أَمْ تَسْـَٔلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ 46
Translations
Or do you ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?
Transliteration
Am tas'aluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muthqalun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), asking rhetorically whether he demands any compensation from the disbelievers for conveying the message of Islam, such that they feel burdened by a debt they must repay. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Allah is affirming that the Prophet seeks no worldly reward from the people for his message; rather, his mission is purely for the sake of Allah. The ayah highlights the Prophet's sincerity and selflessness in preaching, while implicitly rebuking those who might refuse belief out of concern for material loss.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Qalam is a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of Islam when the Prophet faced significant opposition and accusations from the Quraysh. This ayah occurs within a section defending the Prophet's character and mission against the slanders of his opponents. The context emphasizes that the Prophet's call to Islam imposes no financial burden on those who accept it, countering the Quraysh's false objections to his message.
Related Hadiths
The theme of the Prophet seeking no reward is reinforced in Surah Ash-Shuura (42:23) where Allah says the Prophet asks for no reward except love of kinship. Additionally, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet never accepted gifts in exchange for teaching Islam, demonstrating his implementation of this principle (related in various collections).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that true service to Allah's cause should be free from personal financial motivation or expectation of reward from people. For modern readers, it emphasizes that Islamic knowledge and guidance should be shared generously without commercializing faith, and that sincere da'wah (call to Islam) is rooted in love for Allah's religion, not personal gain.