۞ وَلَقَدْ وَصَّلْنَا لَهُمُ ٱلْقَوْلَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ 51
Translations
And We have [repeatedly] conveyed to them the word [i.e., the Qur’ān] that they might be reminded.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad wassalna lahum al-qawla la'allahum yatadakkarun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah states that He has conveyed and transmitted the Qur'anic message to the people in a connected, comprehensive manner, hoping that they would remember and take heed. Ibn Kathir explains that 'wassal' (conveyed) means Allah made the message continuous and complete, presenting the Qur'an with repeated reminders and clarity so that people might reflect upon it and remember the signs of Allah. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that despite this perfect transmission of the divine message, the rejection by disbelievers was due to their own choice and hardness of heart, not any deficiency in how Allah presented the truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Qasas, which discusses the stories of previous prophets and their peoples' responses to divine guidance. It reflects on the Meccan period when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was facing rejection and ridicule from the Quraysh, reminding both the Prophet and believers that Allah has done His part in clearly conveying the message.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), which relates to the importance of conveying and remembering the divine message. Additionally, 'Whoever hears the Qur'an and takes heed will find guidance' (Tirmidhi 2907) emphasizes the necessity of reflection upon what is conveyed.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah has made His message clear and accessible to all; our responsibility is to listen attentively and reflect deeply upon it. Modern readers should recognize that barriers to understanding Islam are not due to the message's clarity but often due to our own negligence, distraction, or hardness of heart—calling us to actively engage with Islamic knowledge and practice with sincerity.