Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 35

Mufti Taqi Usmani

O you who believe, fear Allah and seek means of nearness to Him, and carry out Jihād in His way, so that you may succeed.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

O believers! Be mindful of Allah and seek what brings you closer to Him and struggle in His Way, so you may be successful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

O you who believe, fear Allah and seek the means of nearness to Him, and struggle in His way, so that you may succeed.

A. J. Arberry

O believers, fear God, and seek the means to come to Him, and struggle in His way; haply you will prosper.

Abdul Haleem

You who believe, be mindful of God, seek ways to come closer to Him and strive for His cause, so that you may prosper.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

O ye who believe! fear Allah and seek approach unto Him and strive hard in His way, that haply ye may fare well.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O ye who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive with might and main in his cause; that ye may prosper.

Abul Ala Maududi

Believers! Fear Allah and seek the means to come near to Him, and strive hard in His way; maybe you will attain true success.

Ahmed Ali

O you who believe, follow the path shown to you by God, and seek the way of proximity to Him, and struggle in His way: you may have success.

Ahmed Raza Khan

O People who Believe! Fear Allah, and seek the means towards Him, and strive in His cause, in the hope of attaining success.

Ali Quli Qarai

O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah, and seek the means of recourse to Him, and wage jihad in His way, so that you may be felicitous.

Ali Ünal

O you who believe! Keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety, and seek the means to come closer to Him, and strive in His way, so that you may prosper (in both worlds).

Amatul Rahman Omar

O you who believe! take Allâh as a shield and seek means of nearness to Him, and struggle for His cause, so that you may attain your goal.

English Literal

You, you those who believed, fear and obey God, and ask/wish to him the means to approach , and struggle in His way/path (sake), maybe you succeed/win.

Faridul Haque

O People who Believe! Fear Allah, and seek the means towards Him, and strive in His cause, in the hope of attaining success.

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, those who disbelieve, even though they had all that is in the earth, and the like thereof with it, to offer as a ransom from the punishment of the Day of Resurrection, it would not be accepted from them; but for them is grievous woe.

Hilali & Khan

O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah and fear Him. Seek the means of approach to Him, and strive hard in His Cause as much as you can. So that you may be successful.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Except those who repent before you overpower them; so know that Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

O you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

O ye who believe! Be mindful of your duty to Allah, and seek the way of approach unto Him, and strive in His way in order that ye may succeed.

Muhammad Sarwar

Believers, have fear of God. Find the means to reach Him and strive hard for His cause so that you may have everlasting happiness.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Believers, have fear of Allah and seek the means by which you come to Him. Struggle in His Way in order that you are prosperous.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah and seek the Wasilah to Him, and strive hard in His cause, so that you may be successful.

Wahiduddin Khan

Believers, fear God and seek ways to come closer to Him and strive for His cause, so that you may prosper.

Talal Itani

O you who believe! Be conscious of God, and seek the means of approach to Him, and strive in His cause, so that you may succeed.

Tafsir jalalayn

O you who believe, fear God, fear His chastisement, by being obedient to Him, and seek the means to Him, that obedience which brings you closer to Him, and struggle in His way, in order to elevate His religion; so that you might prosper, triumph.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Commanding Taqwa, Wasilah, and Jihad

Allah commands;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ

O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah,

Allah commands His faithful servants to fear Him in Taqwa, which if mentioned along with acts of obedience, it means to refrain from the prohibitions and the prohibited matters.

Allah said next,

وَابْتَغُواْ إِلَيهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ

and seek the Wasilah to Him.

Sufyan Ath-Thawri said that Talhah said that Ata said that Ibn Abbas said that;
Wasilah means `the means of approach'.

Mujahid, Abu Wa'il, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Abdullah bin Kathir, As-Suddi, Ibn Zayd and others gave the same meaning for Wasilah.

Qatadah said that the Ayah means,

"Seek the means of approach to Him by obeying Him and performing the acts that please Him."

أُولَـيِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ

Those whom they call upon seek a means of access to their Lord (Allah). (17;57)
Wasilah is a means of approach to achieve something, and it is also used to refer to the highest grade in Paradise, and it is the grade of the Messenger of Allah, his residence and the nearest grade in Paradise to Allah's Throne.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ النِّدَاءَ

Whoever, after hearing to the Adhan says,

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلَةِ الْقَايِمَةِ اتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ

"O Allah! Lord of this perfect call and of the regular prayer which is going to be established! Grant Muhammad the Wasilah and superiority and send him (on the Day of Judgment) to the praiseworthy station which You have promised him,"

إِلاَّ حَلَّتْ لَهُ الشَّفَاعَةُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة

then intercession from me will be permitted for him on the Day of Resurrection.

Muslim recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As said that he heard the Prophet saying,

إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ الْمُوَذِّنَ فَقُولُوا مِثْلَ مَا يَقُولُ ثُمَّ صَلُّوا عَلَيَّ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ صَلَةً صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرًا ثُمَّ سَلُوا لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ فَإِنَّهَا مَنْزِلَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَا تَنْبَغِي إِلاَّ لِعَبْدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللهِ وَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَنَا هُوَ فَمَنْ سَأَلَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ حَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّفَاعَة

When you hear the Mu'adhdhin, repeat what he says, and then ask for Salah (blessing, mercy from Allah) for me. Verily, whoever asks for Salah for me, then Allah will grant ten Salah to him. Then, ask for the Wasilah for me, for it is a grade in Paradise that only one servant of Allah deserves, and I hope that I am that servant. Verily, whoever asks (Allah) for Wasilah for me, he will earn the right of my intercession.

Allah said,

وَجَاهِدُواْ فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ



and strive hard in His cause as much as you can. So that you may be successful.

After Allah commanded Muslims to avoid the prohibitions and to work towards obedience, He commanded them to fight against their enemies, the disbelievers and idolators who have deviated from the straight path and abandoned the correct religion. Allah encouraged the believers by reminding them of the unending success and great happiness that He prepared for them for the Day of Resurrection, which will never change or decrease for those who join Jihad in His cause. They will remain in the lofty rooms of Paradise that are safe and beautiful. Those who live in these dwellings will always be comfortable and will never be miserable, living, never dying, and their clothes will never grow thin, nor will their youth ever end.
No Amount of Ransom Shall Be Accepted from the Disbelievers on the Day of the Judgment and They Will Remain in the Fire

Allah then describes the painful torment and punishment that He has prepared for His disbelieving enemies for the Day of Resurrection.

Allah said,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُم مَّا فِي الَارْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُواْ بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