Surah Shuara ayat 214 Tafsir Quran 26:214

﴿وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ﴾
[ الشعراء: 214]

26:214 And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred.

And warn the nearest of your kinsfolk namely the Banū Hāshim and the Banū al-Muttalib ‘He the Prophet warned them publicly …’ as reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

And warn O Muhammad your next and near kin

The Command to warn His Tribe of near Kindred Here Allah commands ( His Prophet ) to worship Him alone, with no partner or associate, and tells him that whoever associates others in worship with Him, He will punish them.
Then Allah commands His Messenger to warn his tribe of near kindred, i.e., those who were most closely related to him, and to tell them that nothing could save any of them except for faith in Allah.
Allah also commanded him to be kind and gentle with the believing servants of Allah who followed him, and to disown those who disobeyed him, no matter who they were.
Allah said: فَإِنْ عَصَوْكَ فَقُلْ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ( Then if they disobey you, say: "I am innocent of what you do." ) This specific warning does not contradict the general warning; indeed it is a part of it, as Allah says elsewhere: لِتُنذِرَ قَوْماً مَّآ أُنذِرَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ فَهُمْ غَـفِلُونَ ( In order that you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, so they are heedless. ) ( 36:6 ), لِّتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ( that you may warn the Mother of the Towns and all around it ) ( 42:7 ), وَأَنذِرْ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ ( And warn therewith those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord ) ( 6:51 ), لِتُبَشِّرَ بِهِ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَتُنْذِرَ بِهِ قَوْماً لُّدّاً ( that you may give glad tidings to those who have Taqwa, and warn with it the most quarrelsome people. ) ( 19:97 ), لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ ( that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach ) ( 6:19 ), and وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ ( but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place ) ( 11:17 ).
According to Sahih Muslim, the Prophet said:
«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لَا يَسْمَعُ بِي أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ يَهُودِيٌّ وَلَا نَصْرَانِيٌّ، ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِي إِلَّا دَخَلَ النَّار»
( By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, no one from these nations -- Jewish or Christian -- hears of me then does not believe in me, but he will enter Hell. ) Many Hadiths have been narrated concerning the revelation of this Ayah, some of which we will quote below: Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "When Allah revealed the Ayah, وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ ( And warn your tribe of near kindred. ), the Prophet went to As-Safa', climbed up and called out,
«يَا صَبَاحَاه»
( O people! ) The people gathered around him, some coming of their own accord and others sending people on their behalf to find out what was happening.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«يَا بَنِي عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ، يَا بَنِي فِهْرٍ، يَااَبنِي لُؤَيَ، أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ خَيْلًا بِسَفْحِ هَذَا الْجَبَلِ تُريدُ أَنْ تُغِيرَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَدَّقْتُمُونِي؟»
( O Bani `Abd Al-Muttalib, O Bani Fihr, O Bani Lu'ayy! What do you think, if I told you that there was a cavalry at the foot of this mountain coming to attack you -- would you believe me ) They said, "Yes." He said:
«فَإِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَي عَذَابٍ شَدِيد»
( Then I warn you of a great punishment that is close at hand. ) Abu Lahab said, "May you perish for the rest of the day! You only called us to tell us this" Then Allah revealed: تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ ( Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and perish he! ) 111:1 This was also recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i.
Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her said: "When the Ayah: وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ ( And warn your tribe of near kindred ) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and said:
«يَا فَاطِمَةُ ابْنَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ، يَا صَفِيَّةُ ابْنَةُ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ، يَا بَنِي عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ، لَا أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ مِنَ اللهِ شَيْئًا سَلُونِي مِنْ مَالِي مَا شِئْتُم»
( O Fatimah daughter of Muhammad, O Safiyyah daughter of `Abd Al-Muttalib, O Bani `Abd Al-Muttalib, I cannot help you before Allah.
Ask me for whatever you want of my wealth. ) This was recorded by Muslim.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Qabisah bin Mukhariq and Zuhayr bin `Amr said: "When the Ayah: وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ ( And warn your tribe of near kindred. ) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ climbed on top of a rock on the side of a mountain and started to call out:
«يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، إِنَّمَا أَنَا نَذِيرٌ، وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَرَجُلٍ رَأَى الْعَدُوَّ فَذَهَبَ يَرْبَأُ أَهْلَهُ يَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْبِقُوهُ، فَجَعَلَ يُنَادِي وَيَهْتِفُ: يَا صَبَاحَاه»
( O Bani `Abd Manaf, I am indeed a warner, and the parable of me and you is that of a man who sees the enemy so he goes to save his family, fearing that the enemy may reach them before he does. ) And he started to call out, ( O people! ) It was also recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i.
Allah's saying: وَتَوكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ ( And put your trust in the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful, ) means, `in all your affairs, for He is your Helper, Protector and Supporter, and He is the One Who will cause you to prevail and will make your word supreme.' الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ ( Who sees you when you stand up.
) means, He is taking care of you.
This is like the Ayah, وَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ فَإِنَّكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا ( So wait patiently for the decision of your Lord, for verily, you are under Our Eyes ) ( 52:48 ) Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah, الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ ( Who sees you when you stand up. ) means, "To pray." `Ikrimah said: "He sees him when he stands and bows and prostrates." Al-Hasan said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ ( Who sees you when you stand up. ) "When you pray alone." Ad-Dahhak said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ ( Who sees you when you stand up. ) "When you are lying in bed and when you are sitting." Qatadah said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ ( Who sees you ) "When you are standing, when you are sitting, and in all other situations." وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى السَّـجِدِينَ ( And your movements among those who fall prostrate. ) Qatadah said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى السَّـجِدِينَ- ( Who sees you when you stand up.
And your movements among those who fall prostrate. ) "When you pray, He sees you when you pray alone and when you pray in congregation." This was also the view of `Ikrimah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani and Al-Hasan Al-Basri. إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ( Verily, He, only He, is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. ) He hears all that His servants say and He knows all their movements, as He says: وَمَا تَكُونُ فِى شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُواْ مِنْهُ مِن قُرْءَانٍ وَلاَ تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلاَّ كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ ( Neither you do any deed nor recite any portion of the Qur'an, nor you do any deed, but We are Witness thereof, when you are doing it ) ( 10:61 ).

