Surah Fussilat (41): Read Online and Download - English Translation

This page contains all verses of surah Fussilat in addition to Interpretation of all verses by Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Hafiz Ibn Kathir). In the first part you can read surah فصلت ordered in pages exactly as it is present in the Quran. To read an interpretation of a verse click on its number.

Information About Surah Fussilat

Surah Fussilat
سُورَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ
Page 477 (Verses from 1 to 11)

حمٓ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ كِتَٰبٌ فُصِّلَتْ ءَايَٰتُهُۥ قُرْءَانًا عَرَبِيًّا لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ وَقَالُوا۟ قُلُوبُنَا فِىٓ أَكِنَّةٍ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَيْهِ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَمِنۢ بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَٱعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَٰمِلُونَ قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ فَٱسْتَقِيمُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ۗ وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُشْرِكِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمْ كَٰفِرُونَ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ۞ قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَٰرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَٰتَهَا فِىٓ أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَهِىَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلْأَرْضِ ٱئْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَآ أَتَيْنَا طَآئِعِينَ
477

Listen to Surah Fussilat (Arabic and English translation)

Tafsir of Surah Fussilat (Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Hafiz Ibn Kathir)

English Translation

Ha, Meem.

English Transliteration

Hameem

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Description of the Qur'an, and what Those Who turn away from it say.

حـم - تَنزِيلٌ مِّنَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(Ha Mim. A revelation from the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.) means, the Qur'an is revealed from the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is like the Ayat:

قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ

(Say Ruh Al-Qudus (Jibril) has brought it down from your Lord with truth) (16:102).

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ - عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ

(And truly, this is a revelation from the Lord of all that exists, Which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril) has brought down upon your heart that you may be (one) of the warners.) (26:192-194).

كِتَـبٌ فُصِّلَتْ ءَايَـتُهُ

(A Book whereof the Ayat are explained in detail) means, its meanings are clear and its rulings are sound and wise.

قُرْءَاناً عَرَبِيّاً

(a Qur'an in Arabic) means, because it is a clear Arabic Qur'an, its meanings are precise and detailed and its words are clear and not confusing. This is like the Ayah:

كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ ءايَـتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ

((This is) a Book, the Ayat whereof are completed, and then explained in detail from One (Allah), Who is All-Wise Well-Acquainted) (11:1). meaning, it is miraculous in its wording and in its meanings.

لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ

(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) (41:42).

لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

(for people who know.) means, this clear style will be readily understood by scholars who are thoroughly versed in knowledge.

بَشِيراً وَنَذِيراً

(Giving glad tidings and warning,) means, sometimes it brings glad tidings to the believers, and sometimes it brings a warning to the disbelievers.

فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ

(but most of them turn away, so they hear not.) means, most of the Quraysh did not understand anything of it at all, despite the fact that it was so clear.

وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِى أَكِنَّةٍ

(And they say: "Our hearts are under coverings...") meaning, they are wrapped and screened,

مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ وَفِى ءَاذانِنَا وَقْرٌ

(from that to which you invite us; and in our ears is deafness,) means, `we are deaf to the message you bring to us.'

وَمِن بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ

(and between us and you is a screen,) `so nothing of what you say reaches us.'

فَاعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَـمِلُونَ

(so work you (on your way); verily, we are working) means, go your way, and we will go our way, and we will not follow you.

English Translation

[This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful -

English Transliteration

Tanzeelun mina alrrahmani alrraheemi

English Translation

A Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Qur\'an for a people who know,

English Transliteration

Kitabun fussilat ayatuhu quranan AAarabiyyan liqawmin yaAAlamoona

English Translation

As a giver of good tidings and a warner; but most of them turn away, so they do not hear.

English Transliteration

Basheeran wanatheeran faaAArada aktharuhum fahum la yasmaAAoona

English Translation

And they say, "Our hearts are within coverings from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a partition, so work; indeed, we are working."

English Transliteration

Waqaloo quloobuna fee akinnatin mimma tadAAoona ilayhi wafee athanina waqrun wamin baynina wabaynika hijabun faiAAmal innana AAamiloona

English Translation

Say, O [Muhammad], "I am only a man like you to whom it has been revealed that your god is but one God; so take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness." And woe to those who associate others with Allah -

English Transliteration

Qul innama ana basharun mithlukum yooha ilayya annama ilahukum ilahun wahidun faistaqeemoo ilayhi waistaghfiroohu wawaylun lilmushrikeena

The Call to Tawhid Allah says,

قُلْ

(Say) `O Muhammad, to these disbelievers and idolators,'

إِنَّمَآ أَنَاْ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـهُكُمْ إِلَـهٌ وَاحِدٌ

(I am only a human being like you. It is revealed to me that your God is One God,) `not like these idols and false gods which you worship. Allah is one God,'

فَاسْتَقِيمُواْ إِلَيْهِ

(therefore take straight path to Him) means, `worship Him Alone sincerely, in accordance with what He has commanded you through His Messengers.'

وَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ

(and seek forgiveness of Him) means, `for your past sins.'

وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُشْرِكِينَ

(And woe to the polytheists.) means, doom and destruction is their lot.

الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَوةَ

(Those who give not the Zakah) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that this means those who do not bear witness that there is no God except Allah. This was also the view of `Ikrimah. This is like the Ayat:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّـهَا - وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّـهَا

(Indeed he succeeds who purifies himself. And indeed he fails who corrupts himself.) (91:9-10) And;

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّى - وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّى

(Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success. And remembers (glorifies) the Name of his Lord, and prays.) (87:14-15) And;

فَقُلْ هَل لَّكَ إِلَى أَن تَزَكَّى

(And say to him: "Would you purify yourself") (79:18) What is meant by Zakah here is purification of the soul, ridding oneself of all bad qualities, the worst of which is Shirk. The Zakah paid on one's wealth is so called because it purifies wealth, and it is a means of increasing it, blessing it and making it more beneficial, and a means of assisting one to use it in doing good deeds. Qatadah said, "They withheld the Zakah of their wealth." This is the apparent meaning according to many of the scholars of Tafsir, and this is the view favored by Ibn Jarir. But the matter is subject to further examination, because the obligation of Zakah was instituted during the second year after the Hijrah to Al-Madinah, according to what is stated by several scholars. Yet this Ayah was revealed in Makkah. However, it is not unlikely that the principle of giving charity and Zakah was already in place and had been enjoined at the beginning of the Prophet's mission, as Allah says:

وَءَاتُواْ حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ

(but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest) (6:141). As for the details of Zakah and how it is to be calculated according to the Nusub, were explained in Al-Madinah. This is how we may reconcile between the two opinions. Similarly, prayer was originally enjoined before sunrise and before sunset at the beginning of the Prophet's mission; it was only on the Night of the Isra', a year and a half before the Hijrah, that Allah enjoined upon His Messenger the five daily prayers. The conditions and essential elements of prayer were explained later, in stages. And Allah knows best. Then Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ

(Truly, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be an endless reward that will never stop.) Mujahid and others said, "It will never be cut off or decrease." This is like the Ayat:

مَّاكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًا

(They shall abide therein for ever.) (18:3)

عَطَآءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ

(a gift without an end) (11:108)

English Translation

Those who do not give zakah, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers.

English Transliteration

Allatheena la yutoona alzzakata wahum bialakhirati hum kafiroona

English Translation

Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds - for them is a reward uninterrupted.

English Transliteration

Inna allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati lahum ajrun ghayru mamnoonin

English Translation

Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds."

English Transliteration

Qul ainnakum latakfuroona biallathee khalaqa alarda fee yawmayni watajAAaloona lahu andadan thalika rabbu alAAalameena

Some Details of the Creation of this Universe Here

Allah denounces the idolators who worship other gods apart from Him although He is the Creator, Subduer and Controller of all things. He says:

قُلْ أَءِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِى خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَاداً

(Say: "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days And you set up rivals with Him") meaning, `false gods whom you worship alongside Him'

ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

(That is the Lord of the that exists.) the Creator of all things is the Lord of all the creatures. Here the Ayah;

خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ

(Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days) (7:54). is explained in more detail; the creation of the earth and the creation of the heaven are discussed separately. Allah says that He created the earth first, because it is the foundation, and the foundation should be built first, then the roof. Allah says elsewhere:

هُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَاتٍ

(He it is Who created for you all that is on the earth. Then He rose over (Istawa ila) the heaven and made them seven heavens) (2:29). With regard to the Ayat:

أَءَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَنَـهَا - رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا - وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَـهَا - وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا - أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرْعَـهَا - وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَـهَا - مَتَـعاً لَّكُمْ وَلاًّنْعَـمِكُمْ

(Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed He raised its height, and has perfected it. Its night He covers with darkness and its forenoon He brings out (with light). And after that He spread the earth, And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture. And the mountains He has fixed firmly, (to be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle.) (79:27-33) This Ayah states that the spreading out of the earth came after the creation of the heavens, but the earth itself was created before the heavens according to some texts. This was the response of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, as recorded by Al-Bukhari in his Tafsir of this Ayah in his Sahih. He recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "A man said to Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: `I find some things in the Qur'an which confuse me:

فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ

(There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another) (23:101),

وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ

(And they will turn to one another and question one another) (37:27),

وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً

(but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah) (4:42),

وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ

(By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah) (6:23) But in this Ayah they did hide something. And Allah says:

أَءَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَنَـهَا

(Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed) until;

وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا

(And after that He spread the earth.) (79:27-30) So He mentioned the creation of the heavens before the earth, then He said:

قُلْ أَءِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِى خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ

(Say: "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days...") until;

طَآئِعِينَ

(We come willingly.) Here He mentioned the creation of the earth before the creation of the heavens. And He says:

وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

(verily, Allah (Kana) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful) (4:23).

