Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 163–170

4. An-Nisaa · The Women

Madinan176 verses

۞ إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ كَمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍۢ وَٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَٰرُونَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًۭا

4:163We have indeed revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him, and [as] We revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, Jesus and Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon—and We gave David the Psalms—1

وَرُسُلًۭا قَدْ قَصَصْنَٰهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَرُسُلًۭا لَّمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ ۚ وَكَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُ مُوسَىٰ تَكْلِيمًۭا

4:164and apostles We have recounted to you earlier and apostles We have not recounted to you—and to Moses Allah spoke directly—2

رُّسُلًۭا مُّبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ حُجَّةٌۢ بَعْدَ ٱلرُّسُلِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًۭا

4:165apostles, as bearers of good news and warners, so that mankind may not have any argument against Allah, after the [sending of the] apostles; and Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.

لَّٰكِنِ ٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ أَنزَلَهُۥ بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًا

4:166But Allah bears witness to what He has sent down to you—He sent it down with His knowledge—and the angels bear witness [too], and Allah quite suffices as witness.3

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ ضَلَٰلًۢا بَعِيدًا

4:167Indeed those who are faithless and bar [others] from the way of Allah, have certainly strayed into far error.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَظَلَمُوا۟ لَمْ يَكُنِ ٱللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ طَرِيقًا

4:168Indeed those who are faithless and do wrong, Allah shall never forgive them, nor shall He guide them to any way,4

إِلَّا طَرِيقَ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًۭا ۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرًۭا

4:169except the way to hell, to remain in it forever, and that is easy for Allah.5

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِٱلْحَقِّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ خَيْرًۭا لَّكُمْ ۚ وَإِن تَكْفُرُوا۟ فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا

4:170O mankind! The Apostle has certainly brought you the truth from your Lord. So have faith! That is better for you. And if you are faithless, [you should know that] to Allah indeed belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 163

1.In the comparison of Jews, a final method of fulfillment of condition is that if they believe in a prophet only on the basis of revelation then why did they not believe in Prophet (s.a.) while the revelation was coming through him and Allah also gives evidence of it. For the sake of Jews Allah has mentioned about Moosa (a.s.) separately and has given the reference of Moosa’s (a.s.) interlocutory, Allah can send His conversation to all of His Apostles. Whether they talk about the straight path or not, but you have to believe him in totality.

Verse 164

2.We find a great significance in the gist and the ambiguity is that why all Apostles came from the east and not from the west? And how then is Allah’s argument concluded in the west! Both the answers arc in this paragraph. Allah says we have not mentioned about many Apostles. May be they all were Apostles of the west or may be they would be the dwellers of the east and perhaps their representatives have gone to the west for completion of their argument and you have no right to ask a question until you have complete details. Anyhow this matter is universally admitted that Allah cannot keep His earth empty without His representatives. Whether His representative would be a Prophet or His Holy book or any other method of right guidance.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    The twelve people from the twelve sons of Yaqoob (a.s.) who were the recipients of divine revelation and Prophets.

  2. 2

    There is great difference of opinion regarding the sum total of Prophets. On one hand only the figure of 313 is mentioned and on the other extreme is 2424000. However, the most accepted tradition is of 124000.

  3. 3

    The testimony of the Angels is only for the honour and respect of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). Otherwise no testimony is required after the testimony of Almighty Allah.

    Benefit: ‘Kama Awhaina’ in 166th ayat indicates that Islamic shariat contains the basics of all the previous shariats - and since zaboor. despite being a heavenly book did not have a new shariat, Hazrat Dawood (a.s.) is not included among the ulul Azm Prophets. ‘Asbat’ is the plural of [sibt’. That is the tribes of Bani Israel - they denote the respected Prophets (a.s.).

  4. 4

    According to commentators the first ayat mentions him desiring the path along with the infidels, which is the characteristic of the Jews. And the second ayat mentions doing injustice with the infidels, which is the activity of the polytheists. That is why one is called misguided and the other a real inmate of Hell.

  5. 5

    Here abiding is mentioned with ‘forever’ in connection with Hell. This shows that they shall never be allowed to leave Hell.