
His slaves
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those whom
ٱصْطَفَىٰٓ ۗ
iṣ'ṭafā
He has chosen
ءَآللَّهُ
āllahu
Is Allah
خَيْرٌ
khayrun
better
أَمَّا
ammā
or what
يُشْرِكُونَ
yush'rikūna
they associate (with Him)
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.
59. Say: "All praise is due to Allah, and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen [57][58]. Is Allah better, or those whom they associate as partners with Him [59]?"
[57]
The Special Occasion for Using "Alhamdulillah":
Although in every situation one should praise Allah and express gratitude to Him, the Arabs generally use this phrase at a time when, after presenting arguments, the case has been conclusively established against the opposing party or the addressee, and they have no reasonable answer to those arguments, or they are unable to provide one. Here too, after mentioning three prophets and describing the identical fate of the deniers of truth, this phrase is used in the same sense.
[58] By "chosen people" are meant the Prophets (peace be upon them), and their followers can also be included, whom Allah helped, saved from the oppression of the disbelievers, and, by protecting them from the punishment sent down, bestowed mercy upon them. This is the meaning in the context of the subject matter, but the ruling of the phrase is general, meaning that Allah's peace descends upon His favored servants at all times and in all circumstances.
[59] That is, Allah is the One who, by punishing the criminals, saves His servants from their oppression and also helps them. So, O polytheists of Makkah, now you yourselves decide whether such a powerful Allah is better, or your deities, who cannot benefit or harm anyone else, and are so helpless that they are dependent on you even for their own protection.
[57]
The Special Occasion for Using "Alhamdulillah":
Although in every situation one should praise Allah and express gratitude to Him, the Arabs generally use this phrase at a time when, after presenting arguments, the case has been conclusively established against the opposing party or the addressee, and they have no reasonable answer to those arguments, or they are unable to provide one. Here too, after mentioning three prophets and describing the identical fate of the deniers of truth, this phrase is used in the same sense.
[58] By "chosen people" are meant the Prophets (peace be upon them), and their followers can also be included, whom Allah helped, saved from the oppression of the disbelievers, and, by protecting them from the punishment sent down, bestowed mercy upon them. This is the meaning in the context of the subject matter, but the ruling of the phrase is general, meaning that Allah's peace descends upon His favored servants at all times and in all circumstances.
[59] That is, Allah is the One who, by punishing the criminals, saves His servants from their oppression and also helps them. So, O polytheists of Makkah, now you yourselves decide whether such a powerful Allah is better, or your deities, who cannot benefit or harm anyone else, and are so helpless that they are dependent on you even for their own protection.
