Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 23

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Allah has sent down the best discourse, a book containing subjects resembling each other, mentioned again and again, shivered from which are the skins of those who have awe of their Lord. Then, their skins and their hearts become soft enough to tend to the remembrance of Allah. This is the Guidance of Allah with which He brings to the right path whomsoever He wills. As for the one whom Allah lets go astray, for him there is no one to guide.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹It is˺ Allah ˹Who˺ has sent down the best message—a Book of perfect consistency and repeated lessons—which causes the skin ˹and hearts˺ of those who fear their Lord to tremble, then their skin and hearts soften at the mention of ˹the mercy of˺ Allah. That is the guidance of Allah, through which He guides whoever He wills. But whoever Allah leaves to stray will be left with no guide.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Allah has sent down the best message – a consistent Book of repeated lessons – causing the skins of those who fear their Lord to shiver, then their skins and their hearts soften at the remembrance of Allah. This is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whom He wills. But whoever Allah causes to stray, there is none to guide him.

A. J. Arberry

God has sent down the fairest discourse as a Book, consimilar in its oft-repeated, whereat shiver the skins of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of God. That is God's guidance, whereby. He guides whomsoever He will; and whomsoever God leads astray, no guide has he.

Abdul Haleem

God has sent down the most beautiful of all teachings: a Scripture that is consistent and draws comparisons; that causes the skins of those in awe of their Lord to shiver. Then their skins and their hearts soften at the mention of God: such is God’s guidance. He guides with it whoever He will; no one can guide those God leaves to stray.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Allah hath revealed the most excellent discourse, a Book consimilar oft-repeated, whereat trembleth the skins of these who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts soften at the remembrance of Allah. This is Allah's guidance, wherewith He guideth whomsoever He will. And whomsoever Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah has revealed (from time to time) the most beautiful Message in the form of a Book, consistent with itself, (yet) repeating (its teaching in various aspects); the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah's praises. Such is the guidance of Allah; He guides therewith whom He pleases, but such as Allah leaves to stray, can have none to guide.

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah has revealed the best teaching, a self-consistent Book which repeats its contents in manifold forms whereat shiver the skins of those that hold their Lord in awe, and then their skins and their hearts soften for Allah's remembrance. That is Allah's Guidance wherewith He guides whosoever He pleases. And he whom Allah does not guide to the Right Path has none to guide him.

Ahmed Ali

God has sent down the very best discourse, the Book conformable in its juxtapositions, which makes all of those who fear their Lord, shudder. So their hearts and bodies become receptive to the remembrance of God. This is the guidance of God with which He guides whosoever He will; but whosoever God allows to go astray has none to show him the way.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Allah has sent down the best of Books (the Holy Qur’an), which is consistent throughout, the one with paired statements; the hairs on the skins of those who fear their Lord, stand on end with it; then their skins and their hearts soften, inclined towards the remembrance of Allah; this is the guidance of Allah, He may guide whomever He wills with it; and whomever Allah sends astray, there is no guide for him.

Ali Quli Qarai

Allah has sent down the best of discourses, a scripture [composed] of similar motifs, whereat shiver the skins of those who fear their Lord, then their skins and hearts relax at Allah’s remembrance. That is Allah’s guidance, by which He guides whomever He wishes; and whomever Allah leads astray, has no guide.

Ali Ünal

God sends down in parts the best of the words as a Book fully consistent in itself, and whose statements corroborate, expound and refer to one another. The skins of those who stand in awe of their Lord tingle at (the hearing and understanding of) it. Then, their skins and their hearts come to rest in the Remembrance of God (the Qur’an). This is God’s guidance, by which He guides whomever He wills. And whoever God leads astray, there is no guide for him.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Allâh has revealed the best Message (the fairest discourse), this wonderfully coherent Book (the verses of which are mutually supplementing and) repeated, (narrating both sides of the case in various ways to drive home the divine injunctions to human minds). It makes the (very) skins of those who stand in awe of their Lord creep and their hearts tremble (at its recital). Yet their hearts and skins soften towards the remembrance of Allâh. This is Allâh´s guidance, He guides him thereby who wishes (to be guided). Yet none can guide him whom Allâh forsakes and adjudges to be astray.

English Literal

God descended the information`s/speech`s best , a Book looking alike/resembling/ similar doubles of twos Koranic verses , (the) skins (of) those who fear their Lord tremble/shiver from it, then their skins and their hearts/minds soften to God`s remembrance/reminder, that (is) God`s guidance, He guides with it whom He wills/wants, and who God misguides so (there is) none from a guide for him.

