An-Nisaa 4:175 · The Women · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"God will admit those who believe in Him and hold fast to Him into His mercy and favour; He will guide them towards Him on a straight path."

Pickthall (classic)+

"As for those who believe in Allah, and hold fast unto Him, them He will cause to enter into His mercy and grace, and will guide them unto Him by a straight road."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"Then those who believe in Allah, and hold fast to Him,- soon will He admit them to mercy and grace from Himself, and guide them to Himself by a straight way."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

The Description of the Revelation that Came From Allah

Allah informs all people that a plain, unequivocal proof has come to them from Him. One that eradicates all possibility of having an excuse, or falling prey to evil doubts. Allah said,

وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ نُوراً مُّبِيناً

(and We sent down to you a manifest light.) that directs to the Truth. Ibn Jurayj and others said, "It is the Qur'an."

فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَاعْتَصَمُواْ بِهِ

(So, as for those who believed in Allah and held fast to depend on Him,) by worshipping Him and relying on Him for each and every thing. Ibn Jurayj said that this part of the Ayah means, "They believe in Allah and hold fast to the Qur'an."

فَسَيُدْخِلُهُمْ فِى رَحْمَةٍ مَّنْهُ وَفَضْلٍ

(He will admit them to His mercy and grace,) meaning, He will grant them His mercy and admit them into Paradise, and will increase and multiply their rewards and their ranks, as a favor and bounty from Him.

وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَيْهِ صِرَطاً مُّسْتَقِيماً

(and guide them to Himself by a straight path.) and a clear way that has no wickedness in it or deviation. This, indeed, is the description of the believers in this life and the Hereafter, as they are on the straight and safe path in matters of action and creed. In the Hereafter, they are on the straight path of Allah that leads to the gardens of Paradise.

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Тем, кто признал существование Аллаха и понял, что Он обладает самыми совершенными качествами и бесконечно далек от любых недостатков, кто прибег к Его покровительству и положился на Него, кто не стал возлагать надежды на собственные силы и возможности и обратился за помощью к своему Господу, Он непременно окажет особую милость. Он вдохновит их на совершение благих поступков, одарит их щедрым вознаграждением и защитит от бед и несчастий. Он поведет их прямым путем, то есть поможет им обрести правильные познания и совершать праведные деяния, обучит их истине и поможет руководствоваться ею в делах. Из этого следует, что если люди не веруют в Аллаха, не полагаются на Него и не руководствуются Его писанием, то Аллах отдаляет их от Своей милости, лишает их Своих щедрот и мешает им думать о самих себе. Такие люди не следуют прямым путем и оказываются в глубоком заблуждении - в наказание за то, что они отказались уверовать. Их удел - разочарование и лишение. Мы же просим Аллаха о прощении, благополучии и избавлении.

After a refutation of beliefs held by Christians, specially those which ascribe Godhood to Jesus, alongwith the promise of reward for those who acknowledge the truth and punishment for those who insist on denying, the text turns to a universal address praising the blessed status and mission of His Messenger who taught what was the truth revealed to him, who conveyed the truth of the Qur'an admirably, and also those who believed in and testified to the truth of the Book and the Messenger.

What is Burhan?

The word, Burhan, appearing in verse قَدْ جَاءَكُم بُرْ‌هَانٌ مِّن رَّ‌بِّكُمْ proof has come to you from your Lord) lexically means proof refers to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . (Ruh al-Ma` ani)

Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ says that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was referred to as 'Burhan' in consideration of his blessed person, his noble morals, his miracles and his being the very recipient of the revelation of the Book of Allah. All these are open proofs of his prophethood beyond which there remains no need for any other proof. Thus, in summation, his person is, in itself, proof personified.

As for the word, وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ نُورً‌ا مُّبِينًا (and We have sent down to you a vivid light) (174), it refers to the Holy Qur'an (Ruh al-Ma` ani) which also seems to be the case in Verse 15 of Surah al-Ma` idah (5): قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللَّـهِ نُورٌ‌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ (There has come to you from Allah a light and clear Book). In the explanatory translation of Maulana Ashraf Thanavi (رح) in Bayan al-Qur'an, the rendering of this verse appears as: 'There has come to you from Allah a light and (which is) a clear Book (that is) the Qur'an.' In this verse, what has been first identified as 'Nu-r' (light) has later been called 'kitabum-mubin' (clear Book). Let there be no doubt at this point that the conjunction demands dissimilarity, therefore, Nur (light) and Kitab (book) cannot be one and the same thing. The answer is that dissimilarity in expression is sufficient, even though the meanings are the same. (Ruh al-Ma` ani)

And if 'Nur' (light) is taken as referring to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and 'Kitab' (the Book) to the Holy Qur'an - that will also be correct (Ruh al-Ma` ani). But, this does not go on to prove that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was Nur or light in the literal sense, therefore, it is not against his being physically human.