Surah 12

Surah 12:104

"You do not ask them for any reward for it. It is nothing but a reminder to the worlds."
Tafsir Ibn Kathir Verses 12:102-104
Show Full Scripture Context (12:102-104) — 3 Verses
Verse 102

ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيۡكَۖ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ إِذۡ أَجۡمَعُوٓاْ أَمۡرَهُمۡ وَهُمۡ يَمۡكُرُونَ

That is one of the stories of the unseen. We inspired you (with) it. You were not with them when they agreed on their plan and were scheming.

Verse 103

وَمَآ أَكۡثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَوۡ حَرَصۡتَ بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ

Most of the people are not going to believe, even if you are eager (for that).

Verse 104

وَمَا تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍۚ إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

You do not ask them for any reward for it. It is nothing but a reminder to the worlds.

the unseen incidents of the past, O Muhammad,
{which We reveal to you.}

and inform you of, O Muhammad, because it carries a lesson, for you to draw from and a reminder to those who defy you. Allah said next,
{You were not (present) with them}, you did not witness their conference nor saw them,
{when they arranged their plan together,}

to throw Yusuf into the well,
{and (while) they were plotting}

against him. We taught you all this through Our Revelation which We sent down to you. Allah said in other Ayat,
{You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens..} and,
{And you were not on the western side, when We made clear to Musa the commandment...} [28:44] until,
{And you were not at the side of the Tur when We did call.} [28:46]
Allah also said,
{And you were not a dweller among the people of Madyan reciting Our verses to them.} [28:45]
Allah states that Muhammad is His Messenger and that He has taught him the news of what occurred in the past, which carry lessons for people to draw from, so that they acquire their safety in their religious affairs as well as their worldly affairs. Yet, most people did not and will not believe, so Allah said,
{And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly.} Allah said in similar Ayat,
{And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path} [6:116], and,
{Verily, in this is an Ayah, yet most of them are not believers.} [26:8]
Allah said next,
{And no reward you ask of them for it;}

Allah says, "You, O Muhammad, do not ask them in return for this advice and your call to all that is good and righteous, for any price or compensation for delivering it. Rather, you do so seeking Allah's Face and to deliver good and sincere advice to His creatures,
{it (the Qur'an) is no less than a Reminder unto the 'Alamin (men and Jinn)}

with which they remember, receive guidance and save themselves in this life and the Hereafter."

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.