وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولٌ ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ رَسُولُهُمْ قُضِىَ بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْقِسْطِ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ 47
Translations
And for every nation is a messenger. So when their messenger comes, it will be judged between them in justice, and they will not be wronged.
Transliteration
Wa likulli ummatin rasoolun, fa idha jaa rasooluhum qudiya baynahum bil-qisti wa hum la yuzlamoon.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the universal principle that every nation receives a messenger from Allah to guide them, and when that messenger comes, Allah will judge between the people with perfect justice on the Day of Judgment. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that this demonstrates Allah's fairness—no people will be punished without having received clear guidance through a messenger, and the final judgment will be absolutely equitable with no injustice whatsoever.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Yunus (a Meccan chapter) within the broader context of refuting polytheist objections and establishing the universality of the prophetic message. It serves to console the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by reminding him that all nations have received messengers before him, and it warns disbelievers that they too will face just judgment despite their rejection.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Every nation has a prophet and messenger,' narrated in various forms in Musnad Ahmad and other collections. Additionally, the hadith about the Day of Judgment emphasizing divine justice: 'The most grievous sin in Allah's sight is that a person should accuse another of disbelief, or kill someone who does not worship anyone but Allah' (Sahih Bukhari), relates to the theme of just judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that Allah's justice is perfect and comprehensive—He holds all nations accountable fairly through messengers, and no one will suffer injustice on the Day of Judgment. For modern readers, it reinforces trust in Allah's wisdom and fairness, encouraging patience with divine decree and confidence that ultimate justice will prevail.
Related Ayahs
أَلَآ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَمَا يَتَّبِعُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ
Unquestionably, to Allāh belongs whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth. And those who invoke other than Allāh do not [actually] follow [His] "partners." They follow not except assumption, and they are not but misjudging.
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ يَـٰقَوْمِ إِن كُنتُمْ ءَامَنتُم بِٱللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوٓا۟ إِن كُنتُم مُّسْلِمِينَ
And Moses said, "O my people, if you have believed in Allāh, then rely upon Him, if you should be Muslims [i.e., submitting to Him]."
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَسَبُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ جَزَآءُ سَيِّئَةٍۭ بِمِثْلِهَا وَتَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ مَّا لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِنْ عَاصِمٍ ۖ كَأَنَّمَآ أُغْشِيَتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ قِطَعًا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ مُظْلِمًا ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
But they who have earned [blame for] evil doings - the recompense of an evil deed is its equivalent, and humiliation will cover them. They will have from Allāh no protector. It will be as if their faces are covered with pieces of the night - so dark [are they]. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
فَقَالُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
So they said, "Upon Allāh do we rely. Our Lord, make us not [objects of] trial for the wrongdoing people