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
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلنُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُوا۟ بِهَا فِى ظُلُمَـٰتِ ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ ۗ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
And it is He who placed for you the stars that you may be guided by them through the darknesses of the land and sea. We have detailed the signs for a people who know.
۞ إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ ۘ وَٱلْمَوْتَىٰ يَبْعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
Only those who hear will respond. But the dead - Allāh will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned.
وَأَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ لَئِن جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَةٌ لَّيُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهَا ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَنَّهَآ إِذَا جَآءَتْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
And they swear by Allāh their strongest oaths that if a sign came to them, they would surely believe in it. Say, "The signs are only with [i.e., from] Allāh." And what will make you perceive that even if it [i.e., a sign] came, they would not believe.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ وَلِيَقُولُوا۟ دَرَسْتَ وَلِنُبَيِّنَهُۥ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
And thus do We diversify the verses so they [i.e., the disbelievers] will say, "You have studied," and so We may make it [i.e., the Qur’ān] clear for a people who know.