سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 56
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿56﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) guide not whom you like, but Allâh guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّكَ
innaka
Indeed, you
لَا
lā
(can) not
تَهْدِى
tahdī
guide
مَنْ
man
whom
أَحْبَبْتَ
aḥbabta
you love
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يَهْدِى
yahdī
guides
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ ۚ
yashāu
He wills
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
(is) most knowing
بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
bil-muh'tadīna
(of) the guided ones
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
56. (O Prophet!) You cannot guide whomever you wish [76]; it is Allah Who guides whom He wills, and He knows best those who are guided [77].
[76]
The Two Different Meanings of Guidance and the Story of Abu Talib’s Death:
The word “guidance” is used in several senses. One form is that such a change occurs in the heart and mind of a disbeliever that he becomes ready to accept guidance or Islam. This matter is purely within the power of Allah Almighty. As is clearly stated in this verse. The following hadith also supports this meaning. Sa‘id bin al-Musayyib’s father, Musayyib bin Hazn, says that when the time of Abu Talib’s death came, the Prophet ﷺ went to him. There he saw that Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah were already sitting there. The Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Talib: “Dear uncle! If you say ﴿لا الٰه الا الله﴾, then I will be able to present an argument before Allah Almighty on the Day of Resurrection.” But Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah began to say: “Abu Talib! Will you leave the religion of ‘Abd al-Muttalib?” In the end, the last thing Abu Talib said was that “I die upon the religion of ‘Abd al-Muttalib,” and he did not accept to say ﴿لا الٰه الا الله﴾. The Prophet ﷺ said: “By Allah! I will continue to pray for you until I am forbidden to do so.” Then Allah Almighty revealed this verse: ﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾ and regarding Abu Talib, this verse: ﴿إنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِيْ...﴾ [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
2. According to the narration of Tirmidhi, Abu Talib replied to the Prophet ﷺ: “If the Quraysh would not taunt me that fear of death made me say this word, O nephew! I would have said this word and cooled your eyes.” At that time, this verse was revealed. [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير]
As for the final outcome of Abu Talib, who supported and protected the Prophet ﷺ until his last breath during the Makkan period and stood by him in every difficult time, consider the following hadiths:
1. Hazrat ‘Abbas bin ‘Abd al-Muttalib ؓ says: I said, “O Messenger of Allah! Will Abu Talib receive any benefit from you? He used to protect you and bore the displeasure of everyone for your sake.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If it were not for me, he would have been in the lowest depth of Hell.” [مسلم۔ کتاب الایمان۔ باب شفاعۃ النبی لابی طالب]
2. Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri ؓ says that when the Prophet ﷺ’s uncle Abu Talib was mentioned in the presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said: “Perhaps on the Day of Resurrection, my intercession will benefit him and he will be placed in a shallow fire that reaches his ankles and his brain will boil.” [مسلم۔ حواله ايضاً]
3. It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that the lightest punishment of Hell will be for Abu Talib; he will wear two sandals (of fire) from which his brain will boil. (Muslim. Reference as above) And the second meaning or form of guidance is that those who have already believed are guided to their intended destination. In this sense, you and other prophets, and even the scholars, cannot show the way of guidance, and this is indeed the responsibility of the prophets, as stated elsewhere: ﴿وَاِنَّكَ لَـــتَهْدِيْٓ اِلٰي صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيْمٍ﴾ [52:42] That is, you certainly guide people to the straight path.
[77] That is, Allah grants the ability to believe only to those who themselves seek guidance. He knows such people well and also provides them with the means of guidance.
[76]
The Two Different Meanings of Guidance and the Story of Abu Talib’s Death:
The word “guidance” is used in several senses. One form is that such a change occurs in the heart and mind of a disbeliever that he becomes ready to accept guidance or Islam. This matter is purely within the power of Allah Almighty. As is clearly stated in this verse. The following hadith also supports this meaning. Sa‘id bin al-Musayyib’s father, Musayyib bin Hazn, says that when the time of Abu Talib’s death came, the Prophet ﷺ went to him. There he saw that Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah were already sitting there. The Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Talib: “Dear uncle! If you say ﴿لا الٰه الا الله﴾, then I will be able to present an argument before Allah Almighty on the Day of Resurrection.” But Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah began to say: “Abu Talib! Will you leave the religion of ‘Abd al-Muttalib?” In the end, the last thing Abu Talib said was that “I die upon the religion of ‘Abd al-Muttalib,” and he did not accept to say ﴿لا الٰه الا الله﴾. The Prophet ﷺ said: “By Allah! I will continue to pray for you until I am forbidden to do so.” Then Allah Almighty revealed this verse: ﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾ and regarding Abu Talib, this verse: ﴿إنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِيْ...﴾ [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
2. According to the narration of Tirmidhi, Abu Talib replied to the Prophet ﷺ: “If the Quraysh would not taunt me that fear of death made me say this word, O nephew! I would have said this word and cooled your eyes.” At that time, this verse was revealed. [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير]
As for the final outcome of Abu Talib, who supported and protected the Prophet ﷺ until his last breath during the Makkan period and stood by him in every difficult time, consider the following hadiths:
1. Hazrat ‘Abbas bin ‘Abd al-Muttalib ؓ says: I said, “O Messenger of Allah! Will Abu Talib receive any benefit from you? He used to protect you and bore the displeasure of everyone for your sake.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If it were not for me, he would have been in the lowest depth of Hell.” [مسلم۔ کتاب الایمان۔ باب شفاعۃ النبی لابی طالب]
2. Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri ؓ says that when the Prophet ﷺ’s uncle Abu Talib was mentioned in the presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said: “Perhaps on the Day of Resurrection, my intercession will benefit him and he will be placed in a shallow fire that reaches his ankles and his brain will boil.” [مسلم۔ حواله ايضاً]
3. It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that the lightest punishment of Hell will be for Abu Talib; he will wear two sandals (of fire) from which his brain will boil. (Muslim. Reference as above) And the second meaning or form of guidance is that those who have already believed are guided to their intended destination. In this sense, you and other prophets, and even the scholars, cannot show the way of guidance, and this is indeed the responsibility of the prophets, as stated elsewhere: ﴿وَاِنَّكَ لَـــتَهْدِيْٓ اِلٰي صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيْمٍ﴾ [52:42] That is, you certainly guide people to the straight path.
[77] That is, Allah grants the ability to believe only to those who themselves seek guidance. He knows such people well and also provides them with the means of guidance.