Faridul Haque

Allah has sent down the best of Books (the Holy Qur’an), which is consistent throughout, the one with paired statements; the hairs on the skins of those who fear their Lord, stand on end with it; then their skins and their hearts soften, inclined towards the remembrance of Allah; this is the guidance of Allah, He may guide whomever He wills with it; and whomever Allah sends astray, there is no guide for him.

Hamid S. Aziz

Allah has revealed the best of announcements (messages), a Scripture self-consistent in its various parts, repeating, whereat do shudder (or thrill) the skins of those who fear their Lord, so that their skins and their heart soften (or become pliant) to the remembrance of Allah. Such is Allah´s guidance, wherewith He guides whom He wills; and as for him whom Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide.

Hilali & Khan

Allah has sent down the best statement, a Book (this Quran), its parts resembling each other in goodness and truth, oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (when they recite it or hear it). Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah. He Guides therewith whom He pleases and whomever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Is he whose breast Allah has opened to Islam so that he follows a light from his Lord --? So woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah! Such are in clear error.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Allah has revealed the best announcement, a book conformable in its various parts, repeating, whereat do shudder the skins of those who fear their Lord, then their skins and their hearts become pliant to the remembrance of Allah; this is Allah's guidance, He guides with it whom He pleases; and (as for) him whom Allah makes err, there is no guide for him.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Allah hath (now) revealed the fairest of statements, a Scripture consistent, (wherein promises of reward are) paired (with threats of punishment), whereat doth creep the flesh of those who fear their Lord, so that their flesh and their hearts soften to Allah's reminder. Such is Allah's guidance, wherewith He guideth whom He will. And him whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.

Muhammad Sarwar

God has revealed the best reading material in the form of a Book with similar passages which refer to each other and make the skins of those who fear their Lord shiver. Then their skins and hearts incline to the remembrance of God. This is the guidance of God. He guides whomever He wants. No one can guide those whom God has caused to go astray.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah has sent down the best discourse, a Book, consimilar in its oftrepeated (verses) that the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble; and thereafter their skins and hearts soften to the Remembrance of Allah. Such is the Guidance of Allah, whereby He guides whosoever He will; and whosoever Allah leads astray, he has no guide.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Allah has sent down the Best Statement, a Book, its parts resembling each other, (and) oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah. He guides therewith whom He wills; and whomever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide.

Wahiduddin Khan

God has sent down the best Message: a Scripture that is consimilar and oft-repeated: that causes the skins of those in awe of their Lord to creep. Then their skins and their hearts soften at the mention of God: such is God's guidance. He bestows it upon whoever He will; but no one can guide those whom God leaves to stray.

Talal Itani

God has sent down the best of narrations: a Scripture consistent and paired. The skins of those who reverence their Lord shiver from it, then their skins and their hearts soften up to the remembrance of God. Such is God’s guidance; He guides with it whomever He wills. But whomever God leaves astray, for him there is no guide.

Tafsir jalalayn

God has revealed the best of discourses, a Book (kitban, substitutes for ahsana, `the best') namely, a Qur'n, consimilar, in other words, some of its parts are similar to others in terms of [their] arrangement and otherwise, in coupled phrases -- [a Book] in which the Promise [of reward] is coupled with the Threat [of punishment], together with other such [couplings] -- whereat quiver, at the mention of whose Threat shiver, the skins of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts soften to, they are reassured by, the remembrance of God, that is, at the mention of His Promise. That, Book, is God's guidance, by which He guides whomever He will, of His servants; and whomever God leads astray, for him there is no guide.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Description of the Qur'an

Here Allah praises His Book, the Noble Qur'an, which was revealed to His noble Messenger.

Allah says,

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ

Allah has sent down the Best Statement, a Book, its parts resembling each other (and) oft-repeated.

Mujahid said,

"This means that the entire Qur'an's parts resemble each other and are oft-repeated."

Qatadah said,

"One Ayah resembles another and one letter resembles another."

Ad-Dahhak said,

"It is oft-repeated so that people will understand what their Lord tells them."

Ikrimah and Al-Hasan said,

"There may be an Ayah in one Surah, and another Ayah in another Surah that resembles it."

Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him;

"Oft-repeated means that parts of the Qur'an resemble one another and repeat one another."

