Tanwir al-Miqbas · Tafsir · in English
Az-Zukhruf 43:86–89
43:86Page 495
وَلَا يَمۡلِكُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلشَّفَٰعَةَ إِلَّا مَن شَهِدَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٨٦
And those they invoke1 besides Him do not possess [power of] intercession; but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.2
(And those unto whom they cry) those whom they worship (instead of Him possess no power of intercession) He says: the angels have no power to intercede in favour of anybody, (saving him who beareth witness unto the Truth) the testification that there is no deity save Allah, sincerely believing in it (knowingly) knowing deep in their hearts it is the Truth. This was revealed about the Banu Malih who claimed the angels were the daughters of Allah.
43:87Page 495
وَلَئِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَهُمۡ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤۡفَكُونَ ٨٧
And if you asked them1 who created them, they would surely say, "Allāh." So how are they deluded?
(And if thou ask them) i.e. the Banu Malih (who created them, they will surely say: Allah) created us. (How then are they turned away) from whence do they lie against Allah after such a confession?
43:88Page 495
وَقِيلِهِۦ يَٰرَبِّ إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ قَوۡمٞ لَّا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٨٨
And [Allāh acknowledges] his saying,1 "O my Lord, indeed these are a people who do not believe."
(And he saith) Muhammad (pbuh) says: (O my Lord! Lo! those are a folk who believe not) in You or in the Qur'an. So do with them as You will.
43:89Page 495
فَٱصۡفَحۡ عَنۡهُمۡ وَقُلۡ سَلَٰمٞۚ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٨٩
So turn aside from them and say, "Peace."1 But they are going to know.
(Then bear with them (O Muhammad)) it was said to him: turn away from them (and say: Peace) words of truth. (But) this is a threat (they will come to know) what will be done with them on the Day of Badr, Uhud, the Troops. Then, after this, he was commanded to fight them; it is also said that this means: but they will come to know the hunger and smoke that will befall them'.
Text: Quranic Universal Library (Tarteel), via spa5k/tafsir_api (MIT), at a fixed version. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences