وَيَـٰقَوْمِ لَآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَالًا ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ بِطَارِدِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّلَـٰقُوا۟ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَـٰكِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكُمْ قَوْمًا تَجْهَلُونَ 29
Translations
And O my people, I ask not of you for it any wealth. My reward is not but from Allāh. And I am not one to drive away those who have believed. Indeed, they will meet their Lord, but I see that you are a people behaving ignorantly.
Transliteration
Wa yā qawmi lā as'alukum alayhi mālan, in ajrī illā alā Allāh, wa mā anā biṭāridi alladhīna āmanū, innahum mulaqqū rabbihim wa lākinnī arākum qawman tajhalūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this statement, Prophet Nuh (Noah) clarifies to his people that he seeks no material compensation for his message—his reward is solely from Allah. He further emphasizes that he will not expel the believers from his community, as they will ultimately meet their Lord, and he views his people's rejection of faith as a manifestation of their ignorance. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah demonstrates Nuh's sincerity, his commitment to protecting believers, and his recognition that the disbelievers' stubborn rejection stems from spiritual blindness rather than rational argument.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Surah Hud's narrative of Prophet Nuh's 950-year mission to his people. The broader context shows Nuh responding to his people's mockery and refusal to believe. This particular statement reflects a moment where Nuh addresses accusations that he preaches for personal gain—a common taunt directed at prophets. The surah emphasizes the patience and perseverance required in calling people to Allah.
Related Hadiths
The principle reflected here connects to a hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is instructed not to grieve over those who reject the message, as the responsibility of the messenger is only to convey. Additionally, Surah 36:23 echoes this theme of seeking no reward except from Allah for delivering the message.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true servants of Allah act from sincere conviction rather than worldly gain, and that protecting and honoring believers is a fundamental principle even in the face of widespread rejection. For modern readers, it reflects the importance of examining our intentions in religious service and recognizing that persistent resistance to truth often stems from spiritual ignorance rather than intellectual weakness.
Related Ayahs
وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ بِٱلْبُشْرَىٰ قَالُوا۟ سَلَـٰمًا ۖ قَالَ سَلَـٰمٌ ۖ فَمَا لَبِثَ أَن جَآءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنِيذٍ
And certainly did Our messengers [i.e., angels] come to Abraham with good tidings; they said, "Peace." He said, "Peace," and did not delay in bringing [them] a roasted calf.
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لَا يُبْخَسُونَ
Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived.
وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ لَّيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحْبِسُهُۥٓ ۗ أَلَا يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمْ لَيْسَ مَصْرُوفًا عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
And if We hold back from them the punishment for a limited time, they will surely say, "What detains it?" Unquestionably, on the Day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
وَيَصْنَعُ ٱلْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا۟ مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ
And he constructed the ship, and whenever an assembly of the eminent of his people passed by him, they ridiculed him. He said, "If you ridicule us, then we will ridicule you just as you ridicule.