أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ 157
Translations
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.
Transliteration
Ulā'ika 'alayhim salawātun min rabbihim wa rahmatun wa ulā'ika humu al-muhtadūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to those who believe in the unseen and establish prayer, indicating that upon them descend blessings (salawāt) and mercy from their Lord, and they are the truly guided ones. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain that 'salawāt' here means Allah's praise, honor, and blessings upon the believers, while 'rahma' (mercy) represents His compassion and forgiveness. This ayah concludes the description of the muttaqin (the God-fearing) begun in verses 2:2-5, affirming that true guidance and divine favor belong exclusively to those who possess complete faith and righteous action.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the opening section of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:1-5) which describes the characteristics of the believers who will succeed. The surah was revealed in Medina after the Hijrah, and this particular passage establishes the spiritual foundation for the Muslim community, contrasting the guided believers with those who reject faith and those who are hypocrites (munāfiqūn), described in subsequent verses.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027). Also relevant is the hadith: 'Whoever guides to good is like one who does it' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2674), connecting guidance with divine reward and mercy.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers who maintain sincere faith and righteous deeds receive continuous blessings and mercy from Allah, and this divine favor is the ultimate measure of success. In our modern context, this encourages us to seek authentic guidance through Qur'anic knowledge and righteous action, knowing that true prosperity lies not in worldly gains but in being among those whom Allah has guided and blessed.
Related Ayahs
وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَىٰ مَيْسَرَةٍ ۚ وَأَن تَصَدَّقُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease. But if you give [from your right as] charity, then it is better for you, if you only knew.
وَٱتَّقُوا۟ يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allāh. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged [i.e., treated unjustly].
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ كِتَـٰبٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُوا۟ كَفَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ فَلَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And when there came to them a Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] from Allāh confirming that which was with them - although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved - but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allāh will be upon the disbelievers.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَعْرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)] as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know [it].