قُل لَّآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ وَلَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ ۚ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْبَصِيرُ ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ 50
Translations
Say, [O Muḥammad], "I do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allāh or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me." Say, "Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?"
Transliteration
Qul lā aqulu lakum 'indi khazā'inu Allāhi wa lā a'lamu al-ghayba wa lā aqulu lakum innī malakun. In attabi'u illā mā yūhā ilayya. Qul hal yastawī al-a'mā wa al-basīr. Afalā tatafakkarūn?
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to clarify to the disbelievers that he does not claim to possess the treasures of Allah, knowledge of the unseen, or to be an angel—rather, he is a human messenger who follows only what has been revealed to him. The ayah then presents an analogy comparing the blind and the sighted to illustrate the difference between those who accept guidance and those who reject it. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this ayah refutes false claims attributed to the Prophet and establishes the boundaries of his knowledge and authority, while also appealing to human reason (tafakkur) to recognize the distinction between guidance and misguidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Mecca during the period when the Quraysh were making various accusations against the Prophet, including claims that he possessed hidden treasures or claimed to know the unseen. The surah Al-An'am emphasizes tawhid (monotheism) and addresses the polytheists' misconceptions about the nature of prophethood.
Related Hadiths
In Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet said: 'I am not different from you except that the revelation comes to me.' This reinforces the message of 6:50 that the Prophet's distinction lies solely in receiving revelation, not in possessing superhuman powers. Additionally, in Sunan Ibn Majah, it is recorded that 'The most truthful of the truthful is he who says: I do not know what I do not know,' reflecting the epistemological humility taught in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to be humble about the limits of human knowledge and to recognize that true guidance comes through revelation, not through personal claims or assumptions. It also invites us to use our intellect ('aql) to distinguish between truth and falsehood, encouraging a rational yet spiritually grounded approach to faith.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَىٰكُمْ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ أَتَتْكُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ تَدْعُونَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Say, "Have you considered: if there came to you the punishment of Allāh or there came to you the Hour - is it other than Allāh you would invoke, if you should be truthful?"
وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِىَ نَفَقًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّمًا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَأْتِيَهُم بِـَٔايَةٍ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ ۚ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ
And if their evasion is difficult for you, then if you are able to seek a tunnel into the earth or a stairway into the sky to bring them a sign, [then do so]. But if Allāh had willed, He would have united them upon guidance. So never be of the ignorant.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ ۚ فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُوا۟ بِهَا بِكَـٰفِرِينَ
Those are the ones to whom We gave the Scripture and authority and prophethood. But if they [i.e., the disbelievers] deny it, then We have entrusted it to a people who are not therein disbelievers.
قُلْ أَنَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ كَٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَهْوَتْهُ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ حَيْرَانَ لَهُۥٓ أَصْحَـٰبٌ يَدْعُونَهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَى ٱئْتِنَا ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ ۖ وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Say, "Shall we invoke instead of Allāh that which neither benefits us nor harms us and be turned back on our heels after Allāh has guided us? [We would then be] like one whom the devils enticed [to wander] upon the earth confused, [while] he has companions inviting him to guidance, [calling], 'Come to us.'" Say, "Indeed, the guidance of Allāh is the [only] guidance; and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds.