وَٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ ۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلْتَحَدًا 27
Translations
And recite, [O Muḥammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge.
Transliteration
Wa-itlu ma uhiya ilayka min kitabi rabbika la muabaddila li-kalimatihi wa-lan tajida min dunihil multahada
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to recite and convey the Quran as it was revealed to him, emphasizing that Allah's words are immutable and unchangeable. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as a stern warning against distortion, alteration, or omission of the Divine revelation, asserting the Quran's absolute preservation and that no alternative or refuge exists outside of Allah's words for guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Kahf, which addresses the spiritual challenges faced by the Muslim community in Mecca during the early Islamic period. It serves as a general directive to the Prophet regarding his duty to faithfully transmit the Quran without any modification, reinforcing the concept of the Quran's eternal protection and immutability.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027). Additionally, 'Whoever recites the Quran and acts upon it, Allah will raise him in the Day of Judgment with honor' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2914).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the Quran is the unchanged word of Allah and must be approached with reverence and accuracy, making it incumbent upon Muslims to preserve its authenticity and meaning. For modern readers, it emphasizes that true guidance comes only from Allah's revelation without human modification, and that seeking truth elsewhere leads to spiritual misguidance.
Related Ayahs
كَذَٰلِكَ وَقَدْ أَحَطْنَا بِمَا لَدَيْهِ خُبْرًا
Thus. And We had encompassed [all] that he had in knowledge.
قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّى فِيهِ رَبِّى خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِى بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا
He said, "That in which my Lord has established me is better [than what you offer], but assist me with strength [i.e., manpower]; I will make between you and them a dam.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَآئِهِۦ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ وَزْنًا
Those are the ones who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in [their] meeting Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection any weight [i.e., importance].
وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى لَمْ أُشْرِكْ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدًا
And his fruits were encompassed [by ruin], so he began to turn his hands about [in dismay] over what he had spent on it, while it had collapsed upon its trellises, and said, "Oh, I wish I had not associated with my Lord anyone."