Al-Qur'an Surah Saba Verse 28

Mufti Taqi Usmani

We did not send you (O prophet,) but to the entire mankind, as a bearer of good news and as a warner, but most people do not know.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

We have sent you ˹O Prophet˺ only as a deliverer of good news and a warner to all of humanity, but most people do not know.

Ruwwad Translation Center

We have not sent you [O Prophet] except as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, but most people do not know.

A. J. Arberry

We have sent thee not, except to mankind entire, good tidings to bear, and warning; but most men do not know it.

Abdul Haleem

We have sent you [Prophet] only to bring good news and warning to all people, but most of them do not understand.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And We have not sent thee save as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner Unto all mankind; but most of man kind know not.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We have not sent thee but as a universal (Messenger) to men, giving them glad tidings, and warning them (against sin), but most men understand not.

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Prophet), We have not sent you forth but as a herald of good news and a warner for all mankind. But most people do not know.

Ahmed Ali

We have sent you only as a bearer of good tidings and admonisher for all mankind; yet most people do not understand.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And O dear Prophet, We have not sent you except with a Prophethood that covers the entire mankind, heralding glad tidings and warnings, but most people do not know. (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – is the Prophet towards all mankind.)

Ali Quli Qarai

We did not send you except as a bearer of good news and warner to all mankind, but most people do not know.

Ali Ünal

We have not sent you but to all humankind as a bearer of glad tidings (of prosperity for faith and righteousness) and a warner (against the consequences of misguidance). But most of humankind do not know (this, nor do they appreciate what a great blessing it is for them).

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Prophet!) We have sent you not but towards entire mankind (till the end of time) as a Bearer of glad-tidings and as a Warner but most people do not know (that the Message of Islam is universal and the Qur´ân the last revealed Book).

English Literal

And We did not send you except to the people all (as) an announcer and a warner/giver of notice , and but most of the people do not know.

Faridul Haque

And O dear Prophet, We have not sent you except with a Prophethood that covers the entire mankind, heralding glad tidings and warnings, but most people do not know. (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – is the Prophet towards all mankind.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Say, "Show me those whom you have joined with Him as partners; by no means (can you do it). Nay! He is Allah, the Mighty, the Wise."

Hilali & Khan

And We have not sent you (O Muhammad SAW) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, but most of men know not.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Say: Show me those whom you join with Him as associates. By no means (can you)! Nay, He is Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And We have not sent you but to all the men as a bearer of good news and as a warner, but most men do not know.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And We have not sent thee (O Muhammad) save as a bringer of good tidings and a warner unto all mankind; but most of mankind know not.

Muhammad Sarwar

We have sent you as a bearer of glad news and a warner to the whole of mankind, but most people do not know.

Qaribullah & Darwish

We did not send you (Prophet Muhammad) for all mankind except to bring them glad tidings and to warn, but most people do not know.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And We have not sent you except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, and most of men know not.

Wahiduddin Khan

We have sent you as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner for the whole of mankind, but most people have no knowledge.

Talal Itani

We sent you only universally to all people, a herald and warner, but most people do not know.

Tafsir jalalayn

And We did not send you except to all (kffatan is a circumstantial qualifier referring to al-ns, `mankind', and is made to precede [li'l-ns] because of the importance attached to it) of mankind [both] as a bearer of good tidings, to believers, of Paradise, and a warner, to the disbelievers, of chastisement, but most people, such as the disbelievers of Mecca, do not know, this.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Prophet was sent to all of Mankind

Allah says to His servant and Messenger Muhammad;

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلاَّ كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا

And We have not sent you except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind,

i.e., to all of creation among those who are accountable for their deeds.

This is like the Ayah;

قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا

Say;"O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah." (7;158)

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَـلَمِينَ نَذِيراً

Blessed be He Who sent down the Criterion to His servant that he may be a warner to the all creatures. (25;1)

بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا

a giver of glad tidings and a warner means,

to bring the glad tidings of Paradise to those who obey you and to warn of the fire of Hell to those who disobey you.

This is like the Ayat;

وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ




and most of men know not.

وَمَأ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُوْمِنِينَ

And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly. (12;103)

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path. (6;116)

Muhammad bin Ka`b said concerning the Ayah;
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلاَّ كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ
(And We have not sent you except to all mankind) meaning,

to all the people.

Qatadah said concerning this Ayah,

"Allah, may He be exalted, sent Muhammad to both the Arabs and the non-Arabs, so the most honored of them with Allah is the one who is most obedient to Allah."

In the Two Sahihs it was reported that Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him said,

"The Messenger of Allah said;

أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الاَْنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ وَجُعِلَتْ لِيَ الاَْرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا فَأَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلَةُ فَلْيُصَلِّ وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيَ الْغَنَايِمُ وَلَمْ تَحِلَّ لاَِحَدٍ قَبْلِي وَأُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّة

I have been given five things which were not given to any of the Prophets before me.

I have been aided by fear (the distance of) a month's journey.

The entire earth has been made a Masjid and a means of purification for me, so that when the time for prayer comes, any man of my Ummah should pray.

The spoils of war have been made permissible for me, whereas they were not permitted for any before me.

I have been given the power of intercession; and

the Prophets before me were sent to their own people, but I have been sent to all of mankind."

It was also recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said;

بُعِثْتُ إِلَى الاَْسْوَدِ وَالاَْحْمَر

I have been sent to the black and the red.

Mujahid said,

"This means to the Jinn and to mankind."

Others said that it meant the Arabs and the non-Arabs.

Both meanings are correct.
How the Disbelievers asked about when the Resurrection would happen, and the Response to Them

Allah tells us how the disbelievers believed it unlikely that the Hour would ever come to pass;

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