Surah At-Tawba 9:109 — translation and meaning
التوبة · Verse 109 / 129 · Page 204
ۗ أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَانَهُ عَلَى تَقْوَى مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٍ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَانَهُ عَلَى شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍ فَانْهَارَ بِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Word by Word
Transliteration
Afaman assasa bunyaa nahoo 'alaa taqwaa minal laahi wa ridwaanin khairun am man assasa bunyaanahoo 'alaa shafaa jurufin haarin fanhaara bihee fee Naari Jahannnam; wallaahu laa yahdil qawmaz zaalimeen
Translation
Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allah and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Verse interpretation (Tafsir)
Can those who founded their building on recognition of Allah (by following His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions) and Allah’s pleasure (by doing all forms of good) be equal to those who built a mosque to cause harm to the Muslims, to strengthen disbelief and to cause disunity amongst the believers? They can never be equal! The first have a strong structure with good foundation so it will not collapse; yet the second group are similar to a person who built a structure on the edge of a pit that is about to collapse and which collapses with him into the depths of Hell. Allah does not guide those who do wrong by committing disbelief, hypocrisy and other wrongs.
Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.
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