(26:214) Warn your nearest kinsfolk *135

And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred. meaning

*135) Just as there could be no concession or favour for the person of the Prophet in a matter concerning Allah's religion, so there could be no question of a favour being shown to the Prophet's family or his nearest kinsfolk.
Here the case of everybody will be judged on merit, and nobody will be shown any favour on account of his ancestry or relation with somebody else.
The accountability of the Hereafter and punishment for deviation and misdeeds are the same for everybody and even the Prophet's nearest kinsfolk are no exception.
Therefore, the Holy Prophet was commanded to warn his relatives and kindred to attain the right belief and to act righteously because they would not escape punishment only by virtue of being his relations.

There are authentic Traditions to show that after the revelation of this verse, the Holy Prophet first of aII addressed the sons and daughters of his grandfather.
Calling each one of them by name, he said: " O children of 'Abdul Muttalib, O 'Abbas, O Safiah, paternal aunt of Allah's Messenger, O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad! You are warned to beware and save yourselves from the torment of the Hell-Fire: I cannot protect you from Allah's punishment; you may, however, demand whatever you like from my worldly property. " Then as was the custom in Arabia, to warn the people of an impending calamity, he stood on top of Mount Safa one morning and called out: " O people of Quraish, O children of Ka`b bin Luayy, O children of Murrah, O children of Qasayy, O children of 'Abd Manaf, O children of 'Abd Shams, O children of Hashim, O children of `Abdul Muttalib.... ", and in this way he called out each branch and clan of the Quraish by name.
When all the people had got together, he said, " O People, if 1 tell you that on the other side of this hill, there is a huge army ready to attack you, will you believe my word? " With one voice they replied in the affirmative, saying that they had never heard a lie from him in the past.
Thereupon the Holy Prophet said, " Well, I warn you of the impending scourge of AIlah: save yourselves from His punishment: I cannot be of any help to you against Him.
On the Day of Resurrection, the righteous only will be nearest to me.
Let it not happen that others should corm forth with good deeds and you should appear with the burden of sins on your heads.
Then you will call me for help, but I shall be constrained to turn my face away from you.
Of course, here in this world, I am bound to you by blood relations, and I shall treat you with all possible politeness as a good relation should. " ( Several Traditions on this subject have been reported in Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Tirmizi, Ibn Jarir on the authority of Hadrat 'A'ishah, Hadrat Abu Hurairah, Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas, Hadrat Zubair bin 'Amr and Hadrat Qabisah bin Makhariq ).

