سُوْرَةُ صٓ
Surah Saad (38) — Ayah 86
قُلْ مَآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ ﴿86﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "No wage do I ask of you for this (the Qur’ân), nor am I one of the Mutakallifûn (those who pretend and fabricate things which do not exist).
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
أَجْرٍۢ
ajrin
payment
وَمَآ
wamā
and not
أَنَا۠
anā
I am
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ
l-mutakalifīna
the ones who pretend
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 86) ➊ {قُلْ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ … :} That is, say to them that I do not ask you for any reward for the preaching of the religion, nor is my purpose to gain any worldly benefit from it, and nor am I among those who fabricate, that is, that Allah has not revealed and I make it up from myself, or attribute someone else's words to myself. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, we were with Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and he said: [ نُهِيْنَا عَنِ التَّكَلُّفِ ] [ بخاري، الإعتصام بالکتاب والسنۃ، باب ما یکرہ من کثرۃ السؤال و من تکلف… : ۷۲۹۳ ] "We have been forbidden from affectation (takalluf)."
➋ The meaning of { ’’ الْمُتَكَلِّفِيْنَ ‘‘} is also understood from this statement of Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), which Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated in the commentary of this surah. Masruq says, Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us and said: [ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ! مَنْ عَلِمَ شَيْئًا فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ، وَ مَنْ لَّمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلِ اللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ، فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يَّقُوْلَ لِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ اللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ اللّٰهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : « قُلْ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ وَّ مَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِيْنَ » ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب، قولہ : « وما أنا من المتکلفین » : ۴۸۰۹ ] "O people! Whoever knows something should state it, and whoever does not know should say 'Allah knows best,' for it is also part of knowledge that if one does not know something, he should say 'Allah knows best.' Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said to His Prophet (ﷺ): « قُلْ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ وَّ مَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِيْنَ» 'Say: I do not ask you for any reward for this, nor am I among those who fabricate.'"
➋ The meaning of { ’’ الْمُتَكَلِّفِيْنَ ‘‘} is also understood from this statement of Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), which Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated in the commentary of this surah. Masruq says, Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us and said: [ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ! مَنْ عَلِمَ شَيْئًا فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ، وَ مَنْ لَّمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلِ اللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ، فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يَّقُوْلَ لِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ اللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ اللّٰهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : « قُلْ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ وَّ مَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِيْنَ » ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب، قولہ : « وما أنا من المتکلفین » : ۴۸۰۹ ] "O people! Whoever knows something should state it, and whoever does not know should say 'Allah knows best,' for it is also part of knowledge that if one does not know something, he should say 'Allah knows best.' Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said to His Prophet (ﷺ): « قُلْ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ وَّ مَاۤ اَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِيْنَ» 'Say: I do not ask you for any reward for this, nor am I among those who fabricate.'"
