Surah 18

Surah 18:28

"Be patient within yourself with those who call on their Lord in the morning and the evening, desiring His face, and do not let your eyes turn away from them, desiring the (passing) splendor of this present life. Do not obey (anyone) whose heart We have made oblivious of Our remembrance, and (who only) follows his desire and whose concern is (only) excess."
The Command to recite the Qur'an and to patiently keep Company with the Believers Verses 18:27-28
Show Full Scripture Context (18:27-28) — 2 Verses
Verse 27

وَٱتۡلُ مَآ أُوحِيَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَبِّكَۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلۡتَحَدٗا

Recite what you have been inspired (with) of the Book of your Lord. No one can change His words, and you will find no refuge other than Him.

Verse 28

وَٱصۡبِرۡ نَفۡسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلۡغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلۡعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَهُۥۖ وَلَا تَعۡدُ عَيۡنَاكَ عَنۡهُمۡ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَلَا تُطِعۡ مَنۡ أَغۡفَلۡنَا قَلۡبَهُۥ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُهُۥ فُرُطٗا

Be patient within yourself with those who call on their Lord in the morning and the evening, desiring His face, and do not let your eyes turn away from them, desiring the (passing) splendor of this present life. Do not obey (anyone) whose heart We have made oblivious of Our remembrance, and (who only) follows his desire and whose concern is (only) excess.

Commanding His Messenger to recite His Holy Book and convey it to mankind, Allah says,

{None can change His Words,} meaning, no one can alter them, distort them or misinterpret them.

Quoted Scripture
"and none will you find as a refuge other than Him"

It was reported that Mujahid said, "A shelter," and that Qatadah said, "A helper or supporter." Ibn Jarir said: "Allah is saying, 'if you O Muhammad, do not recite what is revealed to you of the Book of your Lord, then you will have no refuge from Allah.'" As Allah says:

{O Messenger! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will protect you from mankind.} [5:67]

{Verily, He Who has given you the Qur'an, will surely bring you back to the place of return.} [28:85]
meaning, 'He will call you to account for the duty of conveying the Message which He entrusted you with.'

Quoted Scripture
"And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and afternoon, seeking His Face"

meaning, sit with those who remember Allah, who say "La ilaha illallah", who praise Him, glorify Him, declare His greatness and call on Him, morning and evening, all the servants of Allah, whether rich or poor, strong or weak. It was said that this was revealed about the nobles of Quraysh when they asked the Prophet to sit with them on his own, and not to bring his weak Companions with him, such as Bilal, 'Ammar, Suhayb, Khabbab and Ibn Mas'ud. They wanted him to sit with them on his own, but Allah forbade him from doing that, and said,

Quoted Scripture
"And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon."

Allah commanded him to patiently content himself with sitting with those people (the weak believers), and said:

Quoted Scripture
"And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and afternoon..."

Imam Muslim recorded in his Sahih that Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas who said: "There was a group of six of us with the Prophet. The idolators said, 'Tell these people to leave so they will not offend us.' There was myself, Ibn Mas'ud, a man from Hudayl, Bilal and two other men whose names I have forgotten. Allah's Messenger thought to himself about whatever Allah willed he should think about, then Allah revealed:

Quoted Scripture
"And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon."

Only Muslim reported this; excluding Al-Bukhari.

Quoted Scripture
"and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world;"

Ibn 'Abbas said, '(this means) do not favor others over them, meaning do not seek the people of nobility and wealth instead of them.'

Quoted Scripture
"and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance"

means, those who are distracted by this world from being committed to the religion and from worshipping their Lord.

Quoted Scripture
"and whose affair (deeds) has been lost."

means, his actions and deeds are a foolish waste of time. Do not obey him or admire his way or envy what he has. As Allah says elsewhere:

{And strain not your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to various groups of them, the splendor of the life of this world, that We may test them thereby. But the provision of your Lord is better and more lasting} [20:131]

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Page 142-145)

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.