Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 41

Mufti Taqi Usmani

We have sent down to you the Book for the people with truth. So, whoever follows the guidance, it is for his own good, and whoever goes astray, he will go astray only to his own detriment - and you are not responsible for them.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Surely We have revealed to you the Book ˹O Prophet˺ with the truth for humanity. So whoever chooses to be guided, it is for their own good. And whoever chooses to stray, it is only to their own loss. You are not a keeper over them.

Ruwwad Translation Center

We have sent down to you the Book with the truth for all mankind. Whoever follows the guidance, it is to his own benefit, and whoever goes astray, it is only to his own loss. You are not a keeper over them.

A. J. Arberry

Surely We have sent down upon thee the Book for mankind with the truth. Whosoever is guided, is only guided to his own gain, and whosoever goes astray, it is only to his own loss; thou art not a guardian over them.

Abdul Haleem

We have sent the Scripture down to you [Prophet] with the Truth for people. Whoever follows the guidance does so for his own benefit, whoever strays away from it does so at his own peril: you are not in charge of them.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily We! We have sent down Unto thee the Book for mankind? with truth. Then whosoever receiveth guidance, it is for his soul and whosoever strayeth, strayeth only to its hurt; and thou art not over them a trustee.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Verily We have revealed the Book to thee in Truth, for (instructing) mankind. He, then, that receives guidance benefits his own soul; but he that strays injures his own soul. Nor art thou set over them to dispose of their affairs.

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Prophet), We revealed to you the Book with the Truth for all mankind. So he who follows the Right Way does so to his own benefit, and he who goes astray, shall hurt only himself by straying. You are not accountable on their behalf.

Ahmed Ali

We have Sent down this Book to you with the truth for all mankind. So, he who comes to guidance does so for himself, and he who goes astray does so for his own loss; on you does not lie their guardianship.

Ahmed Raza Khan

We have indeed sent down this Book to you with the truth, in order to guide mankind; so whoever attains guidance has attained it is for his own good, and whoever strays, has strayed for his own harm; and you are not at all responsible for them.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed We have sent down the Book to you with the truth for [the deliverance of] mankind. So whoever is guided is guided for his own sake, and whoever goes astray, goes astray to his own detriment, and it is not your duty to watch over them.

Ali Ünal

Surely We have sent down the Book to you with the truth for humankind (embodying the truth, and with no falsehood in it). So, whoever chooses to go right, it is for his own soul’s good; and whoever chooses to go astray, goes astray but to its own harm. You are not one appointed as a guardian over them (to assume their responsibility for going right).

Amatul Rahman Omar

Behold! We have revealed to you the perfect Book, it comprises the truth and wisdom. (It is) for the good of mankind. So he who follows (this) guidance will do so for the good of his own soul, and he who goes astray will do so to its own detriment (and so will himself suffer the loss). You are not responsible for them.

English Literal

We (E) descended on (to) you The Book for the people with the truth , so who guided, so to himself, and who misguided so but he misguides on it, and you are not then with a guardian/protector/trustee .

Faridul Haque

We have indeed sent down this Book to you with the truth, in order to guide mankind; so whoever attains guidance has attained it is for his own good, and whoever strays, has strayed for his own harm; and you are not at all responsible for them.

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, We have revealed to you the Book with the truth for the sake of mankind; so whoever follows the right way, it is for the good of his own soul and whoever errs, he errs only to its injury; and you are not a custodian over them.

Hilali & Khan

Verily, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad SAW) the Book (this Quran) for mankind in truth. So whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for his ownself, and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only for his (own) loss. And you (O Muhammad SAW) are not a Wakil (trustee or disposer of affairs, or keeper) over them.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Who it is to whom there comes a chastisement abasing him, and on whom falls a lasting chastisement.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely We have revealed to you the Book with the truth for the sake of men; so whoever follows the right way, it is for his own soul and whoever errs, he errs only to its detriment; and you are not a custodian over them.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture for mankind with truth. Then whosoever goeth right it is for his soul, and whosoever strayeth, strayeth only to its hurt. And thou art not a warder over them.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), We have revealed the Book to you for mankind in all truth. Whoever seeks guidance does so for his own good. Whosoever goes astray goes against his own soul. You are not their representative.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Surely, We have sent down to you the Book for mankind with the truth. Whosoever is guided, is guided for himself, and he who goes astray, it is only for his own loss, you (Prophet Muhammad) are not their (compulsory) guardian.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, We have sent down to you the Book for mankind in truth. So, whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for himself; and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only to his (own) loss. And you are not a trustee over them.

Wahiduddin Khan

[O Prophet!] We have sent down to you the Book for mankind with the truth. Then whoever adopts the right way, will do so for his own soul, and whoever goes astray, injures his own soul. You are not their custodian.

Talal Itani

We sent down upon you the Book for mankind in truth. He who follows guidance does so for the good of his soul. And he who strays in error does so to its detriment. You are not their overseer.

Tafsir jalalayn

Truly We have revealed the Book to you for [the sake of] mankind with the truth (bi'l-haqqi is semantically connected to anzaln, `We have revealed'). So whoever is guided, then it, his being guided, is for [the sake of] his own soul, and whoever goes astray, goes astray only to the detriment thereof. And you are not [meant to be] a guardian over them, and so compel them to [embrace] guidance.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah says, addressing His Messenger Muhammad;

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ

Verily, We have sent down to you the Book, (meaning, the Qur'an).

لِلنَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ

for mankind in truth.

means, for all of creation, mankind and Jinn, so that he may warn them therewith.

فَمَنِ اهْتَدَى فَلِنَفْسِهِ

So, whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for himself;

means, the benefit of that will return to him.

وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا

and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only for his (own) loss.

means, the consequences of that will return to him.

وَمَا أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ



And you are not a trustee over them.

means, `you are not responsible for guiding them.'

إِنَّمَأ أَنتَ نَذِيرٌ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَكِيلٌ

But you are only a warner. And Allah is a Trustee over all things. (11;12)

فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَـغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ

your duty is only to convey and on Us is the reckoning. (13;40)
Allah is the One Who causes Death and gives Life

Then Allah tells us that He is in control of all things and does as He wills. He causes men to die (the "greater death") when He sends the angels to take men's souls from their bodies, and He causes them to "die a lesser death" when they sleep.

Allah says;

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ لِيُقْضَى أَجَلٌ مّسَمًّى ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّيُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ


وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّى إِذَا جَأءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ


It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day, then He raises (wakes) you up again that a term appointed be fulfilled, then (in the end) unto Him will be your return. Then He will inform you of that which you used to do.

He is the Irresistible, over His servants, and He sends guardians (angels guarding and writing all of one's good and bad deeds) over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers (angels) take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. (6;60-61)

Here Allah mentions the two deaths,

the lesser death then the greater death after it;

in this Ayah He mentions the greater then the lesser. Allah says