An-Najm 53:30
The Star · ayah 30 of 62
Thalika mablaghuhum mina alAAilmiinna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dalla AAan sabeelihiwahuwa aAAlamu bimani ihtada
Saheeh International translation
Other English translations
Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+
"Their knowledge does not go beyond that. Your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who follows guidance."
Pickthall (classic)+
"Such is their sum of knowledge. Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth, and He is Best Aware of him whom goeth right."
Yusuf Ali (classic)+
"That is as far as knowledge will reach them. Verily thy Lord knoweth best those who stray from His Path, and He knoweth best those who receive guidance."
Tafsīr · classical commentary
Ibn Kathir
Abridged English, public domain
+
Ibn Kathir
Abridged English, public domain
Refuting the Claim of the Idolators that the Angels are Allah's Daughters
Allah the Exalted admonishes the idolators for calling the angels female names and claiming that they are Allah's daughters. Allah is far removed from what they ascribe to Him. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,
وَجَعَلُواْ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَـنِ إِنَـثاً أَشَهِدُواْ خَلْقَهُمْ سَتُكْتَبُ شَهَـدَتُهُمْ وَيُسْـَلُونَ
(And they make females the angels, who themselves are servants of the Most Gracious. Did they witness their creation Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned!)(43:19) Allah's statement here,
وَمَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ
(But they have no knowledge thereof.) meaning, they have no correct knowledge testifying to their statements. What they say is all lies, falsehood, fake and utter atheism,
إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ الظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لاَ يُغْنِى مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئاً
(They follow but conjecture, and verily, conjecture is no substitute for the truth.) meaning, conjecture is of no benefit and never takes the place of truth. In a Hadith recorded in the Sahih, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ، فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيث»
(Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the most lying speech.)
The Necessity of turning away from the People of Misguidance
Allah's statement,
فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّى عَن ذِكْرِنَا
(Therefore withdraw from him who turns away from Our Reminder), means, stay away from those who turn away from the Truth and shun them,
وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلاَّ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا
(and desires nothing but the life of this world.) meaning, whose aim and knowledge are concentrated on this life; this is the goal of those who have no goodness in them,
ذَلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُمْ مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ
(That is what they could reach of knowledge.) meaning, seeking this life and striving hard in its affairs is the best knowledge they have acquired. There is also the reported supplication:
«اللْهُمَّ لَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا، وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا»
(O Allah! Make not this life the greatest of our concerns nor the best knowledge that we can attain.) Allah's statement,
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدَى
(Verily, your Lord is He, Who knows best him who goes astray from His path, and He knows best him who receives guidance.) meaning, He is the Creator of all creatures and He knows whatever benefits His servants. Allah is the One Who guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills, and all of this indicates His power, knowledge and wisdom. Certainly, He is Just and never legislates or decrees unjustly.