Al-Qur'an Surah Saba Verse 46

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Say, “I advise you for one thing only: that you stand up before Allah, in pairs and in singles, then reflect; (you will easily appreciate that) there is no madness in your fellow (the Holy Prophet).” He is none but a warner to you in the face of a stern torment.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I advise you to do ˹only˺ one thing: stand up for ˹the sake of˺ Allah—individually or in pairs—then reflect. Your fellow man[[ i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ).]] is not insane. He is only a warner to you before ˹the coming of˺ a severe punishment.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Say [O Prophet], “I only advise you to do one thing: stand up for Allah, in pairs and individually, then reflect. There is no madness in your companion; he is but a warner to you ahead of a severe punishment.”

A. J. Arberry

Say: 'I give you but one admonition, that you stand unto God, two by two and one by one, and then reflect: no madness is in your comrade. He is naught but a warner unto you, before a terrible chastisement.'

Abdul Haleem

Say [Prophet], ‘I advise you to do one thing only: stand before God, in pairs or singly, and think: there is no sign of madness in your companion [the Prophet]- he is only warning you before severe suffering arrives.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Say thou: I but exhort you Unto one thing: that ye stand, for Allah's sake, by twos and singly, and then ponder; in your companion there is no madness; he is naught but a warner Unto you preceding a torment severe.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Say; "I do admonish you on one point; that ye do stand up before Allah,- (It may be) in pairs, or (it may be) singly,- and reflect (within yourselves); your Companion is not possessed; he is no less than a warner to you, in face of a terrible Penalty."

Abul Ala Maududi

Say to them, (O Prophet): “I give you but one counsel: stand up (for heaven's sake), singly and in pairs, and then think: what is it in your companion (to wit, Muhammad) that could be deemed as madness?” He is nothing but a warner, warning you before the coming of a grevious chastisement.

Ahmed Ali

Say: "I urge upon you only one thing: Stand up for God two by two or one by one, and think and reflect!" There is no madness about your companion. He is a warner against the dreadful affliction (that awaits).

Ahmed Raza Khan

Proclaim, “I advise you just one thing; that stand up for Allah's sake, in twos and ones, and then think”; there is not a trace of insanity in this companion of yours; he is not but a Herald of Warning for you, before the advent of a severe punishment!

Ali Quli Qarai

Say, ‘I give you just a single advice: that you rise up for Allah’s sake, in pairs or singly, and then reflect: there is no madness in your companion; he is just a warner to you before [the befalling of] a severe punishment.’

Ali Ünal

Say: "I exhort you to one thing: Pull yourselves together and draw aside purely for God’s sake, together with another person or alone, and then reflect (on this issue, leaving aside all your prejudices). There is no madness in your companion (God’s Messenger). He is but a warner to you (sent) prior to a severe punishment."

Amatul Rahman Omar

Say, `I advise you (to do) one thing, (it is) that you keep Allâh (before) you, stand up in twos (- collectively) and ones (- singly) and then ponder (over the teachings of this Prophet). (You will come to the conclusion) that there is no vestige of insanity in (this) companion of yours (- Muhammad). He is only a Warner to you of a great calamity which is impending (over you).

English Literal

Say: "Indeed/but I preach to/warn you with one (thing), that (E) you stand to God two twos/twos or singularly/one by one, then you think insanity/madness (is) not with your companion/friend (your messenger is not mad), that truly he is except a warner/giver of notice for you, between a severe torture`s hands."

Faridul Haque

Proclaim, “I advise you just one thing; that stand up for Allah´s sake, in twos and ones, and then think”; there is not a trace of insanity in this companion of yours; he is not but a Herald of Warning for you, before the advent of a severe punishment!

Hamid S. Aziz

And those before them rejected the truth, and these have not yet attained a tenth of what We gave them, yet they rejected My messenger, how terrible, then, was My rejection (abhorrence of them)!

