فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّى وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تُحِبُّونَ ٱلنَّـٰصِحِينَ 79
Translations
And he [i.e., Ṣāliḥ] turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the message of my Lord and advised you, but you do not like advisors."
Transliteration
Fatawalla 'anhum wa-qala ya-qawmi laqad ablaghtukum risalata rabbi wa-nasahtu lakum wa-lakin la tuhibbun al-nasihin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Prophet Salih turned away from his people after they rejected his message, declaring that he had faithfully conveyed Allah's message and offered them sincere counsel, yet they do not love those who give them honest advice. This ayah demonstrates the prophet's fulfillment of his duty regardless of acceptance, and highlights the people's rejection of sincere guidance—a recurring theme in the Quran. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari emphasize that Salih's turning away signifies the completion of his prophetic mission and the people's culpability for their rejection.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Salih and the people of Thamud in the Meccan period. Salih preached monotheism to his people, but they mocked him and rejected his message. This verse reflects the broader Quranic pattern of prophets' struggles with their communities' disbelief, serving as consolation to Prophet Muhammad and his followers who faced similar rejection in Mecca.
Related Hadiths
Related to the theme of sincere counsel: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The deen is sincere counsel (al-dinu nasihah)' reported in Sahih Muslim. Also relevant: 'Whoever loves for the sake of Allah and hates for the sake of Allah has perfected their faith' (Sunan Abu Dawud), emphasizing the importance of sincere counsel in faith.
Themes
Key Lesson
A believer's responsibility is to convey the message of Allah sincerely and offer genuine advice, regardless of whether others accept it; our duty is in the effort itself, not the outcome. This teaches modern Muslims to remain steadfast in their Islamic responsibilities and not become discouraged by societal rejection of truth.