يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ 21
Translations
O my people, enter the blessed land [i.e., Palestine] which Allāh has assigned to you and do not turn back [from fighting in Allāh's cause] and [thus] become losers."
Transliteration
Ya qawmi udkhulu al-arda al-muqaddasa allati kataba Allahu lakum wa la tartaddu ala adbarikum fatanqalibu khasirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Musa (peace be upon him) exhorts his people to enter the Holy Land (al-Ard al-Muqaddasa) that Allah has decreed and promised for them, warning them against retreating in fear and cowardice, which would result in their loss and ruin. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers to the land of Canaan (Palestine/Levant) that Allah had promised to the Children of Israel, and the command reflects both divine favor and the requirement of human effort and courage to claim it.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Musa commanding the Israelites to enter the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt. This incident refers to the events at Kadesh when the twelve spies were sent to scout the land; ten returned with discouraging reports, causing the people to refuse entry out of fear of the inhabitants. The ayah emphasizes the consequences of disobedience and loss of faith in Allah's promise.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly quotes this verse, the hadith tradition frequently references the theme of tawakkul (trust in Allah) and overcoming fear in fulfilling divine commands. Related thematically is the principle mentioned in various ahadith about how Allah grants victory to those who strive with courage and faith, as opposed to those who retreat in cowardice.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that accepting Allah's guidance and promises requires active courage and effort, not passive fear or doubt; retreating from righteous action due to worldly concerns or fear of opposition leads to spiritual and material loss. For contemporary believers, it emphasizes the importance of firm resolve, trust in divine support, and not allowing fear or discouragement to deter us from pursuing righteous goals.