Surah Ahqaf ayat 8 Tafsir Quran 46:8

﴿أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ ۖ قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَلَا تَمْلِكُونَ لِي مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ ۖ كَفَىٰ بِهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ﴾
[ الأحقاف: 8]

46:8 Or do they say, "He has invented it?" Say, "If I have invented it, you will not possess for me [the power of protection] from Allah at all. He is most knowing of that in which you are involved. Sufficient is He as Witness between me and you, and He is the Forgiving the Merciful."

Or am has the significance of bal ‘nay but …’ and the rhetorical interrogative hamza of denial do they say ‘He has invented it?’ that is the Qur’ān. Say ‘If I have invented it hypothetically speaking still you would have no power to avail me against God that is to say against His chastisement in any way in other words you would not be able to ward it off from me if God chooses to chastise me. He knows best what you delve into of gossip concerning it what you say about the Qur’ān. He exalted be He suffices as a witness between me and you. And He is the Forgiving to the one who repents the Merciful’ to him and so He does not hasten to punish you.

Or do they say: He -Muhammad- has forged it Say to them: if I have forged it; what good does it do me, and if I did as you unjustly claim, then who on earth can defend me from Allah and vindicate my cause ? Allah knows best your minds which strive laboriously for some evil end; but enough is Allah to be a witness of my actions and of your actions and He is AL-Gafur and AL-Rahim (the Forgiving and the Merciful)

