سُوْرَةُ الْفُرْقَانِ
Surah Al-Furqaan (25) — Ayah 57
قُلْ مَآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ أَن يَتَّخِذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ سَبِيلًا ﴿57﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this (that which I have brought from my Lord and its preaching), save that whosoever wills may take a Path to his Lord.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
مَآ
mā
Not
أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ
asalukum
I ask (of) you
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
for it
مِنْ
min
any
أَجْرٍ
ajrin
payment
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَن
man
(that) whoever wills
شَآءَ
shāa
(that) whoever wills
أَن
an
to
يَتَّخِذَ
yattakhidha
take
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
رَبِّهِۦ
rabbihi
his Lord
سَبِيلًۭا
sabīlan
a way
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 57) ➊ { قُلْ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ:} This phrase has appeared in several places in the Noble Qur’an; here it means that the disbelievers who are bent on enmity against you, say to them that I do not ask you for any wage for delivering to you the message I have brought from my Lord, so that you would avoid believing in me in order to save your wealth. Elsewhere it is said: «{ اِنْ اَجْرِيَ اِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِيْ }» [ ھود : ۵۱ ] “My wage is not upon anyone except Allah.” What could be greater foolishness than that the person who is spending all his energies for the betterment of your religion and worldly life, and does not even demand any wage from you for it, you have become enemies of his very life.
➋ { اِلَّا مَنْ شَآءَ اَنْ يَّتَّخِذَ اِلٰى رَبِّهٖ سَبِيْلًا :} The commentators have given two explanations of this phrase, and both are correct. One is that I do not ask you for any wage for this call, but whoever among you wishes to spend in jihad and other good deeds to attain closeness to Allah and make it a means of attaining His mercy and reward, then let him do so, as He said: «{ وَ مِنَ الْاَعْرَابِ مَنْ يُّؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَ الْيَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَ يَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنْفِقُ قُرُبٰتٍ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ وَ صَلَوٰتِ الرَّسُوْلِ اَلَاۤ اِنَّهَا قُرْبَةٌ لَّهُمْ سَيُدْخِلُهُمُ اللّٰهُ فِيْ رَحْمَتِهٖ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ }» [ التوبۃ : ۹۹ ] “And among the Bedouins are some who believe in Allah and the Last Day and consider what they spend as means of nearness to Allah and the prayers of the Messenger. Behold! Surely it is a means of nearness for them. Soon Allah will admit them to His mercy. Surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” In this case, {’’ اِلَّا ‘‘} means {’’لٰكِنْ‘‘} and the exception is disconnected. The second explanation is that I do not ask you for any wage for this call except from the one who wishes to adopt the path of nearness to his Lord. My wage is only the attainment of such people; apart from this, Allah does not demand from you any wealth or status or any wage at all. Yes, the attainment of such people is a great wage and reward for me, because if even one person comes to faith, he is better for me than red camels, and then whatever righteous deeds those who believe in my call do, I will also receive the reward for all of them along with them; for me, this is reward enough. In this case, the exception is connected.
➋ { اِلَّا مَنْ شَآءَ اَنْ يَّتَّخِذَ اِلٰى رَبِّهٖ سَبِيْلًا :} The commentators have given two explanations of this phrase, and both are correct. One is that I do not ask you for any wage for this call, but whoever among you wishes to spend in jihad and other good deeds to attain closeness to Allah and make it a means of attaining His mercy and reward, then let him do so, as He said: «{ وَ مِنَ الْاَعْرَابِ مَنْ يُّؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَ الْيَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَ يَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنْفِقُ قُرُبٰتٍ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ وَ صَلَوٰتِ الرَّسُوْلِ اَلَاۤ اِنَّهَا قُرْبَةٌ لَّهُمْ سَيُدْخِلُهُمُ اللّٰهُ فِيْ رَحْمَتِهٖ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ }» [ التوبۃ : ۹۹ ] “And among the Bedouins are some who believe in Allah and the Last Day and consider what they spend as means of nearness to Allah and the prayers of the Messenger. Behold! Surely it is a means of nearness for them. Soon Allah will admit them to His mercy. Surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” In this case, {’’ اِلَّا ‘‘} means {’’لٰكِنْ‘‘} and the exception is disconnected. The second explanation is that I do not ask you for any wage for this call except from the one who wishes to adopt the path of nearness to his Lord. My wage is only the attainment of such people; apart from this, Allah does not demand from you any wealth or status or any wage at all. Yes, the attainment of such people is a great wage and reward for me, because if even one person comes to faith, he is better for me than red camels, and then whatever righteous deeds those who believe in my call do, I will also receive the reward for all of them along with them; for me, this is reward enough. In this case, the exception is connected.
