سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 141
ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَرَبَّصُونَ بِكُمْ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ نَكُن مَّعَكُمْ وَإِن كَانَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ وَلَن يَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا ﴿141﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those (hypocrites) who wait and watch about you; if you gain a victory from Allâh, they say: "Were we not with you?" But if the disbelievers gain a success, they say (to them): "Did we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you from the believers?" Allâh will judge between you (all) on the Day of Resurrection. And never will Allâh grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those who
يَتَرَبَّصُونَ
yatarabbaṣūna
are waiting
بِكُمْ
bikum
for you
فَإِن
fa-in
Then if
كَانَ
kāna
was
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
فَتْحٌۭ
fatḥun
a victory
مِّنَ
mina
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
they say
أَلَمْ
alam
Were not
نَكُن
nakun
we
مَّعَكُمْ
maʿakum
with you
وَإِن
wa-in
But if
كَانَ
kāna
(there) was
لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
lil'kāfirīna
for the disbelievers
نَصِيبٌۭ
naṣībun
a chance
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
they said
أَلَمْ
alam
Did not
نَسْتَحْوِذْ
nastaḥwidh
we have advantage
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
over you
وَنَمْنَعْكُم
wanamnaʿkum
and we protected you
مِّنَ
mina
from
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
فَٱللَّهُ
fal-lahu
And Allah
يَحْكُمُ
yaḥkumu
will judge
بَيْنَكُمْ
baynakum
between you
يَوْمَ
yawma
(on the) Day
ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ
l-qiyāmati
(of) the Resurrection
وَلَن
walan
and never
يَجْعَلَ
yajʿala
will make
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
lil'kāfirīna
for the disbelievers
عَلَى
ʿalā
over
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
سَبِيلًا
sabīlan
a way
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.
141. Those hypocrites who are always watching you—if you gain a victory by Allah’s grace, they say, “Were we not with you?” But if the disbelievers have the upper hand, they say, “Did we not have power [187] over you, and did we not protect you from the believers?” So Allah will judge between you all on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will never [188] grant the disbelievers any way to prevail over the believers.
[187]
The Self-Interest of the Hypocrites:
The class of hypocrites existed during the Prophetic era ﷺ, has always existed in every era, and exists even today. They possess nothing of faith; rather, their faith is only to gain benefit, and their principles are lies, deceit, and trickery. Such people merely observe the direction of the wind. Wherever they expect to gain benefit, they immediately make excuses and lean in that direction. In this verse, the condition of the hypocrites of the Prophetic era ﷺ is described: if the Muslims are granted victory, they say, in order to receive a share of the spoils, that after all, we too are Muslims and your companions, so we should also receive a share. And if the disbelievers are victorious, they join them and say that it is only as a result of our sympathies with you that you have achieved victory. Otherwise, if we had wholeheartedly supported the Muslims, not only would you not have gained victory, but the Muslims would have crushed you. Therefore, how can you ignore us? In this way, they try to gain benefit from both sides. And nowadays, among us, there is a large group of self-interested people who keep moving between two political parties. As soon as they see the direction of the wind, they immediately change their party and join the one that is in power or is expected to come to power. For such people, the political term 'Lotā' has been coined, which is an abbreviation of the proverb 'bependa lotā' (a bowl without a base) that keeps rolling in every direction. The religion and faith of such people is only money and other benefits; wherever they get more, they go there.
[188] The same subject has been repeated in several verses in different words. The meaning is that these disbelievers and hypocrites may make every possible effort to extinguish the light of Allah, but let them try as much as they can—Allah will surely complete the light of His guidance. In the end, Allah’s religion will prevail over all other religions. It is impossible for the disbelievers to prevail over the Muslims.
[187]
The Self-Interest of the Hypocrites:
The class of hypocrites existed during the Prophetic era ﷺ, has always existed in every era, and exists even today. They possess nothing of faith; rather, their faith is only to gain benefit, and their principles are lies, deceit, and trickery. Such people merely observe the direction of the wind. Wherever they expect to gain benefit, they immediately make excuses and lean in that direction. In this verse, the condition of the hypocrites of the Prophetic era ﷺ is described: if the Muslims are granted victory, they say, in order to receive a share of the spoils, that after all, we too are Muslims and your companions, so we should also receive a share. And if the disbelievers are victorious, they join them and say that it is only as a result of our sympathies with you that you have achieved victory. Otherwise, if we had wholeheartedly supported the Muslims, not only would you not have gained victory, but the Muslims would have crushed you. Therefore, how can you ignore us? In this way, they try to gain benefit from both sides. And nowadays, among us, there is a large group of self-interested people who keep moving between two political parties. As soon as they see the direction of the wind, they immediately change their party and join the one that is in power or is expected to come to power. For such people, the political term 'Lotā' has been coined, which is an abbreviation of the proverb 'bependa lotā' (a bowl without a base) that keeps rolling in every direction. The religion and faith of such people is only money and other benefits; wherever they get more, they go there.
[188] The same subject has been repeated in several verses in different words. The meaning is that these disbelievers and hypocrites may make every possible effort to extinguish the light of Allah, but let them try as much as they can—Allah will surely complete the light of His guidance. In the end, Allah’s religion will prevail over all other religions. It is impossible for the disbelievers to prevail over the Muslims.