Refuting Claims of the Idolators about the Qur'an and the Messenger Concerning the disbelief and rebellion of the idolators, Allah says that when the clear Ayat of Allah are recited to them they say; هَـذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ( This is plain magic! ) meaning, simple magic.
In this statement of theirs, they have lied, invented a falsehood, went astray and disbelieved. أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ ( Or they say: "He has fabricated it." ) They are referring to Muhammad .
Allah responds saying, قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَلاَ تَمْلِكُونَ لِى مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً ( Say: "If I have fabricated it, you have no power to support me against Allah..." ) which means, `if I lie against Allah and falsely claim that He sent me when He actually had not, then He would punish me with a severe punishment.
No one on the earth -- you or anyone else -- would then be able to protect me from Him.' It is similar to Allah's saying, قُلْ إِنِّى لَن يُجِيرَنِى مِنَ اللَّهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَنْ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَداً إِلاَّ بَلاَغاً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَـلَـتِهِ ( Say: "None can protect me from Allah, nor would I find a refuge except in Him.
(My duty ) is only to convey from Allah and ( deliver ) His Messages.
") ( 72:22-23 ) Allah says, وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ الاٌّقَاوِيلِ - لأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِالْيَمِينِ - ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ الْوَتِينَ - فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ عَنْهُ حَـجِزِينَ ( And if he made up a false saying concerning Us, We surely would have seized him by the right hand.
Then we would have cut off his life artery.
And none of you could withhold Us from (punishing ) him.) ( 69:44-47 ) Thus, Allah says here, قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَلاَ تَمْلِكُونَ لِى مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ كَفَى بِهِ شَهِيداً بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ ( Say: "If I have fabricated it, still you have no power to support me against Allah.
He knows best of what you say among yourselves concerning it (i.e.
this Qur'an )! Sufficient is He as a witness between me and you!...") This is a severe threat, intimidation and warning for them.
Allah then says, وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ( And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. ) This is an encouragement for them to repent and turn to Allah.
It means, `despite all of this, if you turn back and repent, Allah will accept your repentance, pardon you, forgive you, and have mercy upon on.' This is similar to Allah's saying in Surat Al-Furqan, وَقَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً - قُلْ أَنزَلَهُ الَّذِى يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً ( And they say: "(This Book is ) legends of the ancients that he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon." Say: "It has been sent down by the One Who knows every secret within the heavens and the earth.
Truly, He is ever Forgiving and Merciful.") ( 25:5-6 ) Allah then says, قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعاً مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ ( Say: "I am not a new thing among the Messengers..." ) which means, `I am not the first Messenger who ever came to the world.
Rather, Messengers came before me.
Therefore, I am not an unprecedented incident that should cause you all to reject me and doubt my being sent to you.
Indeed, Allah has sent before me all of the Prophets to various nations.' Allah then says, وَمَآ أَدْرِى مَا يُفْعَلُ بِى وَلاَ بِكُمْ ( nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "It ( this Ayah ) was followed in revelation by, لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ ( That Allah may forgive for you your sins of the past and future ).
Similarly, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, and Qatadah all said that this Ayah was abrogated by the Ayah; لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ ( That Allah may forgive for you your sins of the past and future ).
They said that when the latter Ayah was revealed, one of the Muslims said to Allah's Messenger , "Allah has declared what He will do for you.
But what will He do for us" Then Allah revealed; لِّيُدْخِلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ ( That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow ).
This is what they said.
That which has been confirmed in the Sahih is that the believers said, "May you enjoy that, O Allah's Messenger! But what do we get" So Allah revealed this Ayah.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Kharijah bin Zayd bin Thabit, reported that Umm Al-`Ala' -- a woman from the Ansar who had given her pledge of loyalty to Allah's Messenger -- said, "When the Ansar drew lots regarding taking in the Muhajirun to dwell with them, our lot was to have `Uthman bin Maz`un.
Later, `Uthman fell sick in our house, so we nursed him until he died, and we wrapped him in his garments ( for burial ).
Allah's Messenger then came in, and I said, `O Abu As-Sa'ib! May Allah have mercy on you.
I bear witness that Allah has indeed honored you.' Allah's Messenger asked,
«وَمَا يُدْرِيكِ أَنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى أَكْرَمَه»
( How do you know that Allah has honored him ) I said, `I do not know -- may my father and mother both be ransoms for you!' Allah's Messenger then said,
«أَمَّا هُوَ فَقَدْ جَاءَهُ الْيَقِينُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ،وَإِنِّي لَأَرْجُو لَهُ الْخَيْرَ.
وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي وَأَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي»
( As for him, certainty (death ) has reached him from his Lord, and I surely wish well for him.
But by Allah, even though I am Allah's Messenger, I do not know what will happen to me ( after death ).) I then said, `Never will I claim a person to be pious after this.' This incident caused me some distress, and I went to sleep thereafter.
I saw in my dream that `Uthman owned a running water spring.
I went to Allah's Messenger and told him about that.
Allah's Messenger said,
«ذَاكِ عَمَلُه»
( That was his (good ) deeds.)" Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith but Muslim did not.
In one of the narrations, Allah's Messenger said,
«مَا أَدْرِي وَأَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ مَا يُفْعَلُ بِه»
( Even though I am Allah's Messenger, I do not know what will happen to him. ) This and similar texts indicate that it is not allowed to declare that a specific person will enter Jannah except for those who were distinctly indicated by Allah or his Messenger .
Examples of those are the Ten, Ibn Sallam, Al-Ghumaysa', Bilal, Suraqah, `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Haram ( Jabir's father ), the Seventy Recitors ( of Qur'an ) who were assassinated near the Well of Ma`unah, Zayd bin Harithah, Ja`far, Ibn Rawahah, and other similar individuals, may Allah be pleased with them.
Allah then says, إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَىَّ ( I only follow that which is revealed to me, ) which means, `I only follow what Allah has revealed to me of the revelation.' وَمَآ أَنَاْ إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ ( and I am but a plain warner. ) meaning, `my warnings are obvious to every person with sound intellect and reason.' And Allah knows best.

(46:8) Do they claim that the Messenger himself has fabricated it? *9 (If so), tell them: 'If I have fabricated it, then you have no power to protect me from Allah's chastisement. He knows well the idle talk in which you indulge. He suffices as a witness between me and you. *10 He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.' *11

