Tafseer of Ornaments of gold · Az-Zukhruf · 43:17
And when one of them is given good tidings of that which he attributes to the Most Merciful in comparison, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.
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.
( And when one of them is given the glad tidings of that which he ascribes to the Most Merciful as a likeness ) The Exalted, whose praise is mentioned, says: and when one of these polytheists (mushrikīn) — those who ascribe to Allah a portion of His servants — is given the glad tidings of that which he ascribes to the Most Merciful as a likeness. He says: of that with which he equates Allah and to which he attributes to Him a resemblance, and that is what he has ascribed to Him, namely that He should have daughters.
As Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both of them — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word: ( of that which he ascribes to the Most Merciful as a likeness ) he said: a child.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: ( of that which he ascribes to the Most Merciful as a likeness ): of that which he ascribes to Allah.
And His word: ( his face becomes black ) The Exalted, whose praise is mentioned, says: the face of this person, to whom is given the glad tidings of that which he ascribes to the Most Merciful as a likeness in the form of daughters, becomes black because of the evil of that of which he has been given tidings. ( while he is filled with grief ) He says: and he is grieved.
As Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda ( while he is filled with grief ): that is, grieved.
