Transliteration:( Qul huwal Qaadiru 'alaaa ai yab'asa 'alaikum 'azaabam min fawqikum aw min tahti arjulikum aw yalbisakum shiya'anw wa yuzeeqa ba'dakum ba'sa ba'd; unzur kaifa nusarriful Aayaati la'allahum yafqahoon )
This verse outlines three forms of Divine punishment:
From above – such as storms, lightning, or aerial bombardment.
From beneath – like earthquakes or land collapses.
Internal strife – when people are divided into factions, and violence erupts from within.
The third—mutual discord and bloodshed—is considered particularly painful, and is clearly seen today in wars and divisions within the Muslim world. Such trials are not random, but are a direct consequence of collective wrongdoing.
When these verses were revealed, the Holy Prophet ﷺ responded with deep humility:
For punishment “from above” and “from beneath,” he prayed: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You.”
For “internal division and mutual violence,” he remarked: “This would be easier,” though it was not rejected—indicating it may be allowed as a test.
According to Hadith (Bukhārī & Muslim Shareef):
The Prophet ﷺ made three duʿās:
“Do not destroy my ummah through famine” – accepted.
“Do not destroy them by drowning” – accepted.
“Do not allow internal conflict among them” – not accepted.
This verse and the Hadith together stress that inner disunity is one of the most testing forms of divine trial, one that must be addressed with repentance and reform.
The tafsir of Surah Al-Anam verse 65 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Anam ayat 63 which provides the complete commentary from verse 63 through 65.
(6:65) Say: “It is He Who has the power to send forth chastisement upon you from above you, or from beneath your feet, or split you into hostile groups and make some of you taste each others’ violence. Behold, how We set forth Our signs in diverse forms, so that maybe they will understand the Truth”.[42]
42. God’s punishment can strike in an instant. This is the warning to those who, supposing such punishment to he remote, were growing bolder in their hostility towards the Truth. They could be destroyed in a moment by a hurricane. Just a few earthquake trernors could raze villages and cities to the ground. Likewise, a few spark, of hostility could ultimately wreak such havoc among tribes. nations and countries that bloodshed and lawlessness plague them for years on end. Hence if they are spared punishments for a while that should not drug them to heedlessness and lead them to live in total disregard of distinctions between right and wrong. They should rather he grateful that God had given thern respite and by means of a number of signs He was making it possible for thern to recognize the Truth and foliow it.
[314]- Following your own inclinations rather than the truth, biased and hostile toward each other.
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