Surah Al Naml Tafseer in English: Ibn Kathir Verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Al-Naml – (The Ants)
1. طسٓۚ تِلۡكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ وَكِتَابٖ مُّبِينٍ
Taa-Seeen; tilka Aayaatul Qur-aani wa Kitaabim Mubeen
Ta, Seen. These are the verses of the Qur’an and a clear Book
2. هُدٗى وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ
Hudanw wa bushraa lil mu’mineen
As guidance and good tidings for the believers
3. ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمۡ يُوقِنُونَ
Allazeena yuqeemoonas Salaata wa yu’toonaz Zakaata wa hum bil Aakhirati hum yooqinoon
Who establish prayer and give zakah, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith].
4. إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ زَيَّنَّا لَهُمۡ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فَهُمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ
Innal lazeena laa yu’minoona bil Aakhirati zaiyannaa lahum a’maalahum fahum ya’mahoon
Indeed, for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, We have made pleasing to them their deeds, so they wander blindly.
5. أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَهُمۡ سُوٓءُ ٱلۡعَذَابِ وَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمُ ٱلۡأَخۡسَرُونَ
Ulaaa’ikal lazeena lahum sooo’ul ‘azaabi wa hum fil Aakhirati humul akhsaroon
Those are the ones for whom there will be the worst of punishment, and in the Hereafter they are the greatest losers.
6. وَإِنَّكَ لَتُلَقَّى ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ مِن لَّدُنۡ حَكِيمٍ عَلِيمٍ
Wa innaka latulaqqal Qur-aana mil ladun Hakeemin ‘Aleem
And indeed, [O Muhammad], you receive the Qur’an from one Wise and Knowing.
Which was revealed in Makkah
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Qur’an is Guidance and Glad Tidings for the Believers, a Warning to the Disbelievers, and it is from Allah
In (the comments on) Surat Al-Baqarah, we discussed the letters which appear at the beginning of some Surahs.
تِلْكَ ءَايَـتُ الْقُرْءَانِ وَكِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ
(These are the Ayat of the Qur’an, and (it is) a Book (that is) clear.) It is plain and evident.
هُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
(A guide and glad tidings for the believers.) meaning, guidance and good news may be attained from the Qur’an for those who believe in it, follow it and put it into practice. They establish obligatory prayers, pay Zakah and believe with certain faith in the Hereafter, the resurrection after death, reward and punishment for all deeds, good and bad, and Paradise and Hell. This is like the Ayat:
قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدًى وَشِفَآءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ فِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ
(Say: “It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears…”) (41:44).
لِتُبَشِّرَ بِهِ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَتُنْذِرَ بِهِ قَوْماً لُّدّاً
(that you may give glad tidings to those who have Taqwa, and warn with it the Ludd (most quarrelsome) people) (19: 97). Allah says here:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ
(Verily, those who believe not in the Hereafter,) meaning, those who deny it and think that it will never happen,
زَيَّنَّا لَهُمْ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ فَهُمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
(We have made their deeds fair seeming to them, so that they wander about blindly.) means, `We have made what they are doing seem good to them, and We have left them to continue in their misguidance, so they are lost and confused.’ This is their recompense for their disbelief in the Hereafter, as Allah says:
وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ
(And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away, as they refused to believe therein for the first time) (6:110).
أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ
(They are those for whom there will be an evil torment.) in this world and the Hereafter.
وَهُمْ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ هُمُ الاٌّخْسَرُونَ
(And in the Hereafter they will be the greatest losers.) means, no one but they, among all the people who will be gathered, will lose their souls and their wealth.
وَإِنَّكَ لَتُلَقَّى الْقُرْءَانَ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ عَلِيمٍ
(And verily, you are being taught the Qur’an from One, All-Wise, All-Knowing.)
وَأَنَّكَ
(And verily, you) O Muhammad. Qatadah said:
لَتُلَقَّى
(are being taught) “Are receiving.”
الْقُرْءَانَ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ عَلِيمٍ
(the Qur’an from One, All-Wise, All-Knowing.) from One Who is Wise in His commands and prohibitions, and Who knows all things, major and minor. Whatever He says is absolute Truth, and His rulings are entirely fair and just, as Allah says:
وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقاً وَعَدْلاً
(And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice) (6:115).