Some of the scholars said that it was narrated from Sufyan bin `Uyaynah that
مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ
(its parts resembling each other (and) oft-repeated), means,

that some passages of the Qur'an may sometimes refer to one thing, so they resemble one another, and sometimes they mention a thing and its opposite. Such as when the believers then the disbelievers are mentioned, or when Paradise then Hell are described, and so on, and this is the meaning of oft-repeated.

Examples include the Ayat;

إِنَّ الاٌّبْرَارَ لَفِى نَعِيمٍ

وَإِنَّ الْفُجَّارَ لَفِى جَحِيمٍ

Verily, the most righteous will be in delight; and verily, the most wicked will be in the blazing Fire (Hell). (82;13-14)

كَلَّ إِنَّ كِتَابَ الفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٍ

(Nay! Truly, the Record of the most wicked is (preserved) in Sijjin), until
كَلَّ إِنَّ كِتَابَ الاَْبْرَارِ لَفِي عِلِّيِّينَ
(Nay! Verily, the Record of the most righteous is (preserved) in `Illiyyin), (83;7-18)

هَذَا ذِكْرٌ وَإِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسْنَ مَأبٍ
(This is a Reminder. And verily, for those who have Taqwa is a good final return (Paradise)), until;
هَذَا

وَإِنَّ لِلطَّاغِينَ لَشَرَّ مَأبٍ
(This is so! And for those who transgress, there will be an evil final return (Fire)). (38;49-55)

And there are other similar passages. All of this has to do with it being oft-repeated, i.e., when two meanings are referred to. But when a passage is about one thing, with some parts of it resembling others, this is;

"its parts resembling each other."

This is not the same as the Mutashabihat mentioned in the Ayah;

مِنْهُ ايَـتٌ مُّحْكَمَـتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَـبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَـبِهَـتٌ

In it are Ayat that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book; and others not entirely clear. (3;7)

that refers to something else altogether.

تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ

The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah.

means, this is the description of the righteous, when they hear the Words of the Compeller, the Protector, the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving, because they understand the promises and warnings contained therein. The frightening words and threats make their skin shiver from fear.

ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
(Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah), because of their hope for His mercy and kindness. They are unlike others, the wicked, immoral sinners, in a number of ways;

- First They listen to the recitation of the Ayat (of the Qur'an), while those (sinners) listen to poetic verse recited by female singers.

- Second When the Ayat of Ar-Rahman are recited to them, they fall down in prostration weeping, with the proper attitude of fear, hope, love, understanding and knowledge, as Allah says;

إِنَّمَا الْمُوْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـناً وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

أُوْلـيِكَ هُمُ الْمُوْمِنُونَ حَقّاً لَّهُمْ دَرَجَـتٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ

The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Ayat are recited unto them, they increase their faith; and they put their trust in their Lord; Who perform the Salah and spend out of that We have provided them. It is they who are the believers in it.

For them are grades of dignity with their Lord, and forgiveness and a generous provision (i.e., Paradise). (8;2-4)

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَمْ يَخِرُّواْ عَلَيْهَا صُمّاً وَعُمْيَاناً

And those who, when they are reminded of the Ayat of their Lord, fall not on them (as if they were) deaf and blind. (25;73)

When they hear the Ayat of Allah, they are not too busy to pay attention to them; they listen to them and understand their meanings. So they act upon them and prostrate when they hear them, out of understanding, not out of ignorance and blind following of others.

- Third they adhere to the correct etiquette when they listen to them. As the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to do when they listened to the words of Allah recited by the Messenger of Allah. Their skin would shiver, and their hearts would soften to the remembrance of Allah. They did not shout or do other actions that are not natural; on the contrary, they would sit quietly with the proper attitude of fear, in an unparalleled fashion. They attained the victory of praise from their Lord in this world and the Hereafter.

Abdur-Razzaq said, "Ma`mar told us that Qatadah, may Allah have mercy on him, recited,
تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
(The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it. Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah), and said,

`This is the characteristic of the friends of Allah; Allah has described them in this manner, saying that their skin shivers, their eyes weep and their hearts find rest to the remembrance of Allah. He did not say that they lose their minds and swoon; that is the characteristic of the followers of innovation, and that comes from the Shaytan."'

Allah's saying;

ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاء

That is the guidance of Allah. He guides therewith whom He wills;

means, this is the characteristic of those whom Allah has guided, and anyone who does anything different is one of those whom Allah has sent astray.

وَمَن يُضْلِلْ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ



and whomever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide.