يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ تِجَـٰرَةٍ تُنجِيكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ 10
Translations
O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment?
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu hal adullukum ala tijarah tunjeekum min adhaabin aleem
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the believers with an urgent rhetorical question, offering them a profitable spiritual trade that will save them from painful punishment. This ayah introduces the concept of imaan (faith) and righteous deeds as the greatest transaction, wherein believers exchange their worldly pursuits for eternal salvation. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this 'trade' refers specifically to believing in Allah and His Messenger, coupled with striving in His cause (as detailed in the following ayah), which guarantees protection from Hell's torment.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah As-Saf, a Medinan chapter that addresses the Muslim community directly. The surah deals with the importance of consistency between belief and action, and this particular ayah marks a pivotal call to the believers, inviting them to prioritize their spiritual investment over material concerns. The context suggests it was revealed to motivate the early Muslim community toward sincere commitment and jihad fi sabilillah (striving in Allah's cause).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best wealth is a good wife' and emphasized that faith is the greatest gain. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, there is a hadith where the Prophet describes belief and righteous deeds as the best provision, relating directly to this ayah's metaphor of beneficial trade.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that true profit lies not in accumulating worldly wealth, but in investing in one's faith and obedience to Allah. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder to reassess priorities and recognize that spiritual commitment is the most valuable 'business' one can undertake in this life.
Related Ayahs
سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth exalts Allāh, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ
Greatly hateful in the sight of Allāh is that you say what you do not do.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوٓا۟ أَنصَارَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّـۧنَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَـَٔامَنَت طَّآئِفَةٌ مِّنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَكَفَرَت طَّآئِفَةٌ ۖ فَأَيَّدْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ ظَـٰهِرِينَ
O you who have believed, be supporters of Allāh, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, "Who are my supporters for Allāh?" The disciples said, "We are supporters of Allāh." And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant.
تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتُجَـٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
[It is that] you believe in Allāh and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allāh with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you only knew.