Surah Naml ayat 59 Tafsir Quran 27:59

﴿قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَسَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ عِبَادِهِ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَىٰ ۗ آللَّهُ خَيْرٌ أَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾
[ النمل: 59]

27:59 Say, [O Muhammad], "Praise be to Allah, and peace upon His servants whom He has chosen. Is Allah better or what they associate with Him?"

Say O Muhammad (s) ‘Praise be to God for the destruction of the disbelievers of past communities and peace be on His servants whom He has chosen’. Is God read a-Allāhu pronouncing both hamzas; or by substituting an alif for the second one; or by not pronouncing the second one but inserting an alif between the one not pronounced and the other one or without such an insertion better for those who worship Him or the partners which they ascribe? read either tushrikūna ‘you ascribe’ or yushrikūna ‘they ascribe’ they being the people of Mecca the partners they ascribe to Him in other words are such gods better for those who worship them?

Declare O Muhammad, the praise of Allah and make a return to Him in evidence of obligation, thus: To You O Allah do I express my gratitude and gratefulness. And pray and beseech Him for peace that it be extended to those of His worshippers whom He chose to convey His message. Ask -the infidels- Who is better, Allah (the Unique, the Omnipotent and the Omnipresent) or those -who are helpless- whom they incorporate with Him

The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers Allah commands His Messenger to say: الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ ( Praise and thanks be to Allah, ) meaning, for His innumerable blessings upon His servants and for His exalted Attributes and most beautiful Names.
And He commands him to send peace upon the servants of Allah whom He chose and selected, i.e., His noble Messengers and Prophets, may the best of peace and blessings from Allah be upon them.
This was the view of `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and others; the meaning of the servants He has chose is the Prophets.
He said, "This like He said in the Ayah; سُبْحَـنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ وَسَلَـمٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ - وَالْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of honor and power! (He is free ) from what they attribute unto Him! And peace be on the Messengers! And all the praises and thanks be to Allah, Lord of all that exists.) ( 37:180-182 )." Ath-Thawri and As-Suddi said, "This refers to the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, may Allah be pleased with them all." Something similar was also narrated from Ibn `Abbas, and there is no contradiction between the two views, because they were also among the servants of Allah whom He had chosen, although the description is more befitting of the Prophets. ءَآللَّهُ خَيْرٌ أَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ( Is Allah better, or what they ascribe as partners (to Him )) This is a question aimed at denouncing the idolators for their worship of other gods besides Allah.
Some more Proofs of Tawhid Then Allah begins to explain that He is the Only One Who creates, provides and controls, as He says: أَمَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ ( Is not He Who created the heavens ) meaning, He created those heavens which are so high and serene, with their shining stars and revolving planets.
And He created the earth, with its varying heights and densities, and He created everything in it, mountains, hills, plains, rugged terrain, wildernesses, crops, trees, fruits, seas and animals of all different kinds and colors and shapes, etc. وَأَنزَلَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً ( and sends down for you water from the sky, ) means, He sends it as a provision for His servants, فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ حَدَآئِقَ ذَاتَ بَهْجَةٍ ( whereby We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight ) means, beautiful and delightful to behold. مَّا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُنبِتُواْ شَجَرَهَا ( It is not in your ability to cause the growth of their trees. ) meaning, `you are not able to cause their trees to grow.
The One Who is able to do that is the Creator and Provider, Who is doing all this Alone and Independent of any idol and other rival.' The idolators themselves admitted this, as Allah says in another Ayah: وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ( And if you ask them: "Who has created them" they will certainly say: "Allah." ) ( 31:25 ) وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَّن نَّزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الاٌّرْضَ مِن بَعْدِ مَوْتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ( And if you were to ask them: "Who sends down water from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death" they will surely reply: "Allah." ) ( 29:63 ) Meaning they will admit that He is the One Who does all these things, Alone, with no partner or associate, but then they worship others alongside Him, others who they admit cannot create or provide anything.
But the Only One Who deserves to be worshipped is the Only One Who can create and provide, Allah says: أَإِلَـهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ ( Is there any god with Allah ) meaning, `is there any god that can be worshipped alongside Allah, when it is clear to you and anyone who with reason that He is the Creator and Provider, as you yourselves admit' Then Allah says: بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ يَعْدِلُونَ ( Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him )!) meaning, they describe others as being equal and comparable to Allah.

(27:59) (O Prophet) *71 say, "Praise is for Allah and peace upon those servants of His whom He has chosen." (Ask them:) "Is Allah better or those deities whom they set up as His associates?" *72

Say, [O Muhammad], "Praise be to Allah, meaning

*71) From here starts the second discourse, and this is its introductory sentence.
This introduction teaches how the Muslims should begin a speech.
That is why the truly Islamic-minded people have always been starting their speeches and discourses with the praise of Allah and salutation on His righteous servants.
But now this is looked upon as characteristic of bigotry, and the present-day Muslim speakers have no idea of starting their speech with these words, or feel shy of doing so.

