وَأَنْ أَتْلُوَا۟ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ ۖ فَمَنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِى لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُنذِرِينَ 92
Translations
And to recite the Qur’ān." And whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] himself; and whoever strays - say, "I am only [one] of the warners."
Transliteration
Wa an atluwā al-Qur'āna faman ihtadā fa innamā yahtadī li nafsih wa man dallā faqul innamā anā min al-mundhirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah concludes the Prophet's mission statement, emphasizing that his role is to recite the Qur'an and warn people, not to compel them to believe. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, whoever finds guidance through the Qur'an benefits their own soul, while whoever goes astray bears their own burden—the Prophet is merely a warner, not responsible for their choice. This establishes the principle of human free will alongside divine guidance and the limits of the Prophet's responsibility.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears at the end of Surah An-Naml (Chapter 27), which is a Meccan surah dealing with divine signs and the stories of previous prophets. It comes after the narrative of Prophet Sulayman and provides a conclusive statement about the Prophet Muhammad's mission during the Meccan period when preaching was met with resistance and rejection.
Related Hadiths
The theme relates to Sahih Bukhari (3367) where the Prophet said: 'By Allah, if Allah guides one man through you, it is better for you than red camels,' emphasizing that guidance is from Allah. Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim about the Prophet's responsibility being only to convey the message clearly, not to guide hearts.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize that while we are responsible for seeking and sharing truth, ultimate guidance comes from Allah alone, and each person bears responsibility for their own spiritual choices. This liberates us from the burden of forcing others to believe while motivating us to earnestly convey the message with sincerity.
Related Ayahs
ٱرْجِعْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّهُم بِجُنُودٍ لَّا قِبَلَ لَهُم بِهَا وَلَنُخْرِجَنَّهُم مِّنْهَآ أَذِلَّةً وَهُمْ صَـٰغِرُونَ
Return to them, for we will surely come to them with soldiers that they will be powerless to encounter, and we will surely expel them therefrom in humiliation, and they will be debased."
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُو قَالَ أَكَذَّبْتُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِى وَلَمْ تُحِيطُوا۟ بِهَا عِلْمًا أَمَّاذَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
Until, when they arrive [at the place of Judgement], He will say, "Did you deny My signs while you encompassed them not in knowledge, or what [was it that] you were doing?"
وَمَن جَآءَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ فَكُبَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِى ٱلنَّارِ هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And whoever comes with an evil deed - their faces will be overturned into the Fire, [and it will be said], "Are you recompensed except for what you used to do?"
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَءِذَا كُنَّا تُرَٰبًا وَءَابَآؤُنَآ أَئِنَّا لَمُخْرَجُونَ
And those who disbelieve say, "When we have become dust as well as our forefathers, will we indeed be brought out [of the graves]?