سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 117
مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرْتَنِى بِهِۦٓ أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ ۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِى كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ ﴿117﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allâh) did command me to say: ‘Worship Allâh, my Lord and your Lord.’ And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things. (This is a great admonition and warning to the Christians of the whole world).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَا
mā
Not
قُلْتُ
qul'tu
I said
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَآ
mā
what
أَمَرْتَنِى
amartanī
You commanded me
بِهِۦٓ
bihi
[with it]
أَنِ
ani
that
ٱعْبُدُوا۟
uʿ'budū
You worship
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
رَبِّى
rabbī
my Lord
وَرَبَّكُمْ ۚ
warabbakum
and your Lord
وَكُنتُ
wakuntu
And I was
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
over them
شَهِيدًۭا
shahīdan
a witness
مَّا
mā
that
دُمْتُ
dum'tu
as long as I
فِيهِمْ ۖ
fīhim
(was) among them
فَلَمَّا
falammā
then when
تَوَفَّيْتَنِى
tawaffaytanī
You raised me
كُنتَ
kunta
You were
أَنتَ
anta
[You]
ٱلرَّقِيبَ
l-raqība
the Watcher
عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ
ʿalayhim
over them
وَأَنتَ
wa-anta
and You
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
(are) on
كُلِّ
kulli
every
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
thing
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.
117. I only said to them what You commanded me: "Worship Allah, Who is my Lord and your Lord." And I was a witness over them as long as I remained among them. But when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them. [168] And You are a Witness over all things.
[168]
Even the Prophets Do Not Have Knowledge of the Unseen:
You commanded me that I should worship and serve You myself, and also make others worship and serve You, and I continued to fulfill this. And as long as I remained among these people, I fully observed Your command. However, I have no knowledge of what happened after me. Only You know the later circumstances—when and how these people adopted this wrong path and why they did so.
The Prophets’ Unawareness of Their Ummah’s Deeds on the Day of Resurrection:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that during a sermon, the Prophet ﷺ said, “O people! You will be gathered before Allah barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised.” Then the Prophet ﷺ recited this verse ﴿كَمَا بَدَانَا اَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُعِيْدُهُ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا اِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِيْنَ﴾ to the end. Then he said, “Listen! On the Day of Resurrection, the very first among all creation to be clothed will be Sayyiduna Ibrahim ؑ, and some people from my Ummah will be brought forth whom the angels will drive to the left side (towards Hell). I will say, ‘O Lord! These are my Sahabah (companions).’ The reply will be: ‘You do not know what new things (innovations) they introduced after you.’ At that time, I will say only what Allah’s righteous servant, Isa ؑ, said (that is): ‘As long as I remained among them, I watched over their condition. Then when You took me (from the world), after that You alone were the Watcher over them.’ The reply will be: ‘Since you parted from them, they have continued to turn back on their heels (from Islam).’ [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير] From this verse and this hadith, it is also understood that the Prophets do not have knowledge of the unseen except as much as Allah tells them. Also, after the Prophets depart from this world, they are not aware of the deeds of their Ummah.
[168]
Even the Prophets Do Not Have Knowledge of the Unseen:
You commanded me that I should worship and serve You myself, and also make others worship and serve You, and I continued to fulfill this. And as long as I remained among these people, I fully observed Your command. However, I have no knowledge of what happened after me. Only You know the later circumstances—when and how these people adopted this wrong path and why they did so.
The Prophets’ Unawareness of Their Ummah’s Deeds on the Day of Resurrection:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that during a sermon, the Prophet ﷺ said, “O people! You will be gathered before Allah barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised.” Then the Prophet ﷺ recited this verse ﴿كَمَا بَدَانَا اَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُعِيْدُهُ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا اِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِيْنَ﴾ to the end. Then he said, “Listen! On the Day of Resurrection, the very first among all creation to be clothed will be Sayyiduna Ibrahim ؑ, and some people from my Ummah will be brought forth whom the angels will drive to the left side (towards Hell). I will say, ‘O Lord! These are my Sahabah (companions).’ The reply will be: ‘You do not know what new things (innovations) they introduced after you.’ At that time, I will say only what Allah’s righteous servant, Isa ؑ, said (that is): ‘As long as I remained among them, I watched over their condition. Then when You took me (from the world), after that You alone were the Watcher over them.’ The reply will be: ‘Since you parted from them, they have continued to turn back on their heels (from Islam).’ [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير] From this verse and this hadith, it is also understood that the Prophets do not have knowledge of the unseen except as much as Allah tells them. Also, after the Prophets depart from this world, they are not aware of the deeds of their Ummah.