عَزِيزاً حَكِيماً

(Most Powerful, All-Wise) (4:56).

سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً

(All-Hearer, All-Seer) (4:58). It is as if He was and is no longer.' Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, replied:

فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ

(There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another) (23:101), this will happen when the Trumpet is blown for the first time.

فَصَعِقَ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ مَن شَآءَ اللَّهُ

(And all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills) (39:68), and at that time there will be no kinship among them, nor will they ask of one another. Then when the Sur will be blown again,

وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ

(And they will turn to one another and question one another) (37:27). With regard to the Ayat,

وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ

(By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah) (6:23) and

وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً

(but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah) (4:42), Allah will forgive the sincere believers their sins, then the idolators will say, `Let us say that we never joined others in worship with Allah.' Then a seal will be placed over their mouths, and their hands will speak. Then it will be known that not a single fact can be hidden from Allah, and at that point,

يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ

(those who disbelieved will wish) (4:42). Allah created the earth in two days, then He created the heavens, then He (Istawa ila) the heaven and gave it its shape in two more days. Then He spread the earth, which means that He brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture. And He created the mountains, sands, inanimate things, rocks and hills and everything in between, in two more days. This is what Allah says:

دَحَـهَا

((He) spread (the earth)) (79:30) And Allah's saying:

خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ

((He) created the earth in two Days) So He created the earth and everything in it in four days, and He created the heavens in two days.

وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

(verily, Allah (Kana) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful) (4:23). This is how He described Himself, and this is how He still is. Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, so do not be confused about the Qur'an, for all of it comes from Allah."' This was recorded by Al-Bukhari.

خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ

((He) created the earth in two Days) means, on Sunday and Monday.

وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَـرَكَ فِيهَا

(He placed therein firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it,) means, He blessed it and gave it the potential to be planted with seeds and bring forth produce.

وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا

(And measured therein its sustenance) means, what its people need of provision and places in which to plant things and grow crops. This was on Tuesday and Wednesday, which together with the two previous days add up to four days.

فِى أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ

(in four Days equal for all those who ask.) meaning, for those who want to ask about that, so that they might know. `Ikrimah and Mujahid said concerning the Ayah:

وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا

(and measured therein its sustenance): "He placed in every land that which is not suited for any other land." Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah and As-Suddi said, concerning the Ayah,

سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ

(equal for all those who ask): this means, "For whoever wants to ask about that." Ibn Zayd said:

وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا فِى أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ

(and measured therein its sustenance in four Days equal for all those who ask. ) "According to whatever a person who is need of provision wants, Allah measures out for him what he needs." This is like what they said concerning the Ayah:

وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ

(And He gave you of all that you asked for) (14:34). And Allah knows best.

ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ وَهِىَ دُخَانٌ

(Then He rose over (Istawa ila) towards the heaven when it was smoke,) i.e., steam which arose from it when the earth was created.

فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلاٌّرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعاً أَوْ كَرْهاً

(and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly.") meaning, `respond to My command and be subjected to this action, willingly or unwillingly.'

قَالَتَآ أَتَيْنَا طَآئِعِينَ

(They both said: "We come willingly.") meaning, `we will respond to You willingly and everything that You want to create in us -- angels, Jinn and men -- will all be obedient to You.'

فَقَضَاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ

(Then He completed and finished their creation (as) seven heavens in two Days) means, He finished forming them as seven heavens in two more days, which were Thursday and Friday.

وَأَوْحَى فِى كُلِّ سَمَآءٍ أَمْرَهَا

(and He decreed in each heaven its affair. ) means, He placed in each heaven whatever it needs of angels and things which are known only unto Him.

وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَـبِيحَ

(And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps) means, the stars and planets which shine on the people of the earth.

وَحِفْظاً

(as well as to guard.) means, as protection against the Shayatin, lest they listen to the angels on high.

ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

(Such is the Decree of Him, the Almighty, the All-Knower) means, the Almighty Who has subjugated all things to His control, the All-Knower Who knows all the movements of His creatures.

English Translation

And He placed on the earth firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures\'] sustenance in four days without distinction - for [the information] of those who ask.

English Transliteration

WajaAAala feeha rawasiya min fawqiha wabaraka feeha waqaddara feeha aqwataha fee arbaAAati ayyamin sawaan lilssaileena

English Translation

Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly."

English Transliteration

Thumma istawa ila alssamai wahiya dukhanun faqala laha walilardi itiya tawAAan aw karhan qalata atayna taiAAeena
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