وَمَا نُرْسِلُ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ ۖ فَمَنْ ءَامَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ 48
Translations
And We send not the messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warners. So whoever believes and reforms - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
Transliteration
Wa mā nursilu al-mursalīna illā mubashshirīna wa mundhirīn, fa man āmana wa aslaha fa lā khawfun ʿalayhim wa lā hum yahzanūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the dual purpose of all messengers: to bring glad tidings (bashārah) of reward to the believers and to warn (indhār) the disbelievers of punishment. The verse then presents the guarantee that those who believe and perform righteous deeds will have no fear in the afterlife, nor will they grieve, establishing the logical consequence of heeding the messengers' message. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this encapsulates the complete mission of prophethood—mercy and warning—while Al-Qurtubi notes that the conditions for salvation are two: belief (īmān) coupled with righteous action (islāh).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Al-An'am, which focuses on the oneness of Allah and the rejection of idolatry. The verse is part of the broader thematic context establishing the role of messengers in guiding humanity, responding to the Quraysh's rejection of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by clarifying that all messengers have always carried the same dual message.
Related Hadiths
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'I have been sent as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner' (Sahih Bukhari 1:3). Additionally, 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Muslim 47) relates to the positive fruits of belief and righteous conduct.
Themes
Key Lesson
The path to inner peace and salvation lies in two inseparable elements: genuine belief in Allah and His messengers, coupled with consistent righteous action in daily life. Modern believers should recognize that hearing the message is only the beginning; true benefit comes from embracing faith and translating it into moral and ethical behavior.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ رُدُّوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَوْلَىٰهُمُ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ ٱلْحَـٰسِبِينَ
Then they [i.e., His servants] are returned to Allāh, their true Lord. Unquestionably, His is the judgement, and He is the swiftest of accountants.
بَلْ إِيَّاهُ تَدْعُونَ فَيَكْشِفُ مَا تَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِن شَآءَ وَتَنسَوْنَ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ
No, it is Him [alone] you would invoke, and He would remove that for which you invoked Him if He willed, and you would forget what you associate [with Him].
أَفَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبْتَغِى حَكَمًا وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مُفَصَّلًا ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُۥ مُنَزَّلٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُمْتَرِينَ
[Say], "Then is it other than Allāh I should seek as judge while it is He who has revealed to you the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] explained in detail?" And those to whom We [previously] gave the Scripture know that it is sent down from your Lord in truth, so never be among the doubters.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ كُن فَيَكُونُ ۚ قَوْلُهُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۚ وَلَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ ۚ عَـٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
And it is He who created the heavens and earth in truth. And the day [i.e., whenever] He says, "Be," and it is, His word is the truth. And His is the dominion [on] the Day the Horn is blown. [He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed; and He is the Wise, the Aware.