لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَتَقَدَّمَ أَوْ يَتَأَخَّرَ 37
Translations
To whoever wills among you to proceed or stay behind.
Transliteration
Liman shaaa minkum an yataqaddama aw yata'akhkhara
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes human free will and choice in matters of faith and deeds, stating that whoever among you wishes may advance (in righteousness and obedience) or fall back (in negligence and sin). Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret this as affirming that Allah has granted humans the capacity to choose their path, while simultaneously warning that such choice carries responsibility and consequence on the Day of Judgment. The verse balances the Islamic doctrine of qadar (divine decree) with human agency and moral accountability.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Muddaththir, a Meccan surah revealed during the early persecution of Muslims. It comes near the surah's conclusion as part of the broader context warning of Hell and its keepers, and emphasizing that each soul bears responsibility for its choices and will face the consequences in the Hereafter.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'Each of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock' (Sahih Bukhari), emphasizing personal responsibility. Also relevant: 'There is no compulsion in religion' (Quran 2:256), which the Prophet's teachings repeatedly reinforced regarding human choice in faith.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that while Allah has given us the freedom to choose our spiritual path, we are ultimately accountable for those choices and cannot blame external circumstances or others for our spiritual state. It calls us to take ownership of our faith journey and recognize that advancement or decline in righteousness is largely determined by our deliberate choices and efforts.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ
Then he desires that I should add more.
وَمَا جَعَلْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةً ۙ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا عِدَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِيَسْتَيْقِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَيَزْدَادَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنًا ۙ وَلَا يَرْتَابَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۙ وَلِيَقُولَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلًا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَمَا هِىَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْبَشَرِ
And We have not made the keepers of the Fire except angels. And We have not made their number except as a trial for those who disbelieve - that those who were given the Scripture will be convinced and those who have believed will increase in faith and those who were given the Scripture and the believers will not doubt and that those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] and the disbelievers will say, "What does Allāh intend by this as an example?" Thus does Allāh send astray whom He wills and guide whom He wills. And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him. And it [i.e., mention of the Fire] is not but a reminder to humanity.
وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ ٱلْمِسْكِينَ
Nor did we used to feed the poor.
بَلْ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُؤْتَىٰ صُحُفًا مُّنَشَّرَةً
Rather, every person among them desires that he would be given scriptures spread about.