وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَبَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ نَّذِيرًا 51
Translations
And if We had willed, We could have sent into every city a warner.
Transliteration
Wa-law shi'na la-ba'athna fee kulli qaryatin nadheeran
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's absolute power and wisdom in His choice of sending messengers. Allah states that if He had willed, He could have sent a warner to every single settlement and community, but He chose according to His divine wisdom to send messengers to specific peoples at specific times. Ibn Kathir explains that this demonstrates Allah's mercy and justice—He does not burden people with accountability without sending them guidance, yet His selection of prophets reflects His infinite knowledge of what is best for His creation.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Al-Furqan (The Criterion), a Meccan surah that addresses objections against the Prophet Muhammad's message. The broader context discusses Allah's wisdom in the distribution of prophets and the Quran itself as a criterion between truth and falsehood. It responds to those who questioned why a prophet was not sent to every nation.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) states: 'Every prophet was sent specifically to his people, but I have been sent to all of mankind.' This complements the ayah by showing how the general principle in 25:51 applies specifically to Prophet Muhammad's universal mission.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah's decisions regarding guidance and revelation are based on perfect wisdom and justice, reminding us to trust in divine providence rather than question why guidance came through particular messengers at particular times. It also emphasizes our responsibility to convey the message we have received, knowing that Allah has entrusted us with His guidance.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ جُمْلَةً وَٰحِدَةً ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَ ۖ وَرَتَّلْنَـٰهُ تَرْتِيلًا
And those who disbelieve say, "Why was the Qur’ān not revealed to him all at once?" Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.
أَوْ يُلْقَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِ كَنزٌ أَوْ تَكُونُ لَهُۥ جَنَّةٌ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا ۚ وَقَالَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَّسْحُورًا
Or [why is not] a treasure presented to him [from heaven], or does he [not] have a garden from which he eats?" And the wrongdoers say, "You follow not but a man affected by magic."
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ إِفْكٌ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ وَأَعَانَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ قَوْمٌ ءَاخَرُونَ ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءُو ظُلْمًا وَزُورًا
And those who disbelieve say, "This [Qur’ān] is not except a falsehood he invented, and another people assisted him in it." But they have committed an injustice and a lie.
وَقَالُوا۟ مَالِ هَـٰذَا ٱلرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشِى فِى ٱلْأَسْوَاقِ ۙ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُۥ نَذِيرًا
And they say, "What is this messenger that eats food and walks in the markets? Why was there not sent down to him an angel so he would be with him a warner?