رُّسُلًا مُّبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ حُجَّةٌۢ بَعْدَ ٱلرُّسُلِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا 165
Translations
[We sent] messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allāh after the messengers. And ever is Allāh Exalted in Might and Wise.
Transliteration
Rusulam mubashshirina wa mundhirina li-allaa yakuna li-l-nasi ala l-lahi hujjatun baada l-rusul. Wa kana l-lahu azizun hakiman.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah sent messengers as bearers of glad tidings and as warners so that humanity would have no argument or excuse before Allah after the coming of the prophets. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the dual role of messengers—bringing good news of reward for the righteous and warning of punishment for the disobedient—establishes clear proof (hujjah) against all people, eliminating any pretext for disbelief or rejection. The ayah concludes by emphasizing Allah's might (izzah) and wisdom (hikma) in this divine methodology.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Nisa's discussion of Allah's justice and the transmission of divine revelation. It relates to the broader Medinan theme of establishing the inescapability of the divine message and the responsibility of those who receive it, particularly relevant as the Islamic state was being established and people of various backgrounds were encountering the Message.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Every child is born upon the fitra (natural disposition), but his parents make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian' (Sahih Bukhari 1385), reflecting the concept that clear guidance has been made available. Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim about the Prophet's intercession on the Day of Judgment, which emphasizes the responsibility placed upon those who received the message through the messengers.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that Allah has provided clear guidance through His messengers, leaving no excuse for those who reject faith, and emphasizes our responsibility to convey the message with both encouragement and warning, reflecting the balanced approach required in Islamic da'wah (preaching).
Related Ayahs
قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ إِنِّى كَانَ لِى قَرِينٌ
A speaker among them will say, "Indeed, I had a companion [on earth].
ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَتُخْرِجُونَ فَرِيقًا مِّنكُم مِّن دِيَـٰرِهِمْ تَظَـٰهَرُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ وَإِن يَأْتُوكُمْ أُسَـٰرَىٰ تُفَـٰدُوهُمْ وَهُوَ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِخْرَاجُهُمْ ۚ أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ ۚ فَمَا جَزَآءُ مَن يَفْعَلُ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمْ إِلَّا خِزْىٌ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَشَدِّ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
Then, you are those [same ones who are] killing one another and evicting a party of your people from their homes, cooperating against them in sin and aggression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, although their eviction was forbidden to you. So do you believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part? Then what is the recompense for those who do that among you except disgrace in worldly life; and on the Day of Resurrection they will be sent back to the severest of punishment. And Allāh is not unaware of what you do.
إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَـٰطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
Indeed, those [worshippers] - destroyed is that in which they are [engaged], and worthless is whatever they were doing."
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِّن قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمًا فَـٰسِقِينَ
And [We destroyed] the people of Noah before; indeed, they were a people defiantly disobedient.