وَقُل لِّعِبَادِى يَقُولُوا۟ ٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ كَانَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا 53
Translations
And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.
Transliteration
Wa qul li-'ibadi yaqulu allatī hiya ahsan. Inna al-shaytāna yanzaghu baynahum. Inna al-shaytāna kāna lil-insāni 'aduwwan mubīnā.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the Prophet (peace be upon him) to instruct the believers to speak that which is best and most excellent in their discourse with one another. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this prohibition against harsh speech aims to prevent discord among the Muslim community, as Satan exploits poor communication to sow enmity and division. The ayah emphasizes that Satan is an open and manifest enemy of humanity, constantly seeking to corrupt relationships through inflammatory speech and misunderstandings.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period within Surah Al-Isra, which addresses the believers' conduct and moral behavior. The surah broadly concerns itself with proper etiquette and ethical conduct toward parents, relatives, and society. This specific instruction about speech follows the broader theme of maintaining social harmony and recognizing Satan's role in human affairs, fitting within the surah's emphasis on righteous conduct.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'A good word is a charity' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Muslim, from Abu Hurairah), which directly supports the principle of this ayah regarding choosing the best speech.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should exercise conscious awareness of their words, recognizing that kind and considerate speech is a tool for building community while harsh words invite Satan's influence in sowing discord. In an age of rapid communication, this ayah remains profoundly relevant as guidance to pause before speaking and choose words that elevate rather than diminish relationships.
Related Ayahs
قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّىٓ إِذًا لَّأَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ ٱلْإِنفَاقِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ قَتُورًا
Say [to them], "If you possessed the depositories of the mercy of my Lord, then you would withhold out of fear of spending." And ever has man been stingy.
قَالَ أَرَءَيْتَكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى كَرَّمْتَ عَلَىَّ لَئِنْ أَخَّرْتَنِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ لَأَحْتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
[Iblees] said, "Do You see this one whom You have honored above me? If You delay me [i.e., my death] until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely destroy his descendants, except for a few."
أَفَأَصْفَىٰكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِٱلْبَنِينَ وَٱتَّخَذَ مِنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنَـٰثًا ۚ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَقُولُونَ قَوْلًا عَظِيمًا
Then, has your Lord chosen you for [having] sons and taken [i.e., adopted] from among the angels daughters? Indeed, you say a grave saying.
وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ءَايَتَيْنِ ۖ فَمَحَوْنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَجَعَلْنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلنَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةً لِّتَبْتَغُوا۟ فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلِتَعْلَمُوا۟ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلْحِسَابَ ۚ وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَصَّلْنَـٰهُ تَفْصِيلًا
And We have made the night and day two signs, and We erased the sign of the night and made the sign of the day visible that you may seek bounty from your Lord and may know the number of years and the account [of time]. And everything We have set out in detail.