Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 42 Ash-Shuraa, Ayat 15-15

فَلِذٰلِكَ فَادۡعُ​ ۚ وَاسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَاۤ اُمِرۡتَ​ۚ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ اَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ​ۚ وَقُلۡ اٰمَنۡتُ بِمَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰهُ مِنۡ كِتٰبٍ​​ۚ وَاُمِرۡتُ لِاَعۡدِلَ بَيۡنَكُمُ​ؕ اَللّٰهُ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمۡ​ؕ لَـنَاۤ اَعۡمَالُـنَا وَلَـكُمۡ اَعۡمَالُكُمۡ​ۚ لَا حُجَّةَ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَكُمُ​ؕ اَللّٰهُ يَجۡمَعُ بَيۡنَنَا​ۚ وَاِلَيۡهِ الۡمَصِيۡرُؕ‏  ﴿42:15﴾

(42:15) (This being so, O Muhammad), call people to the same religion and be steadfast about it as you were commanded, and do not follow their desires,26 and say (to them): “I believe in the Book Allah has sent down.27 I have been commanded to establish justice among you.28 Allah is our Lord and your Lord. We have our deeds and you have your deeds.29 There is no contention between us and you.30 Allah will bring us all together. To Him all are destined to return.”


Notes

26. That is, do not make any change nor effect any increase or decrease in this religion only to please them. Do not resort to any compromises with the misguided people on the principle of give and take. Do not make any room in the religion for their whims, prejudices and practices of ignorance in the hope that they would embrace Islam. Let the one who wants to accept, accept the original, pure religion of God, as sent down by Him, straight forwardly; otherwise let him go and enter any hell that he chooses for himself. The religion of God cannot be changed for the sake of the people; if the people are desirous of their own well being and true success, let them change their ways and mold themselves according to it.

27. In other words, I am not like those schismatic people who believe in some Books sent down by God and disbelieve in others; I believe in every Book sent down by Him.

28. This sentence has several meanings:

(1) I have been appointed to discard the schisms and adopt true impartiality. I do not like to harbor prejudice in favor of one and against the other schism. I have one and the same kind of relationship with all human beings, and it is the relationship of justice and equity. I am a companion and supporter of everyone who follows the truth, whether he is an utter stranger for me, and an opponent of everyone who follows falsehood, whether he is a neighbor or a close kinsman.

(2) There is no place of distinction for anybody in the system of truth, which I have, been appointed to present before you. It honors everyone equally. It does not contain separate sets of the rights for the kindred and the stranger, the big and the small, the poor and the rich, the noble and the humble. Whatever is good in it is good for everyone, and whatever is sinful and unlawful and criminal in it is sinful, unlawful and criminal for everybody. In its just system, there is no exception even for my own self.

(3) I have been appointed to establish justice in the world. I have been entrusted with the mission of doing justice between the people and should put an end to their excesses and injustice, which are prevalent in your society.

Besides, there is also a fourth meaning of this sentence, which remained hidden in Makkan life but became clear after emigration to Madinah, and it was: I am a judge appointed by God, I am responsible to do justice between you.

29. That is, each one of us is himself responsible and accountable for his deeds. If you do good, you will yourself profit by its good results, and not we. If we do evil, we ourselves shall bear all its evil consequences, and not you. The same thing has been stated in (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 139); (Surah Younus, Ayat 41); (Surah Houd, Ayat 35); and (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayat 55).

30. That is, we have done our best in conveying to you the message in a rational way. Now there is no use wrangling and disputing; therefore, even if you try to have a dispute with us, we have no desire to join in.