وَٱتَّبِعُوٓا۟ أَحْسَنَ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ 55
Translations
And follow the best of what was revealed to you from your Lord [i.e., the Qur’ān] before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you do not perceive,
Transliteration
Wa-ittabi'oo ahsana ma unzila ilaykum min rabbikum min qabli an ya'tiakumu al-'adhaabu baghtatan wa-antum la tash'uroon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to follow the best of what has been revealed to them from their Lord before punishment comes upon them suddenly and unexpectedly. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret 'the best of what was revealed' (ahsan ma unzila) as referring to the Qur'an itself, particularly its guidance toward righteous conduct and tawhid (monotheism). The emphasis on following before sudden punishment serves as an urgent call to repentance and obedience, highlighting that divine punishment may come without warning to those who delay in their submission to Allah's guidance.
Revelation Context
Surah Az-Zumar is entirely Meccan, revealed during the early period when the Quraysh were actively rejecting the Prophet's message. This ayah appears in the context of warnings to idolaters and those who turn away from Allah's signs. The thematic focus is on the urgency of accepting the message before it is too late, reflecting the broader Meccan emphasis on monotheism, resurrection, and accountability.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (2858) where the Prophet ﷺ said, 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it,' relates to the importance of following the Qur'an's guidance. Additionally, the hadith in Jami' at-Tirmidhi (2915) concerning the sudden arrival of the Hour emphasizes the theme of unexpected divine consequences for those who delay in obedience.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that following Allah's guidance should not be postponed, as punishment may arrive suddenly and without warning to those who neglect their religious obligations. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of immediately implementing Quranic teachings in daily life rather than delaying repentance or reform.
Related Ayahs
وَمَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن مُّضِلٍّ ۗ أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِعَزِيزٍ ذِى ٱنتِقَامٍ
And whoever Allāh guides - for him there is no misleader. Is not Allāh Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution?
فَأَصَابَهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا۟ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ سَيُصِيبُهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا۟ وَمَا هُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ
And the evil consequences of what they earned struck them. And those who have wronged of these [people] will be struck [i.e., afflicted] by the evil consequences of what they earned; and they will not cause failure.
وَقَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى صَدَقَنَا وَعْدَهُۥ وَأَوْرَثَنَا ٱلْأَرْضَ نَتَبَوَّأُ مِنَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ نَشَآءُ ۖ فَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ ٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ
And they will say, "Praise to Allāh, who has fulfilled for us His promise and made us inherit the earth [so] we may settle in Paradise wherever we will. And excellent is the reward of [righteous] workers."
وَبَدَا لَهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا۟ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
And there will appear to them the evils they had earned, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.