Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 24

Mufti Taqi Usmani

O you who believe, respond to Allah and the Messenger when He calls you to what gives you life, and be sure that Allah intervenes between man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

O believers! Respond to Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allah stands between a person and their heart, and that to Him you will all be gathered.

Ruwwad Translation Center

O you who believe, respond to Allah and the Messenger when He calls you to what gives you life, and know that Allah comes between a person and his heart, and it is to Him that you will all be gathered.

A. J. Arberry

O believers, respond to God and the Messenger when He calls you unto that which will give you life; and know that God stands between a man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be mustered.

Abdul Haleem

Believers, respond to God and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. Know that God comes between a man and his heart, and that you will be gathered to Him.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

O Ye who believe! answer Allah and the apostle when he calleth you to that which quickeneth you, and know that verily Allah interposeth between a man and his heart, and that verily unto Him ye all shall be gathered.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O ye who believe! give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calleth you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah cometh in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to Whom ye shall (all) be gathered.

Abul Ala Maududi

Believers! Respond to Allah, and respond to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. Know well that Allah stands between a man and his heart, and it is to Him that all of you shall be mustered.

Ahmed Ali

O believers, respond to the call of God and His Prophet when he calls you to what will give you life (and preservation). Remember that God intervenes between man and his heart, and that you will be gathered before Him.

Ahmed Raza Khan

O People who Believe! Present yourselves upon the command of Allah and His Noble Messenger, when the Noble Messenger calls you towards the matter that will bestow you life; and know that the command of Allah becomes a barrier between a man and his heart’s intentions, and that you will all be raised towards Him.

Ali Quli Qarai

O you who have faith! Answer Allah and the Apostle when he summons you to that which will give you life. Know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that toward Him you will be mustered.

Ali Ünal

O you who believe! Respond to God and to the Messenger when the Messenger calls you (in the Name of God) to that which gives you life; and know well that surely God "intervenes" between a person and his heart (to cause his heart to swerve); and that He it is to Whom you will be gathered.

Amatul Rahman Omar

O you who believe! respond to Allâh and the Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life and know that Allâh intervenes between a person and (the inclinations of) his heart and that it is He to Whom you shall all be gathered (after having been raised to life).

English Literal

You, you those who believed, answer/reply to God and to the messenger, if He called you to what revives/makes you alive, and know that God comes between/intervenes between the human/man and his heart/mind and that He, to Him you are being gathered.

Faridul Haque

O People who Believe! Present yourselves upon the command of Allah and His Noble Messenger, when the Noble Messenger calls you towards the matter that will bestow you life; and know that the command of Allah becomes a barrier between a man and his heart’s intentions, and that you will all be raised towards Him.

Hamid S. Aziz

O you who believe! Respond unto Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which quickens you; and know that Allah comes in between a man and his own heart; and that He it is unto Whom you shall be gathered.

Hilali & Khan

O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he (SAW) calls you to that which will give you life, and know that Allah comes in between a person and his heart (i.e. He prevents an evil person to decide anything). And verily to Him you shall (all) be gathered.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And if Allah had known any good in them, He would have made them hear. And if He makes them hear, they would turn away while they are averse.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

O you who believe! answer (the call of) Allah and His Apostle when he calls you to that which gives you life; and know that Allah intervenes between man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and the messenger when He calleth you to that which quickeneth you, and know that Allah cometh in between the man and his own heart, and that He it is unto Whom ye will be gathered.

Muhammad Sarwar

Believers, listen to God and the Messengers when they call you to that which gives you life. Know that God is between a man and his heart and that before Him you will all be brought together.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Believers, respond to Allah and the Messenger when he calls you to that which revives you. Know that Allah is between the person and his heart, and that toHim you shall all be gathered.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he (the Messenger) calls you to that which will give you life, and know that Allah comes between a person and his heart. And verily to Him you shall (all) be gathered.

Wahiduddin Khan

Believers, obey God and the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. Know that God stands between man and his heart, and you shall all be gathered in His presence.

