Surah 42

Surah 42:23

"That is the good news which God gives to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say: ‘I do not ask you for any reward for it, except love for family.’ Whoever acquires a good (deed) – We shall increase the good for him in it. Surely God is forgiving, thankful."
Good News of the Blessings of Paradise for the People of Faith Verses 42:23-24
Show Full Scripture Context (42:23-24) — 2 Verses
Verse 23

ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِۗ قُل لَّآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرًا إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوَدَّةَ فِي ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰۗ وَمَن يَقۡتَرِفۡ حَسَنَةٗ نَّزِدۡ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسۡنًاۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ شَكُورٌ

That is the good news which God gives to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say: ‘I do not ask you for any reward for it, except love for family.’ Whoever acquires a good (deed) – We shall increase the good for him in it. Surely God is forgiving, thankful.

Verse 24

أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗاۖ فَإِن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يَخۡتِمۡ عَلَىٰ قَلۡبِكَۗ وَيَمۡحُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَٰطِلَ وَيُحِقُّ ٱلۡحَقَّ بِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ

Or do they say, ‘He has forged a lie against God?’ If God pleases, He will set a seal on your heart, and God will blot out falsehood and verify the truth by His words. Surely He knows what is in the hearts.

Having mentioned the gardens of Paradise, Allah then says to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds:

Quoted Scripture
"That is whereof Allah gives glad tidings to His servants who believe and do righteous good deeds."

meaning, this will undoubtedly come to them, because it is glad tidings from Allah to them.

Quoted Scripture
"Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this except to be kind to me for my kinship with you.""

means, 'say, O Muhammad, to these idolaters among the disbeliever of Quraysh: I do not ask you for anything in return for this message and sincere advice which I bring to you. All I ask of you is that you withhold your evil from me and let me convey the Messages of my Lord. If you will not help me, then do not disturb me, for the sake of the ties of kinship that exist between you and I.' Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked about the Ayah:

Quoted Scripture
"except to be kind to me for my kinship with you."

Sa'id bin Jubayr said, "To be kind to the family of Muhammad." Ibn 'Abbas said, "No, you have jumped to a hasty conclusion. There was no clan among Quraysh to whom...

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 8, Page 585-586)

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.