Al-Furqan 25:28
The Criterion · Juz 19 · Page 362
يَٰوَيۡلَتَىٰ لَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِيلٗا ٢٨
Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one1 as a friend.
1 translator’s note
- The person who misguided him. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 25:28–29
يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيلًا (Woe to me! would that I had not taken so-and-so for my friend - 25:28). This verse was revealed on an especial occasion, but its implication is universal. The background is that 'Uqbah Ibn Abi Mu` ait was one of the chieftains of polytheists in Makkah. It was customary with him that whenever he would return after an expedition, he used to invite the nobility of the city to dinner. He also used to call on the Holy Prophet ﷺ frequently. When he presented the food to the Holy Prophet ﷺ he said "I cannot eat your food until you proclaim that Allah is one and no one can be associated with Him in worship and that I am His Rasul." 'Uqbah recited this sentence and then the Holy Prophet ﷺ ate the dinner according to his promise, 'Ubayy Ibn Khalaf was a close friend of 'Uqbah. When he learnt that 'Uqbah has accepted Islam and has recited the Kalimah Tayyabah he was very crossed with him. 'Uqbah tried to defend himself by explaining that Muhammad ﷺ was an eminent person of Quraysh and if he had returned without having his meal at his house, it would have been very degrading for 'Uqbah. Therefore, in order to please him, he repeated the sentence (کلمہ). 'Ubayy Ibn Khalaf did not accept this explanation and asked 'Uqbah to go and spit on Holy Prophet's ﷺ face if he was really ashamed. The wretched man obliged his depraved friend and did as he had suggested. Allah Ta’ ala disgraced them both in this world as well, as both were killed in the battle of Badr (Baghawi). The torment he will face on the Dooms day is described in this verse that when he will see the torment before him, he will bite his fingers in distress and repentance and say "would that he had not made 'Ubayy Ibn Khalaf his friend in the world". (Mazhari Qurtubi)
Friendship of wicked persons and non believers will be a matter of shame and repentance in the Hereafter
It is explained in Tafsir Mazhari that although these verses were revealed in respect of the 'Uqbah, yet the moral of the verse is universal. This can be noticed by the use of the word فُلاناً (so-and-so) in the verse, which alludes that the message is universal. The moral that can be deduced from these verses is that when two friends get together in acts of immorality and sin and help each other in performing forbidden deeds, then the same will apply to them and they will be remorseful and feel sorry for their friendship in the Hereafter. Musnad Ahmed, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud etc. have reproduced a narration on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khudri ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ once said لا تصاحب الا مؤمنا ولا یاکل مالک الا تقی (Do not make a non-Muslim your friend and your possessions should be used only by the pious persons.- Mazhari), that is, do not have the non-pious as your friend. And Sayyidna Abu Hurairah has reported a tradition of the Holy Prophet ﷺ :
المرء علی دین خلیلہ فلینظر من یخالل (رواہ البخاری)
Every person is influenced by the faith and way of life of his friends. Therefore, one must be very mindful when selecting his friends. (Bukhari)
Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was asked what sort of friends should we keep in our company. To this he replied:
من ذکر کم باللہ رویتہ، وزاد فی علمکم منطقہ، و ذکرکم بالآخرۃ عملہ (رواہ البزار)
The one who reminds you of Allah when you see him, and adds to your knowledge when he speaks, and reminds you of the Hereafter when he acts. (Qurtubi)
Page 362
25:21
۞ وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا لَوۡلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيۡنَا ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ أَوۡ نَرَىٰ رَبَّنَاۗ لَقَدِ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَعَتَوۡ عُتُوّٗا كَبِيرٗا ٢١
And those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, "Why were not angels sent down to us, or [why] do we [not] see our Lord?" They have certainly become arrogant within themselves1 and [become] insolent with great insolence.
1 translator’s note
- Additional meanings are "among themselves" and "over [the matter of] themselves." ↩
25:22
يَوۡمَ يَرَوۡنَ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ لَا بُشۡرَىٰ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ وَيَقُولُونَ حِجۡرٗا مَّحۡجُورٗا ٢٢
The day they see the angels1 - no good tidings will there be that day for the criminals, and [the angels] will say, "Prevented and inaccessible."2
25:23
وَقَدِمۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُواْ مِنۡ عَمَلٖ فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ هَبَآءٗ مَّنثُورًا ٢٣
And We will approach [i.e., regard]1 what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed.
1 translator’s note
- On the Day of Judgement. ↩
25:24
أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ يَوۡمَئِذٍ خَيۡرٞ مُّسۡتَقَرّٗا وَأَحۡسَنُ مَقِيلٗا ٢٤
The companions of Paradise, that Day, are [in] a better settlement and better resting place.
25:25
وَيَوۡمَ تَشَقَّقُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِٱلۡغَمَٰمِ وَنُزِّلَ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ تَنزِيلًا ٢٥
And [mention] the Day when the heaven will split open with [emerging] clouds,1 and the angels will be sent down in successive descent.
1 translator’s note
- Within which are the angels. ↩
25:26
ٱلۡمُلۡكُ يَوۡمَئِذٍ ٱلۡحَقُّ لِلرَّحۡمَٰنِۚ وَكَانَ يَوۡمًا عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَسِيرٗا ٢٦
True sovereignty, that Day, is for the Most Merciful. And it will be upon the disbelievers a difficult Day.
25:27
وَيَوۡمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيۡهِ يَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي ٱتَّخَذۡتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلٗا ٢٧
And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, "Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., followed the Prophet (ﷺ) on a path of guidance. ↩
25:28
يَٰوَيۡلَتَىٰ لَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِيلٗا ٢٨
Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one1 as a friend.
1 translator’s note
- The person who misguided him. ↩
25:29
لَّقَدۡ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ ٱلذِّكۡرِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ جَآءَنِيۗ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ خَذُولٗا ٢٩
He led me away from the remembrance1 after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a deserter."2
25:30
وَقَالَ ٱلرَّسُولُ يَٰرَبِّ إِنَّ قَوۡمِي ٱتَّخَذُواْ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ مَهۡجُورٗا ٣٠
And the Messenger has said, "O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur’ān as [a thing] abandoned."1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., avoiding it, not listening to or understanding it, not living by it, or preferring something else to it. ↩
25:31
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلۡنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوّٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيٗا وَنَصِيرٗا ٣١
And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a guide and a helper.
25:32
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوۡلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ جُمۡلَةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَۖ وَرَتَّلۡنَٰهُ تَرۡتِيلٗا ٣٢
And those who disbelieve say, "Why was the Qur’ān not revealed to him all at once?" Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.1
1 translator’s note
- Also, "recited it with distinct recitation." ↩