Talal Itani

O you who believe! Respond to God and to the Messenger when He calls you to what will revive you. And know that God stands between a man and his heart, and that to Him you will be gathered.

Tafsir jalalayn

O you who believe, respond to God and the Messenger, with obedience, when He calls you to that which will give you life, in the matter of religion, for it will be the source of everlasting life [for you]; and know that God comes in between a man and his heart, so that he cannot believe or disbelieve except by His will; and that it is to Him that you shall be gathered, and He will requite you for your deeds.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Command to answer and obey Allah and His Messenger

Allah commands;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ

O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he (the Messenger) calls you to that which will give you life,

Al-Bukhari said,

"(
اسْتَجِيبُواْ
Answer), obey, (
لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ
that which will give you life) that which will make your affairs good."

Al-Bukhari went on to narrate that Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu`alla said,

"I was praying when the Prophet passed by and called me, but I did not answer him until I finished the prayer.

He said,

مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنِي أَلَمْ يَقُلِ اللَّهُ

What prevented you from answering me?

Has not Allah said;
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ
(O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life).'

He then said;

لَاأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ أَعْظَمَ سُورَةٍ فِي الْقُرانِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَخْرُج

I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur'an before I leave.

When he was about to leave, I mentioned what he said to me. He said,

الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

All the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of all that exists... (1;1-6)

هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي

Surely, it is the seven oft-repeated verses."'

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Muhammad bin Jafar bin Az-Zubayr said that Urwah bin Az-Zubayr explained this Ayah,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ
(O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life),

"Answer when called to war (Jihad) with which Allah gives you might after meekness, and strength after weakness, and shields you from the enemy who oppressed you."
Allah comes in between a Person and His Heart

Allah said,

وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ

and know that Allah comes in between a person and his heart.

Ibn Abbas commented,

"Allah prevents the believer from disbelief and the disbeliever from faith."

Al-Hakim recorded this in his Mustadrak and said, "It is Sahih and they did not record it."

Similar was said by Mujahid, Sa`id, Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Salih Atiyyah, Muqatil bin Hayyan and As-Suddi.

In another report from Mujahid, he commented;
يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ
(...comes in between a person and his heart).

"Leaves him without comprehension,"

As-Suddi said,

"Prevents one self from his own heart, so he will neither believe nor disbelieve except by His leave."

There are several Hadiths that conform with the meaning of this Ayah. For instance, Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said,

"The Prophet used to often say these words,

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِك

O You Who changes the hearts, make my heart firm on Your religion.

We said, `O Allah's Messenger! We believed in you and in what you brought us. Are you afraid for us?'

He said,

نَعَمْ إِنَّ الْقُلُوبَ بَيْنَ إِصْبَعَيْنِ مِنْ أَصَابِعِ اللهِ تَعَالَى يُقَلِّبُهَا

Yes, for the hearts are between two of Allah's Fingers, He changes them (as He wills)."

This is the same narration recorded by At-Tirmidhi in the Book of Qadar in his Jami (Sunan), and he said, "Hasan."

Imam Ahmad recorded that An-Nawwas bin Sam`an Al-Kilabi said that he heard the Prophet saying,

مَا مِنْ قَلْبٍ إِلاَّ وَهُوَ بَيْنَ أُصْبُعَيْنِ مِنْ أَصَابِعِ الرَّحْمَنِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يُقِيمَهُ أَقَامَهُ وَإِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يُزِيغَهُ أَزَاغَه

Every heart is between two of the Fingers of the Most Beneficent (Allah), Lord of all that exists, if He wills, He makes it straight, and if He wills, He makes it stray.

And he said;

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِك

O You Who changes the hearts! keep my heart firm on Your religion!

And he would say;

وَالْمِيزَانُ بِيَدِ الرَّحْمنِ يَخْفِضُهُ وَيَرْفَعُه

The Balance is in the Hand of Ar-Rahman, He raises and lowers it.

This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.

وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ



And verily to Him you shall (all) be gathered