سُوْرَةُ الدَّهْرِ
Surah Al-Insaan (76) — Ayah 3
إِنَّا هَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا ﴿3﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed, We
هَدَيْنَـٰهُ
hadaynāhu
guided him
ٱلسَّبِيلَ
l-sabīla
(to) the way
إِمَّا
immā
whether
شَاكِرًۭا
shākiran
(he) be grateful
وَإِمَّا
wa-immā
and whether
كَفُورًا
kafūran
(he) be ungrateful
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.
3. Indeed, We showed him the way [4]; now, whether he chooses to be grateful or ungrateful [5].
[4]
What are the means Allah has established for the guidance of mankind?
There are countless ways of showing the path. For example:
1. Allah Almighty has created every human being upon sound nature (fitrah). The demand of this is that he recognizes the right of his Creator and Master. This very thing Allah Almighty has described in the Quran as the Covenant of Alast.
2. The ability to distinguish between good and evil has been placed in every human being. This is why, when a person commits a bad deed, his conscience begins to reproach him.
3. When a person is surrounded by calamities, unconsciously and instinctively his gaze turns towards his Creator and he begins to call upon Him for help. This means that relying on one's Creator or some unseen higher power in times of difficulty is ingrained in human nature.
4. By reflecting on the signs of Allah Almighty scattered throughout the universe, a person is compelled to acknowledge such a great, powerful, and transcendent Being who is running the highly organized system of this universe, and he must believe that he can in no way escape from the domain of authority of this Being. Therefore, without obedience to Him, there is no other way out for him.
5. He also observes in the universe that some oppressors, after raising storms of tyranny and oppression throughout their lives, depart from this world without receiving any punishment. Similarly, some people spend their entire lives serving humanity and enduring hardships, and leave the world without receiving any reward. Whereas this system of the universe is established on utmost justice, balance, and proportion, from which he concludes that surely another life must be provided to mankind in which the demands of justice and fairness can be fulfilled.
6. Above all these means, Allah has arranged for the guidance of mankind by sending prophets and books in every era, thereby completing the argument upon mankind. After all these things, man is left to his own devices: now, by using his free will correctly, does he want to become an obedient and grateful servant, or does he become absorbed in the allure of the world and forget Allah, or by choosing the path of rebellion, become ungrateful?
[5]
This world is neither the abode of recompense nor the abode of luxury, but the abode of action:
The exact purpose of the creation of man in this world is that this world is a place of trial for him. Here, the test is intended to see what kind of good or bad deeds he performs. This world is not the abode of recompense, where every oppressor is immediately punished or a righteous person is instantly rewarded for his goodness. Nor is it the abode of torment.
Refutation of the views of monks, transmigrationists, and communists:
As the people of mysticism, monks, and dervish-type individuals believe, they seek the stages of spiritual progress by inflicting pain upon the body. Also, according to the doctrine of transmigration, this world is not the abode of recompense, that if a person continued to sin in his previous life, now his soul will be placed in an impure body, such as that of a dog or a pig, or if he performed good deeds in his previous life, his soul will be placed in the body of a saint. Likewise, this world is not, according to the view of atheists, deniers of the Hereafter, and worldly people, the abode of luxury or an amusement park, where a person can live as he pleases and then depart, with no one to question him about his deeds. Nor is this world a field of dialectical struggle, as the followers of Darwin and Karl Marx believe. Rather, this world is a place of trial for mankind. Here, whatever he sows, he will reap the same in the Hereafter.
[4]
What are the means Allah has established for the guidance of mankind?
There are countless ways of showing the path. For example:
1. Allah Almighty has created every human being upon sound nature (fitrah). The demand of this is that he recognizes the right of his Creator and Master. This very thing Allah Almighty has described in the Quran as the Covenant of Alast.
2. The ability to distinguish between good and evil has been placed in every human being. This is why, when a person commits a bad deed, his conscience begins to reproach him.
3. When a person is surrounded by calamities, unconsciously and instinctively his gaze turns towards his Creator and he begins to call upon Him for help. This means that relying on one's Creator or some unseen higher power in times of difficulty is ingrained in human nature.
4. By reflecting on the signs of Allah Almighty scattered throughout the universe, a person is compelled to acknowledge such a great, powerful, and transcendent Being who is running the highly organized system of this universe, and he must believe that he can in no way escape from the domain of authority of this Being. Therefore, without obedience to Him, there is no other way out for him.
5. He also observes in the universe that some oppressors, after raising storms of tyranny and oppression throughout their lives, depart from this world without receiving any punishment. Similarly, some people spend their entire lives serving humanity and enduring hardships, and leave the world without receiving any reward. Whereas this system of the universe is established on utmost justice, balance, and proportion, from which he concludes that surely another life must be provided to mankind in which the demands of justice and fairness can be fulfilled.
6. Above all these means, Allah has arranged for the guidance of mankind by sending prophets and books in every era, thereby completing the argument upon mankind. After all these things, man is left to his own devices: now, by using his free will correctly, does he want to become an obedient and grateful servant, or does he become absorbed in the allure of the world and forget Allah, or by choosing the path of rebellion, become ungrateful?
[5]
This world is neither the abode of recompense nor the abode of luxury, but the abode of action:
The exact purpose of the creation of man in this world is that this world is a place of trial for him. Here, the test is intended to see what kind of good or bad deeds he performs. This world is not the abode of recompense, where every oppressor is immediately punished or a righteous person is instantly rewarded for his goodness. Nor is it the abode of torment.
Refutation of the views of monks, transmigrationists, and communists:
As the people of mysticism, monks, and dervish-type individuals believe, they seek the stages of spiritual progress by inflicting pain upon the body. Also, according to the doctrine of transmigration, this world is not the abode of recompense, that if a person continued to sin in his previous life, now his soul will be placed in an impure body, such as that of a dog or a pig, or if he performed good deeds in his previous life, his soul will be placed in the body of a saint. Likewise, this world is not, according to the view of atheists, deniers of the Hereafter, and worldly people, the abode of luxury or an amusement park, where a person can live as he pleases and then depart, with no one to question him about his deeds. Nor is this world a field of dialectical struggle, as the followers of Darwin and Karl Marx believe. Rather, this world is a place of trial for mankind. Here, whatever he sows, he will reap the same in the Hereafter.
