وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ وَلِتَسْتَبِينَ سَبِيلُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ 55
Translations
And thus do We detail the verses, and [thus] the way of the criminals will become evident.
Transliteration
Wa-kadhalika nufassilu al-ayati wa-litastabina sabilu al-mujrimeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah explains that just as He has detailed His signs and verses clearly in the Quran, this detailed exposition serves to make the path of the criminals (those who reject faith and commit sin) become evident and distinguishable from the path of the righteous. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the purpose of this clarity is both to guide the believers and to expose the falsehood and deviation of those who persist in transgression, leaving no excuse for rejection of the truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-An'am, a Meccan surah that emphasizes Allah's oneness, the clarity of His signs, and the reality of the Day of Judgment. It follows verses discussing the detailed exposition of Quranic verses and serves as a reminder that the Quran's clarity benefits both believers seeking guidance and exposes the stubbornness of those who reject it.
Related Hadiths
The hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (Sahih Bukhari 5057): 'The best speech is the Book of Allah,' relates to the Quran's role in clarifying truth and falsehood. Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the clarity of halal and haram reflects this ayah's theme of distinguishing between right and wrong paths.
Themes
Key Lesson
The detailed clarity of Allah's guidance in the Quran leaves no one with an excuse for their choices; believers who seek truth will find it, while those who reject it do so with full knowledge. This teaches us that guidance is always available, and our responsibility is to earnestly seek it and follow the right path.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُن فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ وَٱللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ
Then there will be no [excuse upon] examination except they will say, "By Allāh, our Lord, we were not those who associated."
ذَٰلِكَ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ يَهْدِى بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ ۚ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
That is the guidance of Allāh by which He guides whomever He wills of His servants. But if they had associated others with Allāh, then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing.
وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا۟ فِى حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِۦ ۚ وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversation. And if Satan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people.
إِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا ۖ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Indeed, I have turned my face [i.e., self] toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allāh."