سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 53
سَنُرِيهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فِى ٱلْـَٔافَاقِ وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۗ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ ﴿53﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur’ân) is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
سَنُرِيهِمْ
sanurīhim
Soon We will show them
ءَايَـٰتِنَا
āyātinā
Our Signs
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْـَٔافَاقِ
l-āfāqi
the horizons
وَفِىٓ
wafī
and in
أَنفُسِهِمْ
anfusihim
themselves
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يَتَبَيَّنَ
yatabayyana
becomes clear
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
أَنَّهُ
annahu
that it
ٱلْحَقُّ ۗ
l-ḥaqu
(is) the truth
أَوَلَمْ
awalam
Is (it) not
يَكْفِ
yakfi
sufficient
بِرَبِّكَ
birabbika
concerning your Lord
أَنَّهُۥ
annahu
that He
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
(is) over
كُلِّ
kulli
all
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
things
شَهِيدٌ
shahīdun
a Witness
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.
Soon We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves [71] until it becomes clear to them that this Qur'an is the truth. Is it not sufficient that your Lord is a Witness [72] over all things?
[71]
Two Meanings of "Afaq" and "Anfus":
This verse has two meanings, and both are correct. One is that by "Afaq" (horizons), the countries neighboring Arabia are meant, and by "Anfus" (selves), the Arab nation, and especially the Quraysh tribe, to which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was related by lineage, are meant. In this sense, the meaning of this verse is recorded on the pages of history. Within a few years, the Quraysh chiefs had to face humiliation, and the back of disbelief and polytheism was broken. In your ﷺ lifetime, disbelief and polytheism were banished from the land of Arabia, and during the eras of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ and Sayyiduna Umar ؓ, as a result of successive victories, the dominance of Islam in the countries surrounding Arabia was witnessed by everyone with their own eyes. These were not just signs of Allah in the sense that Muslims kept conquering countries and became masters of the lives and properties of the conquered nations, as usually happens in this world, but these were signs of Allah in the sense that these victories brought with them a magnificent religious, moral, intellectual, cultural, political, and economic revolution, and wherever the effects of these victories reached, the best qualities of humanity flourished and the worst traits were erased. The second meaning is that by "Afaq" (horizons), the wonders of Allah scattered throughout the universe are meant, and by "Anfus" (selves), the inner world of man is meant. These are respectively referred to as the greater world (Alam Akbar) and the lesser world (Alam Asghar). In this sense, it means that in this universe and within man, countless signs of Allah Almighty exist. And neither has man ever been able to encompass all of them, nor will he ever be able to in the future. In every era, some new sign comes to human knowledge, and will continue to do so in the future, which will continue to bear witness to the truthfulness of the Quran's statement. New wonders of nature will keep coming to human knowledge, whether they relate to the world outside man or to his inner world. There are several reasons for calling man the lesser universe. One of them is that the characteristics of things present in the universe are also present in him. For example, the things found on earth are either related to minerals, plants, or animals. In terms of physical structure, man is mineral-like. Then he also grows, so in this sense, his soul is vegetative. Then he also moves, so in this sense, his soul is animalistic. Then, when he becomes even more perfect, he attains the human soul. Just as a liquid is made more and more refined and potent by distillation, similarly, Allah Almighty, by perfecting a handful of dust, made man, and granted him such human faculties by which he became capable of discovering universal matters. Now, the various kinds of powers and abilities that have been placed within man are beyond his capacity to encompass, even though they are present within him at all times and will remain so. Then, by discovering the machinery installed within man, he has become capable of inventing various things. Then, his human soul is also connected to the spiritual realm (Alam Malakut). In this way, within the inner world of man, there are endless powers and wonders of Allah Almighty, to which this verse alludes.
[72] This sentence can have three meanings. In terms of the context, it would mean: if these people do not accept the truth of the Quran, then let them not. Is not the testimony of your Lord, who is present everywhere and sees everything with His own eyes, sufficient for its truth? The second meaning is: is it not sufficient for these people to refrain from their misdeeds that your Lord is watching every single action of theirs? And the third meaning is: We know in what ways these disbelievers are troubling you, so is it not sufficient for your ﷺ reassurance that Allah Almighty Himself is witness over everything, and He will not leave them without giving them the punishment for their misdeeds?
[71]
Two Meanings of "Afaq" and "Anfus":
This verse has two meanings, and both are correct. One is that by "Afaq" (horizons), the countries neighboring Arabia are meant, and by "Anfus" (selves), the Arab nation, and especially the Quraysh tribe, to which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was related by lineage, are meant. In this sense, the meaning of this verse is recorded on the pages of history. Within a few years, the Quraysh chiefs had to face humiliation, and the back of disbelief and polytheism was broken. In your ﷺ lifetime, disbelief and polytheism were banished from the land of Arabia, and during the eras of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ and Sayyiduna Umar ؓ, as a result of successive victories, the dominance of Islam in the countries surrounding Arabia was witnessed by everyone with their own eyes. These were not just signs of Allah in the sense that Muslims kept conquering countries and became masters of the lives and properties of the conquered nations, as usually happens in this world, but these were signs of Allah in the sense that these victories brought with them a magnificent religious, moral, intellectual, cultural, political, and economic revolution, and wherever the effects of these victories reached, the best qualities of humanity flourished and the worst traits were erased. The second meaning is that by "Afaq" (horizons), the wonders of Allah scattered throughout the universe are meant, and by "Anfus" (selves), the inner world of man is meant. These are respectively referred to as the greater world (Alam Akbar) and the lesser world (Alam Asghar). In this sense, it means that in this universe and within man, countless signs of Allah Almighty exist. And neither has man ever been able to encompass all of them, nor will he ever be able to in the future. In every era, some new sign comes to human knowledge, and will continue to do so in the future, which will continue to bear witness to the truthfulness of the Quran's statement. New wonders of nature will keep coming to human knowledge, whether they relate to the world outside man or to his inner world. There are several reasons for calling man the lesser universe. One of them is that the characteristics of things present in the universe are also present in him. For example, the things found on earth are either related to minerals, plants, or animals. In terms of physical structure, man is mineral-like. Then he also grows, so in this sense, his soul is vegetative. Then he also moves, so in this sense, his soul is animalistic. Then, when he becomes even more perfect, he attains the human soul. Just as a liquid is made more and more refined and potent by distillation, similarly, Allah Almighty, by perfecting a handful of dust, made man, and granted him such human faculties by which he became capable of discovering universal matters. Now, the various kinds of powers and abilities that have been placed within man are beyond his capacity to encompass, even though they are present within him at all times and will remain so. Then, by discovering the machinery installed within man, he has become capable of inventing various things. Then, his human soul is also connected to the spiritual realm (Alam Malakut). In this way, within the inner world of man, there are endless powers and wonders of Allah Almighty, to which this verse alludes.
[72] This sentence can have three meanings. In terms of the context, it would mean: if these people do not accept the truth of the Quran, then let them not. Is not the testimony of your Lord, who is present everywhere and sees everything with His own eyes, sufficient for its truth? The second meaning is: is it not sufficient for these people to refrain from their misdeeds that your Lord is watching every single action of theirs? And the third meaning is: We know in what ways these disbelievers are troubling you, so is it not sufficient for your ﷺ reassurance that Allah Almighty Himself is witness over everything, and He will not leave them without giving them the punishment for their misdeeds?
