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Al-Baqarah 26

Ayah 26 of 286 · Medinan

۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسۡتَحۡيِۦٓ أَن يَضۡرِبَ مَثَلٗا مَّا بَعُوضَةٗ فَمَا فَوۡقَهَاۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فَيَعۡلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلٗاۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرٗا وَيَهۡدِي بِهِۦ كَثِيرٗاۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡفَٰسِقِينَ ٢٦

Indeed, Allāh is not timid to present an example - that of a mosquito or what is smaller1 than it. And those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did Allāh intend by this as an example?" He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient,

Translation: Saheeh International (English)

1 Literally, "above it," i.e., greater in smallness.

Word by word

Each word's meaning and sound

  1. ۞ إِنَّIndeedinna
  2. ٱللَّهَAllahl-laha
  3. لَا(is) notlā
  4. يَسۡتَحۡيِۦٓashamedyastaḥyī
  5. أَنtoan
  6. يَضۡرِبَset forthyaḍriba
  7. مَثَلٗاan examplemathalan
  8. مَّا(like) evenmā
  9. بَعُوضَةٗ(of) a mosquitobaʿūḍatan
  10. فَمَاand (even) somethingfamā
  11. فَوۡقَهَاۚabove itfawqahā
  12. فَأَمَّاThen as forfa-ammā
  13. ٱلَّذِينَthose whoalladhīna
  14. ءَامَنُواْbelievedāmanū
  15. فَيَعۡلَمُونَ[thus] they will knowfayaʿlamūna
  16. أَنَّهُthat itannahu
  17. ٱلۡحَقُّ(is) the truthl-ḥaqu
  18. مِنfrommin
  19. رَّبِّهِمۡۖtheir Lordrabbihim
  20. وَأَمَّاAnd as forwa-ammā
  21. ٱلَّذِينَthose whoalladhīna
  22. كَفَرُواْdisbelievedkafarū
  23. فَيَقُولُونَ[thus] they will sayfayaqūlūna
  24. مَاذَآwhatmādhā
  25. أَرَادَ(did) intendarāda
  26. ٱللَّهُAllahl-lahu
  27. بِهَٰذَاby thisbihādhā
  28. مَثَلٗاۘexamplemathalan
  29. يُضِلُّHe lets go astrayyuḍillu
  30. بِهِۦby itbihi
  31. كَثِيرٗاmanykathīran
  32. وَيَهۡدِيand He guideswayahdī
  33. بِهِۦby itbihi
  34. كَثِيرٗاۚmanykathīran
  35. وَمَاAnd notwamā
  36. يُضِلُّHe lets go astrayyuḍillu
  37. بِهِۦٓby itbihi
  38. إِلَّاexceptillā
  39. ٱلۡفَٰسِقِينَthe defiantly disobedientl-fāsiqīna

Tafsir

Allah does not shy away from using whatever example He wishes, whether that be of a gnat or anything bigger than it. The believers know and trust that there is wisdom in the use of such examples, while the disbelievers will make fun, asking each other why Allah uses examples with lowly creatures, such as gnats, flies and spiders. Allah replies that in these examples lie guidance, direction and a test for people. There are many people who are misguided by Allah through these examples, because they refuse to consider them; and there are many who He guides along the right path because they learn from them. He does not misguide anyone except those who deserve to be misguided. They are those who do not obey Him.

Al-Mukhtasar in interpreting the Noble Quran