Al-Qur'an Surah Ash-Shuraa Verse 48

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, if they turn away, then We did not send you (O Prophet,) as a supervisor over them. You are not responsible but for conveying the message. And when We make man taste mercy from Us, he rejoices with it, and if an evil befalls him because of what their hands sent ahead, then man becomes ungrateful.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

But if they turn away, We have not sent you ˹O Prophet˺ as a keeper over them. Your duty is only to deliver ˹the message˺. And indeed, when We let someone taste a mercy from Us, they become prideful ˹because˺ of it. But when afflicted with evil because of what their hands have done, then one becomes totally ungrateful.[[ They totally deny previous favours. ]] 

Ruwwad Translation Center

But if they turn away, We have not sent you as their keeper; your duty is only to convey the message. If We give man a taste of Our mercy, he exults in it; but when a calamity befalls him because of what their hands have sent forth, then man becomes totally ungrateful.

A. J. Arberry

But if they turn away, We sent thee not to be a guardian over them. It is for thee only to deliver the Message. And when We let man taste mercy from Us, he rejoices in it; but if some evil befalls him for that his own hands have forwarded, then surely man is unthankful.

Abdul Haleem

We have not sent you [Prophet] to be their guardian: your only duty is to deliver the message. When We give man a taste of Our mercy, he rejoices in it, but if some harm befalls him on account of what he has done with his own hands, then he is ungrateful.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

If then they turn away, then We have not sent thee to be a warden over them, on thee is naught but preaching. And verily We! when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us he exulteth thereat; and if an ill befalleth them because of that which their hands have sent on, then verily man becometh ingrate.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If then they run away, We have not sent thee as a guard over them. Thy duty is but to convey (the Message). And truly, when We give man a taste of a Mercy from Ourselves, he doth exult thereat, but when some ill happens to him, on account of the deeds which his hands have sent forth, truly then is man ungrateful!

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Prophet), if they turn away from the Truth, know that We did not send you to them as their overseer. Your task is only to convey (the Message). Indeed when We give man a taste of Our Mercy, he exults in it. But if any misfortune afflicts them on account of their deeds, man is utterly ungrateful.

Ahmed Ali

If they turn away (you are not responsible); We have not appointed you a warden over them. Your duty is to deliver the message. When We let man taste of Our favours he begins to exult; but if misfortune befalls him, as a consequence of his own deeds, man is surely then ungrateful.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So if they turn away from you, We have not sent you as a guardian over them; upon you is nothing but to convey (the message); and when We make man taste some mercy from Us, he rejoices upon it; and if some harm reaches them because of what their own hands have sent before, thereupon man is ungrateful!

Ali Quli Qarai

But if they disregard [your warnings], [keep in mind that] We have not sent you as their keeper. Your duty is only to communicate. Indeed when We let man taste Our mercy, he boasts about it; but should an ill visit him because of what his hands have sent ahead, then man is very ungrateful.

Ali Ünal

But (do not grieve) if they turn away in aversion (from your call, O Messenger): We have not sent you (as a Messenger) so as to be their keeper (to prevent their misdeeds or carry accountability for them). What rests with you is but to convey (God’s Message) fully. Indeed, when We favor human with a taste of mercy, he rejoices in it (without ever thinking to express gratitude to Him Who favored him). But if an evil befalls them because of what their hands have forwarded, surely then human is ungrateful.

Amatul Rahman Omar

But if they turn away (inspite of all your exhortation) then (it is their own responsibility). We have not sent you as a custodian over them. Your duty is only to deliver (Our Message) well. Look! when We let a person to have a taste of Our mercy he rejoices over it. But if some evil befalls them on account of what they have themselves done (they are displeased thereat); as a matter of fact such a person is (really) ungrateful.

English Literal

So if they objected/opposed , so We did not send you on (to) them (as) a protector/guard , that truly on you (is nothing) except the information/communication, and We (E) if We made the human/mankind taste/experience mercy from Us, he became happy/rejoiced with it, and if a sin/crime strikes/marks them with because (of) what their hands advanced , so then the human/mankind (is an insistent) disbeliever.

Faridul Haque

So if they turn away from you, We have not sent you as a guardian over them; upon you is nothing but to convey (the message); and when We make man taste some mercy from Us, he rejoices upon it; and if some harm reaches them because of what their own hands have sent before, thereupon man is ungrateful!

Hamid S. Aziz

But if they turn away, We have not sent you as a warder over them; yours is only to deliver (the message). Surely when We make man taste mercy from Us, he rejoices there at; and if an evil afflicts them on account of what their hands have already done, then lo! Man is ungrateful.

Hilali & Khan

But if they turn away (O Muhammad SAW from the Islamic Monotheism, which you have brought to them). We have not sent you (O Muhammad SAW) as a Hafiz (protector) over them (i.e. to take care of their deeds and to recompense them). Your duty is to convey (the Message). And verily, when We cause man to taste of Mercy from Us, he rejoices thereat, but when some ill befalls them because of the deeds which their hands have sent forth, then verily, man (becomes) ingrate!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Hearken to your Lord before there comes from Allah the day which there is no averting. You will have no refuge on that day, nor will it be yours to make a denial.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

But if they turn aside, We have not sent you as a watcher over them; on you is only to deliver (the message); and surely when We make man taste mercy from Us, he rejoices thereat; and if an evil afflicts them on account of what their hands have already done, then-surely man is ungrateful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

But if they are averse, We have not sent thee as a warder over them. Thine is only to convey (the message). And lo! when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us he exulteth therefor. And if some evil striketh them because of that which their own hands have sent before, then lo! man is an ingrate.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), if they turn away from your message, know that We have not sent you as their keeper. Your duty is only to deliver the message. When We grant mercy to the human being, he becomes joyous, but when he is afflicted by evil as a result of his own deeds, he proves to be ungrateful.

Qaribullah & Darwish

But if they turn away, We have not sent you (Prophet Muhammad) to be their (compulsory) guardian. It is only for you to deliver (the Message). When We give the human a taste of Our Mercy, he rejoices because of it; but when, because of what he has earned, evil befalls him, the human is ungrateful.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

But if they turn away, We have not sent you as a Hafiz over them. Your duty is to convey. And verily, when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us, he rejoices there at; but when some evil befalls them because of the deeds which their hands have sent forth, then verily, man (becomes) ingrate!

Wahiduddin Khan

Now if they turn away, We have not sent you [O Prophet] as their keeper: your responsibility is only to convey the message. Man is such that when We let him taste Our mercy, he exults in it, but if an evil befalls him which is his own doing, he becomes utterly ungrateful.

Talal Itani

But if they turn away—We did not send you as a guardian over them. Your only duty is communication. Whenever We let man taste mercy from Us, he rejoices in it; but when misfortune befalls them, as a consequence of what their hands have perpetrated, man turns blasphemous.

Tafsir jalalayn

But if they are disregardful, of answering [God], We have not sent you as a keeper over them, to keep [track of] their deeds by securing what is demanded of them. Your duty is only to deliver the Message -- this was [revealed] before the command to struggle [against them]. And indeed when We let man taste from Us some mercy, some grace, such as wealth and good health, he exults in it; but if some ill, [some] calamity, befalls them (the pronoun here refers to `man', on the basis of the [plural import of the] generic noun) because of what their [own] hands have sent ahead, [because of what] they have offered [of deeds] -- the expression refers to `the hands' because most actions are effected by them), then lo! man is ungrateful, for the grace.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُوا

But if they turn away, (refers to the idolators),

فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا

We have not sent you as a Hafiz over them.

means, `you have no power over them.'

And Allah says elsewhere;

لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَأءُ

Not upon you is their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. (2;272)

فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَـغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ

your duty is only to convey (the Message) and on Us is the reckoning. (13;40)

And Allah says here;

إِنْ عَلَيْكَ إِلاَّ الْبَلَغُ

Your duty is to convey.

meaning, `all that We require you to do is to convey the Message of Allah to them.'

وَإِنَّا إِذَا أَذَقْنَا الاْإِنسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً فَرِحَ بِهَا

And verily, when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us, he rejoices there at;

means, when a time of ease and comfort comes to him, he is happy about it.

وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ

but when befalls them, (means mankind).

سَيِّيَةٌ

some evil,

means, drought, punishment, tribulation or difficulty,

بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ

because of the deeds which their hands have sent forth,

فَإِنَّ الاْإِنسَانَ كَفُورٌ



then verily, man (becomes) ingrate!

means, he forgets the previous times of ease and blessings and acknowledges nothing but the present moment. If times of ease come to him, he becomes arrogant and transgresses, but if any difficulty befalls him, he loses hope and is filled with despair.

This is like what the Messenger of Allah said to the women;

يَا مَعْشَرَ النِّسَاءِ تَصَدَّقْنَ فَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُكُنَّ أَكْثَرَ أَهْلِ النَّار

O women, give in charity, for I have seen that you form the majority of the people of Hell.

A woman asked, "Why is that, O Messenger of Allah"

He said;

لاِأَنَّكُنَّ تُكْثِرْنَ الشِّكَايَةَ وَتَكْفُرْنَ الْعَشِيرَ لَوْ أَحْسَنْتَ إِلى إِحْدَاهُنَّ الدَّهْرَ ثُمَّ تَرَكْتَ يَوْمًا قَالَتْ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْكَ خَيْرًا قَط

Because you complain too much, and you are ungrateful to (your) husbands. If one of you were to be treated kindly for an entire lifetime, then that kindness was lacking for one day, she would say,

`I have never seen anything good from you!'

This is the case with most women, except for those whom Allah guides and who are among the people who believe and do righteous deeds.

As the Prophet said, the believer is the one who;

إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ لاَِحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُوْمِن
if something good happens to him, he is thankful, and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. This does not happen to anyone except the believer.