Or do they say, "He has invented meaning

*9) This interrogative tone expresses great surprise and amazement.
It means to say: " Are these people so shameless that they accuse Muhammad ( upon whom be Allah's peace ) of fabricating the Qur'an himself? Whereas they know that it cannot be his word; and their calling it magic is by itself an express proof that they regard it as an extraordinary word, which cannot be of human composition even according to themselves. "
*10) As it was quite evident that their accusation was baseless and motivated by stubbornness, there was no need to present arguments to refute it.
Therefore, only this much was regarded as a sufficient response: 'If I have really fabricated something and committed a grave crime by imputing it to Allah, as you accuse me of, you will not be able to rescue me from Allah's punishment.
But if it is really Allah's Word, and you are rejecting it by bringing false accusations, Allah Himself will deal with you.
For the reality is not hidden from Allah, and He is sufficient to decide between the truth and falsehood.
If the whole world calls some one a liar, although he is truthful in Allah's knowledge, the final decision will be in his favour.
On the country: if the whole world regards some one as truthful though he is a liar in the knowledge of AIIah, he will be regarded as a liar in the final judgement.
Therefore, do not confuse things but pay heed to your final end."
*11) Here, this sentence gives two meanings: ( 1 ) "It is in fact Allah's mercy and His forbearance that these people arc surviving in the world, although they have no hesitation in declaring Allah's Word as falsehood; otherwise if a merciless and cruel god had been the master of this universe, he would not have allowed such insolent people to live even for a moment in the world.
" ( 2 ) "O unjust people, if you give up your stubbornness even now, the door of God's mercy is still open for you, and whatever misdeeds you may have committed heretofore can be forgiven."
 

