Join over 4 million Quran learners from more than 180 countries
Ayah
Word by Word
أَفَمَنۡ
Then is (one) who
أَسَّسَ
founded
بُنۡيَٰنَهُۥ
his building
عَلَىٰ
on
تَقۡوَىٰ
righteousness
مِنَ
from
ٱللَّهِ
Allah
وَرِضۡوَٰنٍ
and (His) pleasure
خَيۡرٌ
better
أَم
or
مَّنۡ
(one) who
أَسَّسَ
founded
بُنۡيَٰنَهُۥ
his building
عَلَىٰ
on
شَفَا
edge
جُرُفٍ
(of) a cliff
هَارٖ
(about to) collapse
فَٱنۡهَارَ
so it collapsed
بِهِۦ
with him
فِي
in
نَارِ
(the) Fire
جَهَنَّمَۗ
(of) Hell
وَٱللَّهُ
And Allah
لَا
(does) not
يَهۡدِي
guide
ٱلۡقَوۡمَ
the wrongdoing people
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
the wrongdoing people
أَفَمَنۡ
Then is (one) who
أَسَّسَ
founded
بُنۡيَٰنَهُۥ
his building
عَلَىٰ
on
تَقۡوَىٰ
righteousness
مِنَ
from
ٱللَّهِ
Allah
وَرِضۡوَٰنٍ
and (His) pleasure
خَيۡرٌ
better
أَم
or
مَّنۡ
(one) who
أَسَّسَ
founded
بُنۡيَٰنَهُۥ
his building
عَلَىٰ
on
شَفَا
edge
جُرُفٍ
(of) a cliff
هَارٖ
(about to) collapse
فَٱنۡهَارَ
so it collapsed
بِهِۦ
with him
فِي
in
نَارِ
(the) Fire
جَهَنَّمَۗ
(of) Hell
وَٱللَّهُ
And Allah
لَا
(does) not
يَهۡدِي
guide
ٱلۡقَوۡمَ
the wrongdoing people
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
the wrongdoing people
Translation
Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allāh and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Tafsir
Is he who founded his building upon fear of God and, in hope of, beatitude, from Him, better, or he who founded his building upon the brink, the edge, of a bank, an overhang, that is crumbling, about to collapse (read juruf or jurf) so that it toppled with him, so that it collapsed [taking] with it the one who built it, into the fire of Hell?: [this is] an excellent similitude for building upon that which constitutes the opposite of fear of God and [for] what it leads to; the interrogative is meant as an affirmative: in other words, the former is the better, which is the likeness of the [building of the] mosque of Qubaa', while the latter is the likeness of the mosque of 'harm' (masjid al-diraar). And God guides not the evildoing folk.
"The Difference between Masjid At-Taqwa and Masjid Ad-Dirar
Allah says;
أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَانَهُ عَلَى تَقْوَى مِنَ اللّهِ وَرِضْوَانٍ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَانَهُ عَلَىَ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍ فَانْهَارَ بِهِ
Is it then he who laid the foundation of his building on Taqwa to Allah and His good pleasure better, or he who laid the foundation of his building on the brink of an undetermined precipice ready to crumble down, so that it crumbled to pieces with him,
Allah the Exalted says that the Masjid that has been built on the basis of Taqwa of Allah and His pleasure is not the same as a Masjid that was been built based on causing harm, disbelief and causing division among the believers, and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His Messenger. The latter built their Masjid on the edge of a steep hole,
فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ وَاللّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
into the fire of Hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the wrongdoers.
Allah does not bring aright the works of those who commit mischief.
Jabir bin Abdullah said,
""I ﷺ the Masjid that was built to cause harm with smoke rising up from it, during the time of the Messenger of Allah.""
Allah's statement
لَا يَزَالُ بُنْيَانُهُمُ الَّذِي بَنَوْاْ رِيبَةً فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ
The building which they built will never cease to be a cause of hypocrisy and doubt in their hearts.
Because of this awful action that they committed, they inherited hypocrisy in their hearts, just as those who worshipped the calf were inclined to adoring it.
Allah said next,
إِلاَّ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ
unless their hearts are cut to pieces.
According to Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Zayd bin Aslam, As-Suddi, Habib bin Abi Thabit, Ad-Dahhak, Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and several other scholars of the Salaf.
until they die,
وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ
And Allah is All-Knowing,
of the actions of His creation,
حَكِيمٌ
All-Wise.
in compensating them for their good or evil actions."
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
Not yet available. It requires resources to add this interpretation.
