وَلَا يَصُدُّنَّكَ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أُنزِلَتْ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ 87
Translations
And never let them avert you from the verses of Allāh after they have been revealed to you. And invite [people] to your Lord. And never be of those who associate others with Allāh.
Transliteration
Wa lā yaṣiddunnaka ʿan āyāti -llāhi baʿda idhā unzilat ilayka wa -dʿu ilā rabbika wa lā takūnanna mina -lmushrikīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is a Divine command to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) not to be turned away from the signs of Allah after they have been revealed to him, and to continue calling people to his Lord without becoming among those who associate partners with Allah. Ibn Kathir explains that this verse addresses the pressure the Meccan polytheists placed on the Prophet to abandon his message, emphasizing that steadfastness in conveying the Quranic revelation is essential and incompatible with shirk (polytheism). Al-Qurtubi notes this serves as an affirmation of the Prophet's divine mission despite opposition.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears near the end of Surah Al-Qasas, which narrates stories of prophets and their struggles against opposition. The broader context relates to the Meccan period when the Prophet faced intense persecution and pressure from the Quraysh to compromise his monotheistic message. The verse reinforces the theme of the surah: prophets persevere in calling to Allah despite rejection and hostility.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim reports that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best jihad is a word of truth spoken before a tyrannical ruler.' This aligns with the ayah's command to call to Allah despite opposition. Additionally, Tirmidhi records that the Prophet emphasized unwavering commitment to the message regardless of external pressures.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that commitment to Allah's signs and message must remain unshakeable despite social pressure, ridicule, or persecution from non-believers. It reminds us that spreading monotheism and truth requires courage, consistency, and refusal to compromise core Islamic principles for acceptance or comfort.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ فَأْتُوا۟ بِكِتَـٰبٍ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ أَهْدَىٰ مِنْهُمَآ أَتَّبِعْهُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Say, "Then bring a scripture from Allāh which is more guiding than either of them that I may follow it, if you should be truthful."
فَأَصْبَحَ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ خَآئِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَنصَرَهُۥ بِٱلْأَمْسِ يَسْتَصْرِخُهُۥ ۚ قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّكَ لَغَوِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ
And he became inside the city fearful and anticipating [exposure], when suddenly the one who sought his help the previous day cried out to him [once again]. Moses said to him, "Indeed, you are an evident, [persistent] deviator."
وَأَصْبَحَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَمَنَّوْا۟ مَكَانَهُۥ بِٱلْأَمْسِ يَقُولُونَ وَيْكَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَقْدِرُ ۖ لَوْلَآ أَن مَّنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَا ۖ وَيْكَأَنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, "Oh, how Allāh extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it! If not that Allāh had conferred favor on us, He would have caused it to swallow us. Oh, how the disbelievers do not succeed!"
وَٱبْتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَأَحْسِن كَمَآ أَحْسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَلَا تَبْغِ ٱلْفَسَادَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
But seek, through that which Allāh has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allāh has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allāh does not like corrupters."