Refuting Claims of the Idolators about the Qur'an and the Messenger Concerning the disbelief and rebellion of the idolators, Allah says that when the clear Ayat of Allah are recited to them they say; هَـذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ( This is plain magic! ) meaning, simple magic.
In this statement of theirs, they have lied, invented a falsehood, went astray and disbelieved. أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ ( Or they say: "He has fabricated it." ) They are referring to Muhammad .
Allah responds saying, قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَلاَ تَمْلِكُونَ لِى مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً ( Say: "If I have fabricated it, you have no power to support me against Allah..." ) which means, `if I lie against Allah and falsely claim that He sent me when He actually had not, then He would punish me with a severe punishment.
No one on the earth -- you or anyone else -- would then be able to protect me from Him.' It is similar to Allah's saying, قُلْ إِنِّى لَن يُجِيرَنِى مِنَ اللَّهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَنْ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَداً إِلاَّ بَلاَغاً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَـلَـتِهِ ( Say: "None can protect me from Allah, nor would I find a refuge except in Him.
(My duty ) is only to convey from Allah and ( deliver ) His Messages.
") ( 72:22-23 ) Allah says, وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ الاٌّقَاوِيلِ - لأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِالْيَمِينِ - ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ الْوَتِينَ - فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ عَنْهُ حَـجِزِينَ ( And if he made up a false saying concerning Us, We surely would have seized him by the right hand.
Then we would have cut off his life artery.
And none of you could withhold Us from (punishing ) him.) ( 69:44-47 ) Thus, Allah says here, قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَلاَ تَمْلِكُونَ لِى مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ كَفَى بِهِ شَهِيداً بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ ( Say: "If I have fabricated it, still you have no power to support me against Allah.
He knows best of what you say among yourselves concerning it (i.e.
this Qur'an )! Sufficient is He as a witness between me and you!...") This is a severe threat, intimidation and warning for them.
Allah then says, وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ( And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. ) This is an encouragement for them to repent and turn to Allah.
It means, `despite all of this, if you turn back and repent, Allah will accept your repentance, pardon you, forgive you, and have mercy upon on.' This is similar to Allah's saying in Surat Al-Furqan, وَقَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً - قُلْ أَنزَلَهُ الَّذِى يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً ( And they say: "(This Book is ) legends of the ancients that he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon." Say: "It has been sent down by the One Who knows every secret within the heavens and the earth.
Truly, He is ever Forgiving and Merciful.") ( 25:5-6 ) Allah then says, قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعاً مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ ( Say: "I am not a new thing among the Messengers..." ) which means, `I am not the first Messenger who ever came to the world.
Rather, Messengers came before me.
Therefore, I am not an unprecedented incident that should cause you all to reject me and doubt my being sent to you.
Indeed, Allah has sent before me all of the Prophets to various nations.' Allah then says, وَمَآ أَدْرِى مَا يُفْعَلُ بِى وَلاَ بِكُمْ ( nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "It ( this Ayah ) was followed in revelation by, لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ ( That Allah may forgive for you your sins of the past and future ).
Similarly, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, and Qatadah all said that this Ayah was abrogated by the Ayah; لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ ( That Allah may forgive for you your sins of the past and future ).
They said that when the latter Ayah was revealed, one of the Muslims said to Allah's Messenger , "Allah has declared what He will do for you.
But what will He do for us" Then Allah revealed; لِّيُدْخِلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ ( That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow ).
This is what they said.
That which has been confirmed in the Sahih is that the believers said, "May you enjoy that, O Allah's Messenger! But what do we get" So Allah revealed this Ayah.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Kharijah bin Zayd bin Thabit, reported that Umm Al-`Ala' -- a woman from the Ansar who had given her pledge of loyalty to Allah's Messenger -- said, "When the Ansar drew lots regarding taking in the Muhajirun to dwell with them, our lot was to have `Uthman bin Maz`un.
Later, `Uthman fell sick in our house, so we nursed him until he died, and we wrapped him in his garments ( for burial ).
Allah's Messenger then came in, and I said, `O Abu As-Sa'ib! May Allah have mercy on you.
I bear witness that Allah has indeed honored you.' Allah's Messenger asked, «وَمَا يُدْرِيكِ أَنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى أَكْرَمَه» ( How do you know that Allah has honored him ) I said, `I do not know -- may my father and mother both be ransoms for you!' Allah's Messenger then said, «أَمَّا هُوَ فَقَدْ جَاءَهُ الْيَقِينُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ،وَإِنِّي لَأَرْجُو لَهُ الْخَيْرَ.
وَاللهِ مَا أَدْرِي وَأَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي» ( As for him, certainty (death ) has reached him from his Lord, and I surely wish well for him.
But by Allah, even though I am Allah's Messenger, I do not know what will happen to me ( after death ).) I then said, `Never will I claim a person to be pious after this.' This incident caused me some distress, and I went to sleep thereafter.
I saw in my dream that `Uthman owned a running water spring.
I went to Allah's Messenger and told him about that.
Allah's Messenger said, «ذَاكِ عَمَلُه» ( That was his (good ) deeds.)" Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith but Muslim did not.
In one of the narrations, Allah's Messenger said, «مَا أَدْرِي وَأَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ مَا يُفْعَلُ بِه» ( Even though I am Allah's Messenger, I do not know what will happen to him. ) This and similar texts indicate that it is not allowed to declare that a specific person will enter Jannah except for those who were distinctly indicated by Allah or his Messenger .
Examples of those are the Ten, Ibn Sallam, Al-Ghumaysa', Bilal, Suraqah, `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Haram ( Jabir's father ), the Seventy Recitors ( of Qur'an ) who were assassinated near the Well of Ma`unah, Zayd bin Harithah, Ja`far, Ibn Rawahah, and other similar individuals, may Allah be pleased with them.
Allah then says, إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَىَّ ( I only follow that which is revealed to me, ) which means, `I only follow what Allah has revealed to me of the revelation.' وَمَآ أَنَاْ إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ ( and I am but a plain warner. ) meaning, `my warnings are obvious to every person with sound intellect and reason.' And Allah knows best.

( Or say they ) indeed they say: ( He hath invented it ) Muhammad has invented the Qur’an? ( Say ) to them O Muhammad ( If I have invented it ) if I have invented the Qur’an as you claim, ( still ye have no power to support me against Allah ) against Allah’s torment. ( He is best aware of what ye say among yourselves concerning it ) He is best aware of the lies in which you engage concerning the Qur’an. ( He sufficeth ) Allah suffices ( for a witness between me and you ) that I am Allah’s Messenger and this Qur’an is His speech. ( And He is the Forgiving ) He forgives whoever repents amongst you, ( the Merciful ) towards anyone who dies repentant.

Or say they: "He (Muhammad SAW) has fabricated it." Say: "If I have fabricated it, still you have no power to support me against Allah. He knows best of what you say among yourselves concerning it (i.e. this Quran)! Sufficient is He for a witness between me and you! And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful."

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