وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱللَّغْوَ أَعْرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا۟ لَنَآ أَعْمَـٰلُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَـٰلُكُمْ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا نَبْتَغِى ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ 55
Translations
And when they hear ill speech, they turn away from it and say, "For us are our deeds, and for you are your deeds. Peace will be upon you; we seek not the ignorant."
Transliteration
Wa-idha sami'u al-laghwa a'radhu 'anhu wa-qalu lana a'maluna wa-lakum a'malukum salamun 'alaykum la nabtghi al-jahileen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the noble character of the believers who, when encountering vain speech or foolish discourse, turn away from it with dignity and respond with wisdom and peace. They establish a clear boundary between themselves and those engaged in falsehood, saying 'to us our deeds and to you your deeds,' demonstrating the Islamic principle of maintaining moral distance from ignorance without animosity. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi note that this represents the mature believer's response to provocation—neither engaging in vain argument nor responding with harshness, but with dignified disengagement and a greeting of peace ('Assalamu alaikum').
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Qasas (a Meccan surah) and relates to the broader context of how believers should respond to the mockery, opposition, and vain discourse of the disbelievers during the Meccan period. It exemplifies the patience and moral superiority of the Muslim community in the face of Quranic ridicule and foolish arguments from the polytheists of Mecca.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The strong person is not the one who overcomes people by strength, but the one who controls himself when angry' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, the Quran states in 25:63 that the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk on earth humbly and when the ignorant address them, they say 'Peace' (Salaam).
Themes
Key Lesson
Modern believers should emulate this balanced approach: when confronted with vain or provocative speech, maintain dignity by disengaging rather than retaliating, recognizing that each person is responsible for their own deeds. This teaches us that true strength lies not in winning arguments but in controlling our responses and preserving peace while remaining firm in our principles.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ ٱلْغَرْبِىِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَى ٱلْأَمْرَ وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ
And you, [O Muḥammad], were not on the western side [of the mount] when We revealed to Moses the command, and you were not among the witnesses [to that].
تِلْكَ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا ۚ وَٱلْعَـٰقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous.
وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرِى فَأَوْقِدْ لِى يَـٰهَـٰمَـٰنُ عَلَى ٱلطِّينِ فَٱجْعَل لِّى صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّىٓ أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰٓ إِلَـٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّى لَأَظُنُّهُۥ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ
And Pharaoh said, "O eminent ones, I have not known you to have a god other than me. Then ignite for me, O Hāmān, [a fire] upon the clay and make for me a tower that I may look at the God of Moses. And indeed, I do think he is among the liars."
قَالَتْ إِحْدَىٰهُمَا يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱسْتَـْٔجِرْهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ ٱسْتَـْٔجَرْتَ ٱلْقَوِىُّ ٱلْأَمِينُ
One of the women said, "O my father, hire him. Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy."