وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱهْتَدَوْا۟ زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَءَاتَىٰهُمْ تَقْوَىٰهُمْ 17
Translations
And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.
Transliteration
Wa-alladhina ihtadaw zādahum hudā wa-ātāhum taqwāhum
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah states that those who are guided (have accepted faith and followed the right path) Allah increases them in guidance and grants them their taqwā (God-consciousness and piety). Ibn Kathir explains that this represents a divine principle where sincere seekers of truth receive continuous spiritual elevation—Allah rewards their initial commitment with deeper understanding and stronger faith. Al-Qurtubi notes that taqwāhum refers to what they need of God-consciousness, indicating that guidance and piety are interconnected blessings that Allah grants to the sincere believers progressively.
Revelation Context
Surah Muhammad is a Medinan chapter revealed during the later Islamic period, addressing the Muslim community's spiritual development. This ayah appears in a section discussing the responses of believers and disbelievers to the message, emphasizing how receptiveness to guidance leads to continuous spiritual advancement—a theme particularly relevant to the established Muslim community in Medina.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever sincerely seeks guidance, Allah will guide him' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'The best among you are those with the best character' (Sahih Bukhari) relates to the attainment of taqwā mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that faith is not static but progressive—those who genuinely seek guidance and embrace Islam with sincere hearts will experience continuous spiritual growth. It encourages believers that their commitment to righteousness attracts divine support, and that piety develops through persistent adherence to guidance from Allah.
Related Ayahs
فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ
Then whoever wills will remember it.
۞ لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَىٰهُمْ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ
Not upon you, [O Muḥammad], is [responsibility for] their guidance, but Allāh guides whom He wills. And whatever good you [believers] spend is for yourselves, and you do not spend except seeking the face [i.e., approval] of Allāh. And whatever you spend of good - it will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.
إِنَّ هَـٰذَآ أَخِى لَهُۥ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِىَ نَعْجَةٌ وَٰحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ أَكْفِلْنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِى فِى ٱلْخِطَابِ
Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe; so he said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he overpowered me in speech."
قُلْ هَلْ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يَهْدِى لِلْحَقِّ ۗ أَفَمَن يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَن يُتَّبَعَ أَمَّن لَّا يَهِدِّىٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُهْدَىٰ ۖ فَمَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ
Say, "Are there of your 'partners' any who guides to the truth?" Say, "Allāh guides to the truth. So is He who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed or he who guides not unless he is guided? Then what is [wrong] with you - how do you judge?"