سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ
Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 5
ٱدْعُوهُمْ لِـَٔابَآئِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن لَّمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ ءَابَآءَهُمْ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَمَوَٰلِيكُمْ ۚ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَآ أَخْطَأْتُم بِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِن مَّا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿5﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers: that is more just with Allâh. But if you know not their father’s (names, call them) your brothers in faith and Mawâlîkum (your freed slaves). And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend. And Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱدْعُوهُمْ
id'ʿūhum
Call them
لِـَٔابَآئِهِمْ
liābāihim
by their fathers
هُوَ
huwa
it
أَقْسَطُ
aqsaṭu
(is) more just
عِندَ
ʿinda
near
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
Allah
فَإِن
fa-in
But if
لَّمْ
lam
not
تَعْلَمُوٓا۟
taʿlamū
you know
ءَابَآءَهُمْ
ābāahum
their fathers
فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ
fa-ikh'wānukum
then (they are) your brothers
فِى
fī
in
ٱلدِّينِ
l-dīni
[the] religion
وَمَوَٰلِيكُمْ ۚ
wamawālīkum
and your friends
وَلَيْسَ
walaysa
But not is
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
upon you
جُنَاحٌۭ
junāḥun
any blame
فِيمَآ
fīmā
in what
أَخْطَأْتُم
akhṭatum
you made a mistake
بِهِۦ
bihi
in it
وَلَـٰكِن
walākin
but
مَّا
mā
what
تَعَمَّدَتْ
taʿammadat
intended
قُلُوبُكُمْ ۚ
qulūbukum
your hearts
وَكَانَ
wakāna
And Allah
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
And Allah
غَفُورًۭا
ghafūran
(is) Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمًا
raḥīman
Most Merciful
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.
Call them (your adopted sons) by their fathers' names. That is more just in the sight of Allah. But if you do not know their fathers [4], then they are your brothers in faith and your friends. There is no blame on you for what you say by mistake [5], but only for what your hearts intend [6]. And Allah is surely Most Forgiving [7], Most Merciful.
[4]
Salman al-Farsi ؓ and Suhaib al-Rumi ؓ:
Just as Sayyiduna Salman al-Farsi ؓ himself did not know of his father. He was made a slave in his childhood. He himself says that he was bought and sold more than ten times. [بخاری۔ کتاب المناقب۔ باب اسلام سلمان الفارسی]
And just as Sayyiduna Suhaib al-Rumi ؓ, who was originally Iranian. But when the people of Rome attacked Persia, they took him as a prisoner to Rome in his childhood, and both of these noble companions did not even know the names of their respective fathers.
[5] That is, if someone affectionately calls another person a son or daughter, or out of respect calls an elder man "father" or an elderly woman "mother," or uses these words merely out of good manners, then there is nothing wrong with it. The problem arises when someone calls another a son or daughter and also takes upon himself the duties and rights of a real son or daughter.
[6]
Attributing Oneself to Another Person or Nation is a Major Sin:
Just as ordinary believers are commanded to attribute a person to his real father and not to anyone else, similarly, it is also commanded that a person should not attribute himself to anyone other than his father or to any other nation. Thus, Sayyiduna Abu Dharr ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever knowingly makes another person his father has become a disbeliever, and whoever claims to belong to another nation, let him take his abode in Hell." [بخاری۔ کتاب المناقب۔ باب نسبۃ الیمن الی اسمٰعیل]
In our country, it is common to claim to be a Sayyid or to establish a connection with a high caste. Such people can see their end in the light of this hadith.
[7] One meaning of this is that whatever slips and mistakes you have made in this matter before, Allah is Forgiving of them. And another meaning is that if you unknowingly say something like this or say it by mistake, Allah is Forgiving of such errors as well.
[4]
Salman al-Farsi ؓ and Suhaib al-Rumi ؓ:
Just as Sayyiduna Salman al-Farsi ؓ himself did not know of his father. He was made a slave in his childhood. He himself says that he was bought and sold more than ten times. [بخاری۔ کتاب المناقب۔ باب اسلام سلمان الفارسی]
And just as Sayyiduna Suhaib al-Rumi ؓ, who was originally Iranian. But when the people of Rome attacked Persia, they took him as a prisoner to Rome in his childhood, and both of these noble companions did not even know the names of their respective fathers.
[5] That is, if someone affectionately calls another person a son or daughter, or out of respect calls an elder man "father" or an elderly woman "mother," or uses these words merely out of good manners, then there is nothing wrong with it. The problem arises when someone calls another a son or daughter and also takes upon himself the duties and rights of a real son or daughter.
[6]
Attributing Oneself to Another Person or Nation is a Major Sin:
Just as ordinary believers are commanded to attribute a person to his real father and not to anyone else, similarly, it is also commanded that a person should not attribute himself to anyone other than his father or to any other nation. Thus, Sayyiduna Abu Dharr ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever knowingly makes another person his father has become a disbeliever, and whoever claims to belong to another nation, let him take his abode in Hell." [بخاری۔ کتاب المناقب۔ باب نسبۃ الیمن الی اسمٰعیل]
In our country, it is common to claim to be a Sayyid or to establish a connection with a high caste. Such people can see their end in the light of this hadith.
[7] One meaning of this is that whatever slips and mistakes you have made in this matter before, Allah is Forgiving of them. And another meaning is that if you unknowingly say something like this or say it by mistake, Allah is Forgiving of such errors as well.
