Meccan · Surah 21 of 114

Al-Anbiyaa 21:28

The Prophets · ayah 28 of 112

يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ٱرْتَضَىٰ وَهُم مِّنْ خَشْيَتِهِۦ مُشْفِقُونَ

YaAAlamu ma bayna aydeehim wamakhalfahum wala yashfaAAoona illa limani irtadawahum min khashyatihi mushfiqoon

"He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive."

Saheeh International translation

Recitation by Mishary Alafasy

Free, no login. Tap play.

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede without His permission––indeed they themselves stand in awe of Him."

Pickthall (classic)+

"He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him whom He accepteth, and they quake for awe of Him."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable, and they stand in awe and reverence of His (Glory)."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

The Refutation of Those Who claim that the Angels are the Daughters of Allah; description of their Deeds and Status

Here Allah refutes those who claim that He has offspring among the angels -- exalted and sanctified be He. Some of the Arabs believed that the angels were the daughters of Allah, but Allah says:

سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ

(Glory to Him! They are but honored servants.) meaning, the angels are servants of Allah who are honored by Him and who hold high positions of noble status. They obey Him to the utmost in all their words and deeds.

لاَ يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ

(They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His command.) meaning, they do not initiate any matter before Him or go against His commands; on the contrary, they hasten to do as He commands, and He encompasses them with His knowledge so that nothing whatsoever is hidden from Him.

يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ

(He knows what is before them, and what is behind them,)

وَلاَ يَشْفَعُونَ إِلاَّ لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى

(and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased.) This is like the Ayat:

مَن ذَا الَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ

(Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission) 2:255

وَلاَ تَنفَعُ الشَّفَـعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ

(Intercession with Him profits not except for him whom He permits) 34:23. There are many Ayat which say similar things.

وَهُمْ مِّنْ خَشْيَتِهِ

(And they for fear of Him) means, because they fear Him.

مُشْفِقُونَوَمَن يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّى إِلَـهٌ مِّن دُونِهِ

(And they stand in awe. And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am a god besides Him,") meaning, whoever claims to be a god instead of Allah, i.e., alongside Allah,

فَذلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الظَّـلِمِينَ

(such We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the wrongdoers.) meaning, everyone who says this. This is a conditional sentence, and the condition stated does not necessarily have to take place. This is like the Ayat:

قُلْ إِن كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْعَـبِدِينَ

(Say: "If the Most Gracious had a son, then I am the first of worshippers.") 43:81

لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَـسِرِينَ

(If you join others in worship with Allah, (then) surely, (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers.) 39:65

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Аллаху известно обо всем, что ангелы совершали прежде, и обо всем, что им еще предстоит совершить. Они никогда не выйдут за пределы Его божественного знания и никогда не покинут владения, на которые распространяется Его власть. Они не опережают Аллаха своими речами, и поэтому они ходатайствуют перед Ним только после Его разрешения и одобрения. Если Он позволит им заступиться и останется доволен тем, за кого они будут заступаться, то они станут ходатайствовать перед Ним. Однако известно, что Аллах доволен только теми словами и деяниями, которые совершались или произносились искренне ради Аллаха и соответствовали дороге Божьего посланника, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует. Это откровение свидетельствует о том, что одни творения будут заступаться за других перед Аллахом и что ангелы будут в числе тех, кто будет заступаться и ходатайствовать. И, несмотря на это, они испытывают перед Аллахом сильный страх и покоряются перед Его величием и могуществом.

Maʿārif al-Qur'ān

Mufti Shafi Usmani, English

لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُم بِأَمْرِ‌هِ يَعْمَلُونَ (They do not precede Him in speech and only under His command they act. 21:27) This verse refutes the claim of pagans of Makkah that angels were daughters of Allah. How can angels be Allah's children when they stand in such awe in His presence that they neither initiate any talk nor act against His commands. They simply await His words and act accordingly. This also points towards an important etiquette of behaving in the company of elders. That is, when a matter is brought forth in front of a group of people, the people before speaking themselves first, should wait until the elder among such a group has spoken. Speaking prior to the elder is contrary to the manners governing respect of elders.

Tafsīr sourced from quran.com's open API. These are classical commentaries; for personal rulings consult a qualified scholar.

Read full Surah Al-Anbiyaa All 114 surahs

Barakahبركة