*72) Superficially the question whether Allah is better or the false deities appears to be odd.
As a matter of fact, there can be no question of goodness in the false gods and, therefore, they cannot be compared to Allah.
As for the polytheists, even they had no misconception that Allah could be compared to their gods.
But they were asked this question in order to be warned against their error.
For obviously none in the world would do anything unless he saw some good in it.
Now if the polyltheists served their deities and implored them for their needs instead of Allah, and presented their offerings before them, this would be meaningless unless they perceived some good in them.
That is why they have been explicitly asked to consider whether Allah is better or their deities, for they could not face and answer this forth-right question.
Even the most hardened polytheist among them could not venture to say that their deities were better.
But if they acknowledged that Allah is better it would demolish their whole creed, for then it would be unreasonable to adopt the inferior against the superior creed.
The Meaning of the Qur'an Thus, the Qur'an at the very outset made the opponents helpless.
After this, pointed questions have been asked, one after the other, about the manifestations of the power and creation of Allah to the effect: " Whose works are these? Is there besides Allah any other god also associated with these works'? If not, why have you then set up these others as your deities? " According to traditions, whenever the Holy Prophet recited this verse, he would immediately respond to it, saying: " Nay, but Allah is better, and He alone is the Everlasting and Exalted and High. "
 

The Command to praise Allah and send Blessings on His Messengers Allah commands His Messenger to say: الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ ( Praise and thanks be to Allah, ) meaning, for His innumerable blessings upon His servants and for His exalted Attributes and most beautiful Names.
And He commands him to send peace upon the servants of Allah whom He chose and selected, i.e., His noble Messengers and Prophets, may the best of peace and blessings from Allah be upon them.
This was the view of `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and others; the meaning of the servants He has chose is the Prophets.
He said, "This like He said in the Ayah; سُبْحَـنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ وَسَلَـمٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ - وَالْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of honor and power! (He is free ) from what they attribute unto Him! And peace be on the Messengers! And all the praises and thanks be to Allah, Lord of all that exists.) ( 37:180-182 )." Ath-Thawri and As-Suddi said, "This refers to the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, may Allah be pleased with them all." Something similar was also narrated from Ibn `Abbas, and there is no contradiction between the two views, because they were also among the servants of Allah whom He had chosen, although the description is more befitting of the Prophets. ءَآللَّهُ خَيْرٌ أَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ( Is Allah better, or what they ascribe as partners (to Him )) This is a question aimed at denouncing the idolators for their worship of other gods besides Allah.
Some more Proofs of Tawhid Then Allah begins to explain that He is the Only One Who creates, provides and controls, as He says: أَمَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ ( Is not He Who created the heavens ) meaning, He created those heavens which are so high and serene, with their shining stars and revolving planets.
And He created the earth, with its varying heights and densities, and He created everything in it, mountains, hills, plains, rugged terrain, wildernesses, crops, trees, fruits, seas and animals of all different kinds and colors and shapes, etc. وَأَنزَلَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً ( and sends down for you water from the sky, ) means, He sends it as a provision for His servants, فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ حَدَآئِقَ ذَاتَ بَهْجَةٍ ( whereby We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight ) means, beautiful and delightful to behold. مَّا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُنبِتُواْ شَجَرَهَا ( It is not in your ability to cause the growth of their trees. ) meaning, `you are not able to cause their trees to grow.
The One Who is able to do that is the Creator and Provider, Who is doing all this Alone and Independent of any idol and other rival.' The idolators themselves admitted this, as Allah says in another Ayah: وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ( And if you ask them: "Who has created them" they will certainly say: "Allah." ) ( 31:25 ) وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَّن نَّزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الاٌّرْضَ مِن بَعْدِ مَوْتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ( And if you were to ask them: "Who sends down water from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death" they will surely reply: "Allah." ) ( 29:63 ) Meaning they will admit that He is the One Who does all these things, Alone, with no partner or associate, but then they worship others alongside Him, others who they admit cannot create or provide anything.
But the Only One Who deserves to be worshipped is the Only One Who can create and provide, Allah says: أَإِلَـهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ ( Is there any god with Allah ) meaning, `is there any god that can be worshipped alongside Allah, when it is clear to you and anyone who with reason that He is the Creator and Provider, as you yourselves admit' Then Allah says: بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ يَعْدِلُونَ ( Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him )!) meaning, they describe others as being equal and comparable to Allah.

( Say ) O Muhammad: ( Praise be to Allah ) thanks and gratitude to Allah for their destruction, ( and peace ) happiness and safety ( be on His slaves whom He hath chosen! ) whom He selected for prophethood; it is also said that this means: Allah selected them for Islam, and these are the community of Muhammad ( pbuh ) ( Is Allah best ) say, O Muhammad, to the people of Mecca: is the worship of Allah better, ( or (all ) that ye ascribe as partners ( unto Him )) or the worship of the idols which they associate with Allah?

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Praise and thanks be to Allah, and peace be on His slaves whom He has chosen (for His Message)! Is Allah better, or (all) that you ascribe as partners (to Him)?" (Of course, Allah is Better).

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