Study the Quran

Tafsir

Scholarly commentary explaining a verse — its context, its meaning and how the scholars have understood it.

Sad 38:86

Word by word

قُلْ مَآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ

Say, [O Muḥammad], "I do not ask you for it [i.e., the Qur’ān] any payment, and I am not of the pretentious.

Ibn Kathir (Abridged) English Ma'arif al-Qur'an English Tafsir Muyassar Arabic Tafsir Ibn Kathir Arabic All sources

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

وَمَآ أَنَآ مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ(nor am I one of the Mutakallifin.) means, `and I do not add anything to that which Allah has told me. Whatever I am commanded to do, I do it, and I do not add anything or take anything away. By doing this I am seeking the Face of Allah and the Hereafter.' Sufyan Ath-Thawri, narrated from Al-A`mash and Mansur from Abu Ad-Duha that Masruq said, "We went to `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him. He said, `O people! Whoever knows a thing should say it, and whoever does not know should say, `Allah knows best."' It is part of knowledge, when one does not know, to say "Allah knows best." For Allah said to your Prophet :قُلْ مَآ أَسْـَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَآ أَنَآ مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ (Say: "No wage do I ask of you for this, nor am I one of the Mutakallifin.") This was reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَـلَمِينَ (It is only a Reminder for all the creatures.) means, the Qur'an is a reminder for all those who are held accountable, men and Jinn.

This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him. This Ayah is like the Ayat:لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ(that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach) (6:19), andوَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ(but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place) (11:17).وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ نَبَأَهُ(And you shall certainly know the truth of it) means, `you will see confirmation that what he says is true.'بَعْدَ حِينِ(after a while.) means, soon. Qatadah said, "After death. `Ikrimah said, "It means, on the Day of Resurrection." There is no contradiction between the two views, because whoever dies comes under the rulings of the Day of Resurrection. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Sad. All praise and gratitude is due to Allah, and Allah may He be glorified and exalted, knows best.

Ma'arif al-Qur'an

Mufti Muhammad Shafi

In verse 86, it was said: وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ (nor am I from among those who make up things artificially.).

The blameworthiness of artificial behavior

The statement means: 'I am not declaring my prophethood artificially, nor am I falsely pretending to have knowledge and wisdom, rather, I am conveying the commandments of Allah to you as they are. From this we learn that feigned formality and pretension is blameworthy in the light of the Shari'ah. Accordingly, there are some ahadith that condemn it. In the Sahihayn (al-Bukhari and Muslim), it has been reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Masud ؓ :"0 people, whoever from among you knows something, let him tell people about it. But, that which he does not know, let him simply say: وَاللہ سبحانہ و تعالیٰ اَعلَم (Allah knows best) (because) Allah Ta` a-la has said about his Rasul قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ‌ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ (Say,"I do not demand from you any fee for it, nor am I from among those who make up things artificially."- 38:86)." (Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani)Alhamdulillah

The Commentary on

Surah Sad

Tafsir Muyassar

Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Saudi Arabia

قل -أيها الرسول- لهؤلاء المشركين من قومك: لا أطلب منكم أجرًا أو جزاءً على دعوتكم وهدايتكم، ولا أدَّعي أمرًا ليس لي، بل أتبع ما يوحى إليَّ، ولا أتكلف تخرُّصًا وافتراءً.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

يقول تعالى : قل يا محمد لهؤلاء المشركين : ما أسألكم على هذا البلاغ وهذا النصح أجرا تعطونيه من عرض الحياة الدنيا ( وما أنا من المتكلفين ) أي : وما أزيد على ما أرسلني الله به ، ولا أبتغي زيادة عليه بل ما أمرت به أديته لا أزيد عليه ولا أنقص منه وإنما أبتغي بذلك وجه الله - عز وجل - والدار الآخرة .قال سفيان الثوري عن الأعمش ومنصور عن أبي الضحى عن مسروق قال : أتينا عبد الله بن مسعود قال : يا أيها الناس من علم شيئا فليقل به ومن لا يعلم فليقل : الله أعلم فإن من العلم أن يقول الرجل لما لا يعلم : الله أعلم فإن الله قال لنبيكم - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : ( قل ما أسألكم عليه من أجر وما أنا من المتكلفين ) أخرجاه من حديث الأعمش به

Tafsir is provided for educational reference. Paragraph breaks are added for readability — the wording of each commentary is unchanged. For religious guidance, consult a qualified scholar.