In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.
Abridged by Dr. 'Aqil ibn Salim al-Shammari.
Surah al-Hujurat.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Bedouins say, "We have believed."
“The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. Yet, if ye obey Allah and His messenger, He will not withhold from you aught of (the reward of) your deeds. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (49:14)
“The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. Yet, if ye obey Allah and His messenger, He will not withhold from you aught of (the reward of) your deeds. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (49:14)
Faith has not yet entered your hearts.
“The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. Yet, if ye obey Allah and His messenger, He will not withhold from you aught of (the reward of) your deeds. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (49:14)
“The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. Yet, if ye obey Allah and His messenger, He will not withhold from you aught of (the reward of) your deeds. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (49:14)
Indeed, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
The Bedouins say, "We have affirmed our faith in Allah and His Messenger."
Say to them, O Muhammad:
You are not yet believers.
Rather, say:
"We have entered into the religion, and our blood and wealth have been protected,"
by virtue of the true testimony.
For the knowledge of the laws of faith has not yet entered,
nor have the realities of its meanings, into your hearts.
And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, O people,
He will not diminish anything from the rewards of your deeds.
Indeed, Allah is Pardoning, O Bedouins, toward those who obey Him,
and Merciful to His creation who repent to Him,
in that He will not punish them after their repentance.
The believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger,
then have not doubted,
and have striven with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah.
It is they who are the truthful.
The believers, O people, are only
those who have been truthful to Allah and His Messenger,
then have not doubted the oneness of Allah,
nor the prophethood of His Prophet, peace be upon him.
They have striven against the polytheists by spending their wealth,
and by sacrificing their lives in jihad.
These are the ones who are truthful in their claim
that "We are believers,"
unlike those who entered the religion out of fear of the sword
to protect their blood and wealth.
“Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Would ye teach Allah your religion, when Allah knoweth all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is Aware of all things?” (49:16)
“Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Would ye teach Allah your religion, when Allah knoweth all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is Aware of all things?” (49:16)
And Allah is Knowing of all things.
Say, O Muhammad, to these Bedouins:
"Are you informing Allah, O people, of your obedience to your Lord?"
Yet Allah, whom you claim to be informing that you are believers,
is All-Knowing of everything in the heavens and the earth.
Nothing of it is hidden from Him.
And Allah is, regarding all that has been, all that is,
and all that will be, All-Knowing.
“They make it a favour unto thee (Muhammad) that they have surrendered (unto Him). Say: Deem not your Surrender a favour unto me; but Allah doth confer a favour on you, inasmuch as He hath led you to the Faith, if ye are earnest.” (49:17)
“They make it a favour unto thee (Muhammad) that they have surrendered (unto Him). Say: Deem not your Surrender a favour unto me; but Allah doth confer a favour on you, inasmuch as He hath led you to the Faith, if ye are earnest.” (49:17)
“They make it a favour unto thee (Muhammad) that they have surrendered (unto Him). Say: Deem not your Surrender a favour unto me; but Allah doth confer a favour on you, inasmuch as He hath led you to the Faith, if ye are earnest.” (49:17)
If you are truthful.
These Bedouins remind you, O Muhammad, of their favor in having accepted Islam.
“They make it a favour unto thee (Muhammad) that they have surrendered (unto Him). Say: Deem not your Surrender a favour unto me; but Allah doth confer a favour on you, inasmuch as He hath led you to the Faith, if ye are earnest.” (49:17)
Rather, it is Allah who has conferred favor upon you, O people, by guiding you to faith in Him and His Messenger,
if you are truthful in your claim that you have believed.
“Lo! Allah knoweth the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Seer of what ye do.” (49:18)
“Lo! Allah knoweth the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Seer of what ye do.” (49:18)
Indeed, Allah, O Bedouins,
knows what is concealed within your hearts,
and what you whisper to yourselves.
He knows what is hidden from you,
and what is tucked away in the depths of the heavens and the earth.
Nothing of that is hidden from Him.
And Allah is All-Seeing of the deeds you perform.
He will recompense you for all of them:
if it is good, then with good,
and if it is evil, then with evil.