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Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)

Verse 13of 78

يَدْعُوا۟ لَمَن ضَرُّهُۥٓ أَقْرَبُ مِن نَّفْعِهِۦ ۚ لَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ وَلَبِئْسَ ٱلْعَشِيرُ﴿١٣

Translation (Sahih International)

He invokes one whose harm is closer than his benefit - how wretched the protector and how wretched the associate.

Word-by-word meaning

يَدْعُوا۟yadʿūHe calls
لَمَنlaman(one) who
ضَرُّهُۥٓḍarruhuhis harm
أَقْرَبُaqrabu(is) closer
مِنminthan
نَّفْعِهِۦ ۚnafʿihihis benefit
لَبِئْسَlabi'saSurely, an evil
ٱلْمَوْلَىٰl-mawlāprotector
وَلَبِئْسَwalabi'saand surely an evil
ٱلْعَشِيرُl-ʿashīrufriend

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The meaning of worshipping Allah as it were upon the edgeMujahid, Qatadah and others said:عَلَى حَرْفٍ(upon the edge) means, in doubt. Others said that it meant on the edge, such as on the edge or side of a mountain, i.e., (this person) enters Islam on the edge, and if he finds what he likes he will continue, otherwise he will leave. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said:وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ(And among mankind is he who worships Allah as it were upon the edge.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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