يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَآءٌ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ 57
Translations
O mankind, there has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha an-nasu qad jaatkum maw'izatun min rabbikum wa shifaun lima fi as-sudur wa hudan wa rahmatun lil-mu'minin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses all of humanity, declaring that the Quran is an admonition (moral instruction) from their Lord that serves as a cure for spiritual and psychological illnesses residing in the hearts, and a guidance and mercy exclusively for the believers. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that the Quran heals the diseases of doubt, hypocrisy, and spiritual negligence, while Al-Tabari notes that this healing is both spiritual and intellectual, addressing the corruption of hearts and minds. The restriction of mercy and guidance to believers indicates that those who reject faith are deprived of these benefits despite the universal call.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears at a crucial juncture in Surah Yunus where Allah presents the universal nature of His message while the Meccan audience largely rejected the Prophet. The surah's context involves the rejection faced by Prophet Muhammad and the affirmation that the Quran's purpose transcends the stubbornness of disbelievers. While no specific asbab al-nuzul is recorded, the ayah reflects the broader Meccan period struggle and serves as reassurance of the Quran's efficacy regardless of human reception.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Verily, in the body there is a morsel of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound; if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Verily, it is the heart.' (Sahih Bukhari 52, Sahih Muslim 1599) - illustrating the spiritual disease the Quran cures. Also: 'The Quran is a healing and mercy for the believers' (referenced in tafsir works as a prophetic affirmation of this ayah's meaning).
Themes
Key Lesson
For contemporary believers, this ayah teaches that the Quran is a comprehensive cure for contemporary spiritual maladies—anxiety, despair, moral confusion, and emptiness—requiring sincere engagement with its message. It also reminds us that while the Quran's invitation is universal, its transformative benefits are realized only through genuine faith and receptivity to its guidance.