عُذْرًا أَوْ نُذْرًا 6
Translations
As justification or warning,
Transliteration
'Udhran aw nuthran
Tafsir (Explanation)
This phrase appears in the context of Allah's messengers being sent forth, and refers to their dual purpose: 'udhran (excuse) for those who accept guidance and 'nuthran (warning) for those who reject it. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the messengers were dispatched to provide justification for obedience to Allah and to warn against disobedience, establishing clear proof against those who reject the message.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Mursalat is a Meccan surah emphasizing the power and majesty of Allah through His creation and the inevitability of the Day of Judgment. Verse 6 is part of an opening passage describing how Allah sends forth messengers in succession (verse 1), establishing the theme that divine guidance removes all excuses from humanity regarding their accountability before Allah.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most complete in faith among the believers is the one with the best moral character.' This connects to how messengers serve as both exemplars (excuse for guidance) and warnings through their message. Also relevant is Surah Al-Isra' 17:15: 'Whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul. And whoever goes astray only goes astray to its detriment.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that Allah has provided clear guidance through His messengers, removing any legitimate excuse for ignorance or disobedience on the Day of Judgment. For believers today, it emphasizes the responsibility to convey Islamic knowledge to others and to accept accountability for our choices in light of the clear message we have received.