سُوْرَةُ الْمُجَادَلَةِ
Surah Al-Mujaadila (58) — Ayah 7
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَىٰ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ وَلَا خَمْسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ وَلَآ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْثَرَ إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ ۖ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿7﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have you not seen that Allâh knows whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth? There is no Najwâ (secret counsel) of three but He is their fourth (with His Knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne, over the seventh heaven), nor of five but He is their sixth (with His Knowledge), nor of less than that or more but He is with them (with His Knowledge) wheresoever they may be. And afterwards on the Day of Resurrection He will inform them of what they did. Verily, Allâh is the All-Knower of everything.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَمْ
alam
Do not
تَرَ
tara
you see
أَنَّ
anna
that
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
knows
مَا
mā
whatever
فِى
fī
(is) in
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَمَا
wamā
and whatever
فِى
fī
(is) in
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ
l-arḍi
the earth
مَا
mā
Not
يَكُونُ
yakūnu
there is
مِن
min
any
نَّجْوَىٰ
najwā
secret counsel
ثَلَـٰثَةٍ
thalāthatin
(of) three
إِلَّا
illā
but
هُوَ
huwa
He (is)
رَابِعُهُمْ
rābiʿuhum
(the) fourth of them
وَلَا
walā
and not
خَمْسَةٍ
khamsatin
five
إِلَّا
illā
but
هُوَ
huwa
He (is)
سَادِسُهُمْ
sādisuhum
(the) sixth of them
وَلَآ
walā
and not
أَدْنَىٰ
adnā
less
مِن
min
than
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that
وَلَآ
walā
and not
أَكْثَرَ
akthara
more
إِلَّا
illā
but
هُوَ
huwa
He
مَعَهُمْ
maʿahum
(is) with them
أَيْنَ
ayna
wherever
مَا
mā
wherever
كَانُوا۟ ۖ
kānū
they are
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
يُنَبِّئُهُم
yunabbi-uhum
He will inform them
بِمَا
bimā
of what
عَمِلُوا۟
ʿamilū
they did
يَوْمَ
yawma
(on the) Day
ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ
l-qiyāmati
(of) the Resurrection
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
بِكُلِّ
bikulli
of every
شَىْءٍ
shayin
thing
عَلِيمٌ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knower
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.
Do you not see that Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth? Never is there any whispering among three but He is the fourth, nor among five but He is the sixth. Nor fewer nor more, but He is with them [8] wherever they may be. Then, on the Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they did. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing of everything.
[8]
Consultation, the Number of Advisors, and Advocates of Democracy:
The actual purpose of this verse is to make it clear that a person can never hide from Allah at any time or in any situation. And if he says anything, Allah is also hearing it. Therefore, a person should always avoid sinful deeds and sinful speech. In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned three and five, that is, odd numbers. He has not mentioned even numbers like two and four, etc. From this, some people have understood that consultation should be sought from an odd number of people. Consultation cannot be done with just one person, and if there are two people consulting and they disagree, no decision can be reached. And if there are three, and two are of one opinion, then their opinion will be more valid than one, and further, they have tried to prove the principle of decision by majority opinion. This argument is wrong in several respects. First, the meaning of "najwa" is whispering, secret conversation, and telling or saying confidential things to each other. And this word is mostly used in a negative sense, unless there is some context, and this whispering can occur between two people, three, or four as well. Second, the words of the verse ﴿وَلَآ اَدْنٰي مِنْ ذٰلِكَ وَلَآ اَكْثَرَ﴾ invalidate the argument of these people. Less than three is two, and more is four. Less than five is four, and more is six, and so on. Third, the mention of only odd numbers is related to the custom and eloquence of the Arabs; it has nothing to do with the number of advisors. Thus, where Allah Almighty has mentioned the number of the Companions of the Cave, there too only three, five, or seven are mentioned. Although there is no matter there that relates to consultation.
[8]
Consultation, the Number of Advisors, and Advocates of Democracy:
The actual purpose of this verse is to make it clear that a person can never hide from Allah at any time or in any situation. And if he says anything, Allah is also hearing it. Therefore, a person should always avoid sinful deeds and sinful speech. In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned three and five, that is, odd numbers. He has not mentioned even numbers like two and four, etc. From this, some people have understood that consultation should be sought from an odd number of people. Consultation cannot be done with just one person, and if there are two people consulting and they disagree, no decision can be reached. And if there are three, and two are of one opinion, then their opinion will be more valid than one, and further, they have tried to prove the principle of decision by majority opinion. This argument is wrong in several respects. First, the meaning of "najwa" is whispering, secret conversation, and telling or saying confidential things to each other. And this word is mostly used in a negative sense, unless there is some context, and this whispering can occur between two people, three, or four as well. Second, the words of the verse ﴿وَلَآ اَدْنٰي مِنْ ذٰلِكَ وَلَآ اَكْثَرَ﴾ invalidate the argument of these people. Less than three is two, and more is four. Less than five is four, and more is six, and so on. Third, the mention of only odd numbers is related to the custom and eloquence of the Arabs; it has nothing to do with the number of advisors. Thus, where Allah Almighty has mentioned the number of the Companions of the Cave, there too only three, five, or seven are mentioned. Although there is no matter there that relates to consultation.
