Al-An'am 6:17
The Cattle · Juz 7 · Page 129
وَإِن يَمۡسَسۡكَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرّٖ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُۥٓ إِلَّا هُوَۖ وَإِن يَمۡسَسۡكَ بِخَيۡرٖ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ ١٧
And if Allāh should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good - then He is over all things competent.
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 6:17–21
Allah is the Irresistible, Able to Bring Benefit and Protect from Harm
Allah states that He Alone brings benefit or harm, and that He does what He wills with His creatures, none can resist His judgment or prevent what He decrees,
وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلاَ كَشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدُيرٌ
(And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is able to do all things.) Similarly, Allah said,
مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلاَ مُمْسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلاَ مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ
(Whatever mercy, Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter) 35:2. It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to supplicate,
«اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَد»
(O Allah, there is none Who can avert what You grant or give what You deprive, and no fortune ever helps the fortunate against You.) This is why Allah said,
وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ
(And He is the Irresistible, above His servants,) meaning, to Him the necks are subservient, the tyrants humble before Him and He has complete control over all things. The creatures have all bowed to Allah and are humbled before His grace, honor, pride, greatness, highness and ability over all things. The creatures are insignificant before Him, for they are all under His irresistible decision and power,
وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ
(and He is the All-Wise,) in all His actions,
الْخَبِيرُ
(Well-Acquainted with all things.) Who places everything in its rightful place, grants and favors whomever deserves His favor. Allah said next,
قُلْ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَدةً
(Say: "What thing is the most great in witness") or what is the greatest witness,
قُلِ اللَّهِ شَهِيدٌ بِيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ
(Say: "Allah (the Most Great!) is Witness between you and I") for He knows what I brought you and what you will answer me with,
وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ هَذَا الْقُرْءَانُ لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ
(this Qur'an has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.) Therefore, this Qur'an is a warner for all those who hear of it. In another Ayah, Allah said,
وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ
(But those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) 11:17 Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "Those who follow the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ought to call to what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called to and warn against what he warned against." Allah said next,
أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ
("Can you verily bear witness...") O idolators,
أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً أُخْرَى قُل لاَّ أَشْهَدُ
("that besides Allah there are other gods" Say, "I bear no (such) witness!") Similarly, in another Ayah, Allah said;
فَإِن شَهِدُواْ فَلاَ تَشْهَدْ مَعَهُمْ
(Then if they testify, testify not you with them.) 6:150 Allah said next,
قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَهٌ وَحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ
(Say: "Only He is God, alone, and truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him.")
People of the Book Recognize the Prophet Just as They Recognize Their Own Children
Allah says, the People of the Book know what you brought them, O Muhammad , as they know their own children. This is because they received good news from the previous Messengers and Prophets about the coming of Muhammad ﷺ, his attributes, homeland, his migration, and the description of his Ummah. Allah said next,
الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُم
(Those who have lost (destroyed) themselves) and thus incurred the ultimate loss,
فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ
(will not believe.) in this clear matter. A matter about which the previous Prophets gave good news, and a matter extolled about in ancient and modern times. Allah said next,
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً أَوْ كَذَّبَ بَِايَتِهِ
(And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat) meaning, there is no person more unjust than he who lies about Allah and claims that Allah has sent him, while Allah did not send him. There is no person more unjust than he who denies Allah's proofs, signs and evidences,
إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّلِمُونَ
(Verily, the wrongdoers shall never be successful.) Surely, both of these people will never acquire success, whoever falsely claims that Allah sent him and whoever refuses Allah's Ayat.
Page 129
6:9
وَلَوۡ جَعَلۡنَٰهُ مَلَكٗا لَّجَعَلۡنَٰهُ رَجُلٗا وَلَلَبَسۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم مَّا يَلۡبِسُونَ ٩
And if We had made him [i.e., the messenger] an angel, We would have made him [appear as] a man, and We would have covered them with that in which they cover themselves [i.e., confusion and doubt].
6:10
وَلَقَدِ ٱسۡتُهۡزِئَ بِرُسُلٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِٱلَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ ١٠
And already were messengers ridiculed before you, but those who mocked them were enveloped by that which they used to ridicule.
6:11
قُلۡ سِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ثُمَّ ٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ ١١
Say, "Travel through the land; then observe how was the end of the deniers."
6:12
قُل لِّمَن مَّا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ قُل لِّلَّهِۚ كَتَبَ عَلَىٰ نَفۡسِهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَةَۚ لَيَجۡمَعَنَّكُمۡ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهِۚ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ١٢
Say, "To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth?" Say, "To Allāh." He has decreed upon Himself mercy. He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. Those who will lose themselves [that Day] do not believe.
6:13
۞ وَلَهُۥ مَا سَكَنَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ١٣
And to Him belongs that which reposes by night and by day, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
6:14
قُلۡ أَغَيۡرَ ٱللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيّٗا فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَهُوَ يُطۡعِمُ وَلَا يُطۡعَمُۗ قُلۡ إِنِّيٓ أُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنۡ أَسۡلَمَۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ١٤
Say, "Is it other than Allāh I should take as a protector, Creator of the heavens and earth, while it is He who feeds and is not fed?" Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to be the first [among you] who submit [to Allāh] and [was commanded], 'Do not ever be of the polytheists.'"
6:15
قُلۡ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ إِنۡ عَصَيۡتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٖ ١٥
Say, "Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day."
6:16
مَّن يُصۡرَفۡ عَنۡهُ يَوۡمَئِذٖ فَقَدۡ رَحِمَهُۥۚ وَذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ ١٦
He from whom it is averted that Day - [Allāh] has granted him mercy. And that is the clear attainment.
6:17
وَإِن يَمۡسَسۡكَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرّٖ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُۥٓ إِلَّا هُوَۖ وَإِن يَمۡسَسۡكَ بِخَيۡرٖ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ ١٧
And if Allāh should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good - then He is over all things competent.
6:18
وَهُوَ ٱلۡقَاهِرُ فَوۡقَ عِبَادِهِۦۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ٱلۡخَبِيرُ ١٨
And He is the subjugator over His servants. And He is the Wise,1 the Aware.2
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy