هَـٰذَا بَلَـٰغٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَلِيُنذَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَلِيَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ وَلِيَذَّكَّرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ 52
Translations
This [Qur’ān] is notification for the people that they may be warned thereby and that they may know that He is but one God and that those of understanding will be reminded.
Transliteration
Hādhā balāghun lilnnāsi wa liyundhharū bihi wa liya'lamū anna mā huwa ilāhun wāhidun wa liyadhdhakkara ulū al-albāb
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah, concluding Surah Ibrahim, emphasizes that the Quran is a complete message for all humanity, serving as a warning and a means of knowledge that there is only one God worthy of worship. Ibn Kathir notes that this verse summarizes the primary purposes of the Quran: to convey the message, warn people of punishment, establish monotheism, and remind those of understanding (the people of intellect). Al-Qurtubi highlights that "ulū al-albāb" (those of understanding) refers to those who reflect and comprehend the signs of Allah.
Revelation Context
This verse appears at the conclusion of Surah Ibrahim, a Meccan chapter that extensively addresses the mockery faced by the Prophet and the fundamental call to tawhīd (monotheism). It serves as a conclusive statement of the Quran's universal message and purpose during the early Meccan period when the Prophet faced significant opposition.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 4988: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The best supplication is that on the Day of Arafah,' relating to the comprehension theme. Also relevant: Sunan Ibn Majah 3682 regarding the importance of understanding ('aql) in faith.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that the Quran's primary objectives are to communicate God's message clearly to all people, warn them of consequences, and establish monotheism—reminding us that true benefit from the Quran comes through sincere reflection and the engagement of our intellect in understanding its signs.
Related Ayahs
۞ قَالَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ أَفِى ٱللَّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ يَدْعُوكُمْ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَـٰنٍ مُّبِينٍ
Their messengers said, "Can there be doubt about Allāh, Creator of the heavens and earth? He invites you that He may forgive you of your sins, and He delays you [i.e., your death] for a specified term." They said, "You are not but men like us who wish to avert us from what our fathers were worshipping. So bring us a clear authority [i.e., evidence]."
وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ ٱجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ ٱلْأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ
And the example of a bad word is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, not having any stability.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِرُسُلِهِمْ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِنَآ أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِى مِلَّتِنَا ۖ فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And those who disbelieved said to their messengers, "We will surely drive you out of our land, or you must return to our religion." So their Lord inspired to them, "We will surely destroy the wrongdoers.
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ
Have you not considered how Allāh presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?