سُوْرَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 9
أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَـٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَآئِمًا يَحْذَرُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُوا۟ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِۦ ۗ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿9﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Is one who is obedient to Allâh, prostrating himself or standing (in prayer) during the hours of the night, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the Mercy of his Lord (like one who disbelieves)? Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember (i.e. get a lesson from Allâh’s Signs and Verses).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَمَّنْ
amman
Is (one) who
هُوَ
huwa
[he]
قَـٰنِتٌ
qānitun
(is) devoutly obedient
ءَانَآءَ
ānāa
(during) hours
ٱلَّيْلِ
al-layli
(of) the night
سَاجِدًۭا
sājidan
prostrating
وَقَآئِمًۭا
waqāiman
and standing
يَحْذَرُ
yaḥdharu
fearing
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ
l-ākhirata
the Hereafter
وَيَرْجُوا۟
wayarjū
and hoping
رَحْمَةَ
raḥmata
(for the) Mercy
رَبِّهِۦ ۗ
rabbihi
(of) his Lord
قُلْ
qul
Say
هَلْ
hal
Are
يَسْتَوِى
yastawī
equal
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
and those who
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ
yaʿlamūna
know
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
يَتَذَكَّرُ
yatadhakkaru
will take heed
أُو۟لُوا۟
ulū
those of understanding
ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ
l-albābi
those of understanding
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.
Is such a person better, or one who spends the hours of the night in devotion, prostrating and standing in prayer, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" [19] Only those with understanding will take heed.
[19]
Who is Considered Learned and Who is Ignorant in the Sight of Allah?
Now, there is this person who calls upon others besides Allah only at the time of distress. And the Quran refers to him as “ignorant or one who does not know,” even if he is a great scholar of the age. And then there is the other person who, in hardship and ease, in all circumstances, relies only on Allah and calls upon Him alone. In the darkness of the night, he prostrates before Him, fears Him, and hopes for His mercy alone. Allah calls such a person “learned or one who knows,” even if he has not even passed primary school or has not read even the basic religious books. And this meaning is also supported by another phrase of the Noble Quran: ﴿إنَّمَا يَخْشَي اللّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمٰۤؤُا﴾ [35: 38]. Then Allah presents this question before the people of intellect and understanding: Tell me, is the way of life of these two the same, or can their outcomes ever be the same?
[19]
Who is Considered Learned and Who is Ignorant in the Sight of Allah?
Now, there is this person who calls upon others besides Allah only at the time of distress. And the Quran refers to him as “ignorant or one who does not know,” even if he is a great scholar of the age. And then there is the other person who, in hardship and ease, in all circumstances, relies only on Allah and calls upon Him alone. In the darkness of the night, he prostrates before Him, fears Him, and hopes for His mercy alone. Allah calls such a person “learned or one who knows,” even if he has not even passed primary school or has not read even the basic religious books. And this meaning is also supported by another phrase of the Noble Quran: ﴿إنَّمَا يَخْشَي اللّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمٰۤؤُا﴾ [35: 38]. Then Allah presents this question before the people of intellect and understanding: Tell me, is the way of life of these two the same, or can their outcomes ever be the same?
