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
سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَزْوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Exalted is He who created all pairs - from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.
وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَطَمَسْنَا عَلَىٰٓ أَعْيُنِهِمْ فَٱسْتَبَقُوا۟ ٱلصِّرَٰطَ فَأَنَّىٰ يُبْصِرُونَ
And if We willed, We could have obliterated their eyes, and they would race to [find] the path, and how could they see?
ءَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةً إِن يُرِدْنِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ بِضُرٍّ لَّا تُغْنِ عَنِّى شَفَـٰعَتُهُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يُنقِذُونِ
Should I take other than Him [false] deities [while], if the Most Merciful intends for me some adversity, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me?
لَقَدْ حَقَّ ٱلْقَوْلُ عَلَىٰٓ أَكْثَرِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
Already the word [i.e., decree] has come into effect upon most of them, so they do not believe.