يَـٰقَوْمَنَآ أَجِيبُوا۟ دَاعِىَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُجِرْكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ 31
Translations
O our people, respond to the Caller [i.e., Messenger] of Allāh and believe in him; He [i.e., Allāh] will forgive for you your sins and protect you from a painful punishment.
Transliteration
Ya qawmana ajiboo daa'i-Allah wa aaminoo bihi yaghfir lakum min dhunubikum wa yujirkum min adhaabin aleem
Tafsir (Explanation)
The believing jinns address their people, urging them to respond to Allah's call (the message of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) and believe in him, assuring them that doing so will result in forgiveness of sins and protection from painful punishment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this represents the jinns' testimony to the truth of the Prophet's message and their invitation to their own kind to embrace Islam, demonstrating the universal nature of Allah's guidance across all creation.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the context of Surah Al-Ahqaf, which discusses the jinns' belief in the Quran (46:29-32). The broader context depicts a group of righteous jinns who listened to the Quran being recited and believed, then returned to warn their people. This particular ayah represents their earnest plea to their kinfolk, emphasizing the immediate and tangible benefits of faith: divine forgiveness and salvation from torment.
Related Hadiths
Related to the theme of responding to Allah's call: Hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet ﷺ said, 'Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of those who follow him, without any decrease in their rewards.' Also relevant: the account in Sahih Bukhari of the jinns who listened to the Quran and believed (46:29-32 context).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims the importance of conveying the message of Islam to others and responding earnestly to Allah's call, knowing that sincere belief and obedience bring both spiritual rewards (forgiveness) and protection from harm. It reminds us that guidance is available to all of creation, and our role as believers includes being advocates for faith to those around us.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلَّذِى قَالَ لِوَٰلِدَيْهِ أُفٍّ لَّكُمَآ أَتَعِدَانِنِىٓ أَنْ أُخْرَجَ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ ٱلْقُرُونُ مِن قَبْلِى وَهُمَا يَسْتَغِيثَانِ ٱللَّهَ وَيْلَكَ ءَامِنْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَيَقُولُ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
But one who says to his parents, "Uff to you; do you promise me that I will be brought forth [from the earth] when generations before me have already passed on [into oblivion]?" while they call to Allāh for help [and to their son], "Woe to you! Believe! Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth." But he says, "This is not but legends of the former peoples" -
وَمِن قَبْلِهِۦ كِتَـٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً ۚ وَهَـٰذَا كِتَـٰبٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّسَانًا عَرَبِيًّا لِّيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ
And before it was the scripture of Moses to lead and as a mercy. And this is a confirming Book in an Arabic tongue to warn those who have wronged and as good tidings to the doers of good.
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰقَوْمَنَآ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا كِتَـٰبًا أُنزِلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ وَإِلَىٰ طَرِيقٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
They said, "O our people, indeed we have heard a [recited] Book revealed after Moses confirming what was before it which guides to the truth and to a straight path.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنْهُمْ أَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَنَتَجَاوَزُ عَن سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ فِىٓ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ۖ وَعْدَ ٱلصِّدْقِ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ
Those are the ones from whom We will accept the best of what they did and overlook their misdeeds, [their being] among the companions of Paradise. [That is] the promise of truth which they had been promised.