Hilali & Khan

Say (to them O Muhammad SAW): "I exhort you on one (thing) only: that you stand up for Allah's sake in pairs and singly, and reflect (within yourselves the life history of the Prophet SAW): there is no madness in your companion (Muhammad SAW), he is only a warner to you in face of a severe torment."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And those before them rejected (the truth), and these have not yet attained a tenth of that which We gave them, but they gave the lie to My messengers. How (terrible) was then My disapproval!

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Say: I exhort you only to one thing, that rise up for Allah's sake in twos and singly, then ponder: there is no madness in your fellow-citizen; he is only a warner to you before a severe chastisement.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Say (unto them, O Muhammad): I exhort you unto one thing only: that ye awake, for Allah's sake, by twos and singly, and then reflect: There is no madness in your comrade. He is naught else than a warner unto you in face of a terrific doom.

Muhammad Sarwar

Say, "I advise you to believe only in One God and worship Him individually or two people together." Think carefully; your companion is not possessed by jinn. He is only warning you of the coming severe torment.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Say: 'I give you only one admonition, that you stand before Allah either two by two, or one by one and reflect. There is no madness is in your companion. He (Prophet Muhammad) is only a warner to you, before a terrible punishment'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Say: "I exhort you to one (thing) only, that you stand up for Allah's sake in pairs and singly, and reflect, there is no madness in your companion. He is only a warner to you in face of a severe torment."

Wahiduddin Khan

Say to them, "I exhort you to do one thing: and that is to stand up before God in pairs, or singly, and then reflect. You will thus realize that your companion is not afflicted with madness. He is only a warner, warning you of an impending severe chastisement."

Talal Itani

Say, “I offer you a single advice: devote yourselves to God, in pairs, or individually; and reflect. There is no madness in your friend. He is just a warner to you, before the advent of a severe punishment.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Say; `I will give you just one [piece of] admonition; namely, that you rise up for God, in other words, for His sake, in twos and individually, and then reflect; and realise [that], there is no madness in your companion, Muhammad (s). He is just a warner to you before [the befalling of] a severe chastisement', in the Hereafter, if you disobey him.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Refutation of Their Accusation that the Prophet was Insane

Allah says;

قُلْ

Say;

Allah says;`Say, O Muhammad, to these disbelievers who claim that you are crazy,'

إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُم بِوَاحِدَةٍ

I exhort you to one (thing) only,

meaning, I am only telling you to one thing, and that is;

أَن تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنَى وَفُرَادَى ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا مَا بِصَاحِبِكُم مِّن جِنَّةٍ

that you stand up for Allah's sake in pairs and singly, and reflect, there is no madness in your companion.

meaning, `stand sincerely before Allah, without being influenced by your own desires or tribal feelings, and ask one another, is Muhammad crazy Advise one another,'

ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا
and reflect means,

let each person look within himself concerning the matter of Muhammad, and ask other people about him if he is still confused, then let him think about the matter.

Allah says;
أَن تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنَى وَفُرَادَى ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا مَا بِصَاحِبِكُم مِّن جِنَّةٍ
(that you stand up for Allah's sake in pairs and singly, and reflect, there is no madness in your companion).

This meaning was stated by Mujahid, Muhammad bin Ka`b, As-Suddi, Qatadah and others.

This is what is meant by the Ayah.

إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ لَّكُم بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ



He is only a warner to you in face of a severe torment.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on this Ayah;

"One day, the Prophet climbed up As-Safa' and shouted,

يَا صَبَاحَاه

O people!

The Quraysh gathered around him, and said, `What is the matter with you?'

He said,

أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ الْعَدُوَّ يُصَبِّحُكُمْ أَوْ يُمَسِّيكُمْ أَمَا كُنْتُمْ تُصَدِّقُونِّي

What do you think If I told you that the enemy were approaching and will reach us in the morning or in the evening, would you believe me?

They said, `Of course.'

He said;

فَإِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيد

I am a warner to you in the face of a severe punishment.

Abu Lahab said, `May you perish! You have called us together only to tell us this.'

Then Allah revealed;

تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِى لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ

Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and perish he! (111;1)

We have already discussed this in our Tafsir of the Ayah;

وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ

And warn your tribe of near kindred. (26;214)