ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَن لَّا يَسْـَٔلُكُمْ أَجْرًا وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ 21
Translations
Follow those who do not ask of you [any] payment, and they are [rightly] guided.
Transliteration
Ittabi'u man la yas'alukum ajran wa hum muhtadun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the people to follow those messengers and preachers who seek no worldly reward for their guidance, and who themselves are rightly guided. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that this is a criterion to distinguish true messengers from false ones—authentic guides do not exploit their position for material gain. The emphasis on 'muhtadun' (rightly guided) indicates that their lack of seeking reward stems from their sincere faith and correct understanding of divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ya-Sin's narrative about the people of a town who rejected their messengers. The broader surah addresses the rejection of divine guidance and the consequences thereof. This specific verse serves as a logical argument: if someone preaches to you without seeking personal compensation and is themselves guided aright, their message deserves consideration and acceptance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), emphasizing the virtue of spreading guidance without worldly motive. Additionally, in Surah Al-'Alaq 96:14-15, the consequence of those who prevent the servant of Allah from prayer is mentioned, contrasting with those who call others purely toward Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere guidance without expectation of reward is a hallmark of truth, and believers should be discerning in following teachers whose actions align with their words and whose motivations are purely for Allah's pleasure rather than worldly gain.
Related Ayahs
ٱلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
That Day, We will seal over their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn.
إِن كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَٰحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَـٰمِدُونَ
It was not but one shout, and immediately they were extinguished.
وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَمَسَخْنَـٰهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِهِمْ فَمَا ٱسْتَطَـٰعُوا۟ مُضِيًّا وَلَا يَرْجِعُونَ
And if We willed, We could have deformed them, [paralyzing them] in their places so they would not be able to proceed, nor could they return.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُۥٓ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
And when it is said to them, "Spend from that which Allāh has provided for you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Should we feed one whom, if Allāh had willed, He would have fed? You are not but in clear error."