Surah Az-Zumar, Ayah 17 (39:17)

ٱلزُّمَر

وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱجْتَنَبُوا۟ ٱلطَّٰغُوتَ أَن يَعْبُدُوهَا وَأَنَابُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ لَهُمُ ٱلْبُشْرَىٰ …

Quran 39:17 is ayah 17 of Surah Az-Zumar (“The Troops”), a Meccan surah of 75 ayahs. It is in Juz 23, on page 460 of the Madani Mushaf.

39:17
وَٱلَّذِينَٱجْتَنَبُوا۟ٱلطَّٰغُوتَأَنيَعْبُدُوهَاوَأَنَابُوٓا۟إِلَىٱللَّهِلَهُمُٱلْبُشْرَىٰ ۚفَبَشِّرْعِبَادِ١٧
wa-alladhīna ij'tanabū l-ṭāghūta an yaʿbudūhā wa-anābū ilā l-lahi lahumu l-bush'rā fabashir ʿibādi

But those who have avoided ṭāghūt, lest they worship it, and turned back to Allāh - for them are good tidings. So give good tidings to My servants(17)

Word by word

  1. وَٱلَّذِينَwa-alladhīnaAnd those who
  2. ٱجْتَنَبُوا۟ij'tanabūavoid
  3. ٱلطَّٰغُوتَl-ṭāghūtathe false gods
  4. أَنanlest
  5. يَعْبُدُوهَاyaʿbudūhāthey worship them
  6. وَأَنَابُوٓا۟wa-anābūand turn
  7. إِلَىilāto
  8. ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
  9. لَهُمُlahumufor them
  10. ٱلْبُشْرَىٰ ۚl-bush'rā(are) glad tidings
  11. فَبَشِّرْfabashirSo give glad tidings
  12. عِبَادِʿibādi(to) My slaves

Tafsir (commentary) of 39:17

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 39:17–18 together.

Good News for the Righteous `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, narrating from his father

وَالَّذِينَ اجْتَنَبُواْ الطَّـغُوتَ أَن يَعْبُدُوهَا

(Those who avoid At-Taghut by not worshipping them) was revealed concerning Zayd bin `Amr bin Nufayl and Abu Dharr and Salman Al-Farisi, may Allah be pleased with them. The correct view is that it includes them and all others who avoided worshipping idols and turned to the worship of Ar-Rahman. These are the people for whom there is good news in this world and in the Hereafter. Then Allah says:

فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِالَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَـتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ

(so announce the good news to My servants -- those who listen to the Word and follow the best thereof,) meaning, those who understand it and act in accordance with it. This is like the Words of Allah, may He be exalted, to Musa, peace be upon him, when He gave him the Tawrah:

فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُواْ بِأَحْسَنِهَا

(Hold unto these with firmness, and enjoin your people to take the better therein) (7:145).

أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَاهُمُ اللَّهُ

(those are whom Allah has guided) means, those who are described in this manner are the ones whom Allah has guided in this world and the Hereafter.

وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمْ أُوْلُو الاٌّلْبَـبِ

(and those are men of understanding.) means, they possess sound reasoning and an upright nature.

Read the full Surah Az-Zumar