Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 165

Mufti Taqi Usmani

How is it that, when you suffered a hardship the twice of which you had inflicted upon them, you say, “Where did this come from?” Say, “This is from your own selves. Allah is surely Powerful over everything.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Why is it when you suffered casualties ˹at Uḥud˺—although you had made your enemy suffer twice as much ˹at Badr˺—you protested, “How could this be?”? Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “It is because of your disobedience.” Surely Allah is Most Capable of everything.

Ruwwad Translation Center

How is it that, when you suffered a calamity [at Uhud] while you had inflicted twice as much upon them [at Badr], you said, “How could this happen?” Say, “You brought this to yourselves. Indeed, Allah is Most Capable of all things.”

A. J. Arberry

Why, when an affliction visited you, and you had visited twice over the like of it, did you say, 'How is this?' Say: 'This is from your own selves; surely God is powerful over everything.'

Abdul Haleem

Why do you [believers] say, when a calamity befalls you, even after you have inflicted twice as much damage [on your enemy], ‘How did this happen?’? [Prophet], say, ‘You brought it upon yourselves.’ God has power over everything:

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Is its that when a reverse hath befallen you, albeit ye had inflicted twice as much, ye say: whence is this? Say thou: it is but from yourselves verily Allah is over everything potent.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

What! When a single disaster smites you, although ye smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, do ye say?- "Whence is this?" Say (to them); "It is from yourselves; For Allah hath power over all things."

Abul Ala Maududi

And how come when a calamity befell you, you began to ask: 'How has this come about?' even though the enemy has suffered at your hands (in the Battle of Badr) double what you have suffered! Say: This calamity has been brought about by yourselves. Surely Allah is Ail-Powerful.

Ahmed Ali

How is it that when misfortune befell you, you said: "Where has this come from?" -- even though you had inflicted disaster twice as great on (the enemy). Say: "This has come from your own selves." Surely God has power over all things.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So will you say when disaster strikes you, though you had struck them with twice as much, “Where has this come from?” Say (to them, O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “It has come from yourselves”; indeed Allah is Able to do all things.

Ali Quli Qarai

What, when an affliction visits you—while you have inflicted twice as much—do you say, ‘How is this?’! Say, ‘This is from your own souls.’ Indeed Allah has power over all things.

Ali Ünal

And do you, now that a disaster has befallen you, though you inflicted the double (of that on your foes at Badr), say: "Whence is this?" Say (to them, O Messenger): "It is from your own selves." Surely God has full power over everything.

Amatul Rahman Omar

(So what) when you suffered a loss (at the Battle of Uhud) you had already inflicted a loss (upon your enemy) twice as heavy as that (at the Battle of Badr), you (began to) say, `Whence is this?´ Say, `It is of your own making.´ Surely, Allâh is the Possessor of full power to do all that He will.

English Literal

Or when a disaster struck/hit you , you had struck/hit equal to it twice , you said: "From where (is) that (the disaster)?" Say: "It is from at yourselves, that God (is) on every thing capable/able ."

Faridul Haque

So will you say when disaster strikes you, though you had struck them with twice as much, “Where has this come from?” Say (to them, O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), “It has come from yourselves”; indeed Allah is Able to do all things.

Hamid S. Aziz

And what befell you the day when the two armies met, it was by Allah´s permission; that He might know the true believers,

Hilali & Khan

(What is the matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this come to us?" Say (to them), "It is from yourselves (because of your evil deeds)." And Allah has power over all things.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Certainly Allah conferred a favour on the believers when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His messages and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the Wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

What! when a misfortune befell you, and you had certainly afflicted (the unbelievers) with twice as much, you began to say: Whence is this? Say: It is from yourselves; surely Allah has power over all things.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And was it so, when a disaster smote you, though ye had smitten (them with a disaster) twice (as great), that ye said: How is this? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): It is from yourselves. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things.

Muhammad Sarwar

If misfortune befell you (the believers) your enemies had suffered twice as much (in the battle of Badr) but you asked, "Where did the misfortune come from?" (Muhammad), tell them, "It came from yourselves. God has power over all things.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Why, when an affliction hits you and that you had yourselves inflicted twice the like of it, you said: 'How is this' Say: 'This is from your own selves' Surely, Allah has power over all things.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

(What is the matter with you) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this come to us" Say, "It is from yourselves." And Allah has power over all things.

Wahiduddin Khan

What! When a misfortune befalls you, after you had yourself inflicted twice as heavy losses, you say, "How has this come about?" Say, "It was your own fault." Truly, God has the power to will anything:

Talal Itani

And when a calamity befell you, even after you had inflicted twice as much, you said, “How is this?” Say, “It is from your own selves.” God is Able to do all things.

Tafsir jalalayn

And why, when distress befell you, at Uhud, when seventy of you were slain, and you had afflicted twice the like of it, at Badr, slaying seventy of them and taking another seventy captive, did you say, in amazement, `How is this?', that is, how did this defeat happen to us when we are Muslims and God's Messenger is among us (the last statement [ann hdh, `how is this?'] constitutes [the locus of] the interrogative of denial). Say, to them; `It is from yourselves, because you abandoned your [battle] stations and were thus defeated. Surely God has power over everything', including [the giving of] assistance and the withholding of it, and He requited you for your disputing [the Prophet's command].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Reason and Wisdom Behind the Defeat at Uhud

Allah said,

أَوَلَمَّا أَصَابَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ

When a single disaster smites you,

in reference to when the Muslims suffered seventy fatalities during the battle of Uhud.

قَدْ أَصَبْتُم مِّثْلَيْهَا

although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great,

during Badr, when the Muslims killed seventy Mushriks and captured seventy others.

قُلْتُمْ أَنَّى هَـذَا

you say;"From where does this come to us!"

why did this defeat happen to us!

قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ

Say, "It is from yourselves."

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Umar bin Al-Khattab said,

"When Uhud occurred, a year after Badr, Muslims were punished for taking ransom from the disbelievers at Badr (in return for releasing the Mushriks whom they captured in that battle). Thus, they suffered the loss of seventy fatalities and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah gave flight and abandoned him. The Messenger suffered a broken tooth, the helmet was smashed on his head and blood flowed onto his face. Allah then revealed,

أَوَلَمَّا أَصَابَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَدْ أَصَبْتُم مِّثْلَيْهَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَّى هَـذَا قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ

When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say;"From where does this come to us!" Say, "It is from yourselves",

because you took the ransom."

Furthermore, Muhammad bin Ishaq, Ibn Jurayj, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and As-Suddi said that;

the Ayah,
قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ
(Say, "It is from yourselves.") means, because you, the archers, disobeyed the Messenger's command to not abandon your positions.

إِنَّ اللّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ



And Allah has power over all things.

and He does what He wills and decides what He wills, and there is none who can resist His decision.

Allah then said