Tafseer of The Prostration · As-Sajda · 32:13
And if We had willed, We could have given every soul its guidance, but the word from Me will come into effect [that] "I will surely fill Hell with jinn and people all together.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لآتَيْنَا كُلَّ نَفْسٍ هُدَاهَا وَلَكِنْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنِّي لأَمْلأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ (13) (And had We willed, We would have given every soul its guidance, but the Word from Me has been realized: I shall surely fill Hell (jahannam) with jinn and people together. (13))
The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: وَلَوْ شِئْنَا (And had We willed), O Muḥammad, لآتَيْنَا (We would have given) to these polytheists (mushrikīn) who ascribe partners to Allah from among your people, and to the rest of those who disbelieve in Allah, هُدَاهَا (its guidance), that is to say: its right course and its assistance toward faith in Allah. وَلَكِنْ حَقَّ القَوْلُ مني (but the Word from Me has been realized). He says: the punishment (ʿadhāb) from Me against them has become obligatory. And His saying: لأمْلأنَّ جَهَنَّمَ منَ الجِنَّة والنَّاسِ أجمَعِينَ (I shall surely fill Hell (jahannam) with jinn and people together), that is to say: with the people of disobedience and disbelief in Allah among them.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: وَلَوْ شِئْنا لآتَيْنا كُلَّ نَفْسٍ هُداها (And had We willed, We would have given every soul its guidance). He said: Had Allah willed, He would have guided all people; had Allah willed, He would have sent down upon them from heaven a sign, so that their necks would bow in submission before it. وَلَكِنْ حَقَّ القَوْلُ مِنِّي (but the Word from Me has been realized) — the Word has been realized against them.
