نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِجَبَّارٍ ۖ فَذَكِّرْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ 45
Translations
We are most knowing of what they say, and you are not over them a tyrant. But remind by the Qur’ān whoever fears My threat.
Transliteration
Nahnu a'lamu bima yaqulun, wa ma anta alayhim bijabbar, fadhakkir bil-Qur'ani man yakhaf wa'id
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah assures the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that He is fully aware of what the disbelievers say, and commands him not to be a tyrant or compel people to believe, but rather to remind them through the Qur'an. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah emphasizes that the Prophet's role is to convey the message, not to force acceptance, and that the fear of Allah's punishment (wa'id) is what moves hearts toward faith. The reminder of the Qur'an is therefore directed toward those who possess the capacity to fear Allah's warnings.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Qaf, a Meccan surah that addresses the disbelievers' rejection of the Message and resurrection. It comes after discussions of their denial and mockery, and serves to console the Prophet regarding their rejection while clarifying that his duty is to deliver the message through the Qur'an to those receptive to it.
Related Hadiths
The hadith of Anas ibn Malik in Sahih Bukhari relates that the Prophet said, 'Facilitate matters and do not complicate them,' which aligns with the principle of gentle reminder without coercion. Also relevant is the hadith in Muslim about the Prophet's patience with disbelievers and his role as a warner rather than a punisher.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers today should recognize that our responsibility is to convey the truth with wisdom and compassion, not to coerce or judge hearts, trusting that Allah knows all intentions. The most effective form of dawah (invitation to Islam) is through the Qur'an and reminders that appeal to those who possess God-consciousness and fear of the Day of Judgment.
Related Ayahs
يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْكُمْ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ قُل لَّا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكُمْ قَدْ نَبَّأَنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنْ أَخْبَارِكُمْ ۚ وَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
They will make excuses to you when you have returned to them. Say, "Make no excuse - never will we believe you. Allāh has already informed us of your news [i.e., affair]. And Allāh will observe your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger; then you will be taken back to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you of what you used to do."
۞ إِلَيْهِ يُرَدُّ عِلْمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ ۚ وَمَا تَخْرُجُ مِن ثَمَرَٰتٍ مِّنْ أَكْمَامِهَا وَمَا تَحْمِلُ مِنْ أُنثَىٰ وَلَا تَضَعُ إِلَّا بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۚ وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآءِى قَالُوٓا۟ ءَاذَنَّـٰكَ مَا مِنَّا مِن شَهِيدٍ
To Him [alone] is attributed knowledge of the Hour. And fruits emerge not from their coverings nor does a female conceive or give birth except with His knowledge. And the Day He will call to them, "Where are My 'partners'?" they will say, "We announce to You that there is [no longer] among us any witness [to that]."
وَمَآ أَنفَقْتُم مِّن نَّفَقَةٍ أَوْ نَذَرْتُم مِّن نَّذْرٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُهُۥ ۗ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
And whatever you spend of expenditures or make of vows - indeed, Allāh knows of it. And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.
قَالَ رَبِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
He said, "My Lord is most knowing of what you do."