إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَىٰ هُدَىٰهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ ۖ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَ 37
Translations
[Even] if you should strive for their guidance, [O Muḥammad], indeed, Allāh does not guide those He sends astray, and they will have no helpers.
Transliteration
In tahris 'ala hudaahum fa inna Allaha la yahdee man yudill; wa ma lahum min nasirin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), clarifying that despite his earnest desire to guide people, guidance ultimately rests with Allah alone—He does not guide those whom He has allowed to stray. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this verse teaches the limits of human effort in preaching; the Prophet's responsibility is to convey the message clearly, while acceptance or rejection belongs to Allah's divine will. Al-Qurtubi notes that those whom Allah allows to go astray will have no helpers or protectors to save them from the consequences of their choice.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period and is situated within a passage addressing the Prophet's struggles with the disbelievers of Mecca who rejected his message despite his sincere efforts to guide them. The broader context of Surah An-Nahl emphasizes Allah's signs in creation and the consequences of rejecting divine guidance, consoling the Prophet that his duty is to convey the message, not to force belief.
Related Hadiths
The principle is reflected in Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 4973) where the Prophet said, 'Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide, and whoever Allah allows to go astray, none can guide.' Additionally, Sunan At-Tirmidhi records that the Prophet emphasized preaching with wisdom while accepting that hearts are in Allah's hands.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to distinguish between their duty (communicating the message sincerely) and the outcome (which belongs to Allah), freeing believers from the burden of forcing others to believe and encouraging reliance on Allah's wisdom in all matters of guidance.