Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He created you (all) from a single person (Adam); then made from him his wife [Hawwâ’ (Eve)]. And He has sent down for you of cattle eight pairs (of the sheep, two, male and female; of the goats, two, male and female; of the oxen, two, male and female; and of the camels, two, male and female). He creates you in the wombs of your mothers: creation after creation in three veils of darkness. Such is Allâh your Lord. His is the kingdom. Lâ ilâha illâ Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). How then are you turned away?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
خَلَقَكُمkhalaqakumHe created you
مِّنminfrom
نَّفْسٍۢnafsina soul
وَٰحِدَةٍۢwāḥidatinsingle
ثُمَّthummaThen
جَعَلَjaʿalaHe made
مِنْهَاmin'hāfrom it
زَوْجَهَاzawjahāits mate
وَأَنزَلَwa-anzalaAnd He sent down
لَكُمlakumfor you
مِّنَminaof
ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِl-anʿāmithe cattle
ثَمَـٰنِيَةَthamāniyataeight
أَزْوَٰجٍۢ ۚazwājinkinds
يَخْلُقُكُمْyakhluqukumHe creates you
فِىfīin
بُطُونِbuṭūni(the) wombs
أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْummahātikum(of) your mothers
خَلْقًۭاkhalqancreation
مِّنۢminafter
بَعْدِbaʿdiafter
خَلْقٍۢkhalqincreation
فِىfīin
ظُلُمَـٰتٍۢẓulumātindarkness[es]
ثَلَـٰثٍۢ ۚthalāthinthree
ذَٰلِكُمُdhālikumuThat
ٱللَّهُl-lahu(is) Allah
رَبُّكُمْrabbukumyour Lord
لَهُlahufor Him
ٱلْمُلْكُ ۖl-mul'ku(is) the dominion
لَآlā(There is) no
إِلَـٰهَilāhagod
إِلَّاillāexcept
هُوَ ۖhuwaHe
فَأَنَّىٰfa-annāThen how
تُصْرَفُونَtuṣ'rafūnaare you turning away
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.
He created you from a single soul, then made from it its mate [11], and He created for you eight pairs of livestock [12]. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, within three layers of darkness [13]. That is Allah, your Lord; to Him belongs the dominion. There is no god but Him. So how are you being turned away [14]?
[11] This is the second proof of the Oneness of Allah, that He is the Creator of all of you. Apparently, from the words, it seems that Allah Almighty created you from a single soul, i.e., Sayyiduna Adam (peace be upon him), then after him, He made his wife. However, here, instead of chronological order, the order of mention has been considered, and such examples are found in every language. That is, Allah Almighty first created Adam, then from him, his wife, then from both of them, by continuing the lineage, He created you. [12] The Eight Pairs of Livestock in Which the Arabs Practiced Shirk:
That is, camel, cow, sheep, goat—these are four types, and by including their males and females, there are a total of eight pairs. And their mention has already passed under Surah Al-An'am, verse number 143. These were the same four types or eight pairs that the Arabs used to keep. And it was among these that their polytheistic customs were practiced. That is why only these have been mentioned, whereas among us, camels are very rare, and for purposes like milk, buffaloes are kept more than cows. Among us too, the milk of these animals is offered at shrines. [13] The Birth of the Fetus in Three Darknesses:
Among the amazing acts of Allah Almighty is that every fetus, whether it is a human child or an animal, is nurtured within three layered darknesses, and all three coverings protect the fetus from external calamities, and only then does the fetus become a child capable of being born. The first covering is the mother's belly, the second is the womb inside the belly, and the third is the membrane inside the womb in which the fetus is wrapped and protected. Then, during this period, the fetus passes through many stages and phases. First, it is a drop of fluid, then congealed blood, then a lump of flesh, then the soul is breathed into it, and afterwards, its form and shape are made, and all this happens within the three darknesses. Until, after the appointed time, the fetus takes the form and shape of a human and comes out of the mother's belly. [14] The People Who Trap the Ignorant Masses in the Misguidance of Shirk:
These are the attributes of your Lord, that He alone is your Creator, He alone is your Sustainer, and He alone is the Owner of you and the entire universe. Therefore, He alone can be worthy of your devotion, vows, sacrifices, and worship. Now, when you perform these acts for others besides Allah, then tell me, can you not even understand this simple matter? And who are those people who turn you away from this simple matter and put you on the wrong paths? And it is clear that those who mislead you from this simple matter can only be those whose own worldly interests are connected to such wrong paths. And these people are the gurus and mahants of temples, the pundits and priests of idol houses, and the custodians and attendants of shrines, who have trapped the masses in this net by telling all kinds of stories. And in this way, they have secured their own interests, but have pushed the ignorant masses into the misguidance of shirk.