Ash-Shuraa 42:23
The Consultation · Juz 25 · Page 486
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِۗ قُل لَّآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرًا إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوَدَّةَ فِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰۗ وَمَن يَقۡتَرِفۡ حَسَنَةٗ نَّزِدۡ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسۡنًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ شَكُورٌ ٢٣
It is that of which Allāh gives good tidings to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say, [O Muḥammad], "I do not ask you for it [i.e., this message] any payment [but] only good will through [i.e., due to] kinship." And whoever commits a good deed - We will increase for him good therein. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Appreciative.1
1 translator’s note
- See footnote in 35:30. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 42:22–23
‘I do not ask any reward for that, except (that I am inviting you to God because) of love of kinship.’ The Prophet uttered these words at a time when the people of his own tribe, the Quraysh, were putting impediments in the way of his dawah activity. Under these circumstances, the aforesaid statement was meant to convey that they might not accept the Prophet’s religion, if they did not want to, but they should at least take into account their relationship with him and refrain from tormenting him. In other words, he meant to say that even if they had religious differences with him, they should maintain a proper level of politeness, decency and moral values. In this way it was indirectly established that the opponents of his call for Truth were not only his personal opponents but were also morally guilty. They proved themselves wrong according to moral standards, the importance of which was established among them too.
Page 486
42:23
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِۗ قُل لَّآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرًا إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوَدَّةَ فِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰۗ وَمَن يَقۡتَرِفۡ حَسَنَةٗ نَّزِدۡ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسۡنًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ شَكُورٌ ٢٣
It is that of which Allāh gives good tidings to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say, [O Muḥammad], "I do not ask you for it [i.e., this message] any payment [but] only good will through [i.e., due to] kinship." And whoever commits a good deed - We will increase for him good therein. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Appreciative.1
1 translator’s note
- See footnote in 35:30. ↩
42:24
أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗاۖ فَإِن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يَخۡتِمۡ عَلَىٰ قَلۡبِكَۗ وَيَمۡحُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَٰطِلَ وَيُحِقُّ ٱلۡحَقَّ بِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ ٢٤
Or do they say, "He has invented about Allāh a lie"? But if Allāh willed, He could seal over your heart.1 And Allāh eliminates falsehood and establishes the truth by His words. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., He could make you forget the Qur’ān and deprive you of it. ↩
42:25
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي يَقۡبَلُ ٱلتَّوۡبَةَ عَنۡ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَنِ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تَفۡعَلُونَ ٢٥
And it is He who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.
42:26
وَيَسۡتَجِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَيَزِيدُهُم مِّن فَضۡلِهِۦۚ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ شَدِيدٞ ٢٦
And He answers [the supplication of] those who have believed and done righteous deeds and increases [for] them from His bounty. But the disbelievers will have a severe punishment.
42:27
۞ وَلَوۡ بَسَطَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ لَبَغَوۡاْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَٰكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٖ مَّا يَشَآءُۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرُۢ بَصِيرٞ ٢٧
And if Allāh had extended [excessively] provision for His servants, they would have committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends [it] down in an amount which He wills. Indeed He is, of His servants, Aware and Seeing.
42:28
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ ٱلۡغَيۡثَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا قَنَطُواْ وَيَنشُرُ رَحۡمَتَهُۥۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡوَلِيُّ ٱلۡحَمِيدُ ٢٨
And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads His mercy. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.
42:29
وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ خَلۡقُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِيهِمَا مِن دَآبَّةٖۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ جَمۡعِهِمۡ إِذَا يَشَآءُ قَدِيرٞ ٢٩
And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and earth and what He has dispersed throughout them of creatures. And He, for gathering them when He wills, is competent.
42:30
وَمَآ أَصَٰبَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٖ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِيكُمۡ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٖ ٣٠
And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.
42:31
وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعۡجِزِينَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا نَصِيرٖ ٣١
And you will not cause failure [to Allāh]1 upon the earth. And you have not besides Allāh any protector or helper.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., escape from Him. ↩