فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَمَا سَأَلْتُكُم مِّنْ أَجْرٍ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ 72
Translations
And if you turn away [from my advice] - then no payment have I asked of you. My reward is only from Allāh, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims [i.e., those who submit to Allāh]."
Transliteration
Fa-in tawallaytum fama sa-altukum min ajrin inna ajri illa ala Allah wa-umirtu an akuna min al-muslimin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Prophet Nuh (Noah) declares that if his people turn away from his message, he seeks no reward from them for his preaching, as his compensation comes only from Allah. He emphasizes that he has been commanded to be among those who submit to Allah (al-muslimin), indicating that his obedience is rooted in divine instruction rather than worldly gain. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this ayah demonstrates the Prophet's sincere devotion and freedom from material motivation, a characteristic shared by all messengers of Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Nuh's address to his people after 950 years of patient preaching without response (as mentioned in Surah Nuh 29:14). The broader context of Surah Yunus discusses the consequences of rejecting messengers and the steadfastness required of those who call to Allah's way. This particular statement reflects Nuh's final appeal before his people's ultimate rejection.
Related Hadiths
The principle of seeking reward only from Allah is reflected in the hadith: 'The best charity is that given when one is in need' (related to sincerity in Tirmidhi). Also relevant is: 'Whoever does a deed seeking the face of Allah and the Last Day, Allah will grant him reward' (Sahih Muslim 1905).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true service to Allah requires detachment from material compensation and social approval; our primary motivation should be obedience to Allah's command, not the response or gratitude of others.