The matter was not simply this that on receipt of the Command to " warn your nearest kinsfolk ", the Holy Prophet called together aII his relatives and complied with it.
In fact, the principle it meant to stress was that in the matter of religion the Prophet and his relations enjoyed no special privilege of which the other people might be deprived.
What was harmful for one man, was harmful for everybody.
The Prophet was supposed to first protect himself from this and then warn his nearest kinsfolk and the common people of its fatal consequences.
On the other hand, what was good and beneficial for one man, 'was good and beneficial for aII.
As.
such, the Prophet should first adopt it himself and then exhort his relatives also to adopt it, so that everybody may see that the Prophet dces not only preach his message to others but practises it himself also sincerely.
The Holy Prophet followed this principle throughout his life.
On the conquest of Makkah, when he entered the city, he declared: " Every kind of interest payable from the people during the age of ignorance, is trampled under my feet, and first of all, I remit the interest payable to my uncle `Abbas. " ( It should be noted that before the prohibition of interest, Hadrat 'Abbas traded money on interest, and a substantial amount of interest payable to him at that time was outstanding against the people ).
Once the Holy Prophet ordered cutting off of the hand of a Quraishite woman, named Fatimah, on the charge of theft.
Hadrat Usamah bin Zaid came to intercede for her, whereupon the Holy Prophet said: " By God, even if Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, had committed the theft, I would have ordered amputation of her hand, too. "
 

The Command to warn His Tribe of near Kindred Here Allah commands ( His Prophet ) to worship Him alone, with no partner or associate, and tells him that whoever associates others in worship with Him, He will punish them.
Then Allah commands His Messenger to warn his tribe of near kindred, i.e., those who were most closely related to him, and to tell them that nothing could save any of them except for faith in Allah.
Allah also commanded him to be kind and gentle with the believing servants of Allah who followed him, and to disown those who disobeyed him, no matter who they were.
Allah said: فَإِنْ عَصَوْكَ فَقُلْ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ( Then if they disobey you, say: "I am innocent of what you do." ) This specific warning does not contradict the general warning; indeed it is a part of it, as Allah says elsewhere: لِتُنذِرَ قَوْماً مَّآ أُنذِرَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ فَهُمْ غَـفِلُونَ ( In order that you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, so they are heedless. ) ( 36:6 ), لِّتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ( that you may warn the Mother of the Towns and all around it ) ( 42:7 ), وَأَنذِرْ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ ( And warn therewith those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord ) ( 6:51 ), لِتُبَشِّرَ بِهِ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَتُنْذِرَ بِهِ قَوْماً لُّدّاً ( that you may give glad tidings to those who have Taqwa, and warn with it the most quarrelsome people. ) ( 19:97 ), لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ ( that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach ) ( 6:19 ), and وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ ( but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place ) ( 11:17 ).
According to Sahih Muslim, the Prophet said: «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لَا يَسْمَعُ بِي أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ يَهُودِيٌّ وَلَا نَصْرَانِيٌّ، ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِي إِلَّا دَخَلَ النَّار» ( By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, no one from these nations -- Jewish or Christian -- hears of me then does not believe in me, but he will enter Hell. ) Many Hadiths have been narrated concerning the revelation of this Ayah, some of which we will quote below: Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "When Allah revealed the Ayah, وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ ( And warn your tribe of near kindred. ), the Prophet went to As-Safa', climbed up and called out, «يَا صَبَاحَاه» ( O people! ) The people gathered around him, some coming of their own accord and others sending people on their behalf to find out what was happening.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «يَا بَنِي عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ، يَا بَنِي فِهْرٍ، يَااَبنِي لُؤَيَ، أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ خَيْلًا بِسَفْحِ هَذَا الْجَبَلِ تُريدُ أَنْ تُغِيرَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَدَّقْتُمُونِي؟» ( O Bani `Abd Al-Muttalib, O Bani Fihr, O Bani Lu'ayy! What do you think, if I told you that there was a cavalry at the foot of this mountain coming to attack you -- would you believe me ) They said, "Yes." He said: «فَإِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَي عَذَابٍ شَدِيد» ( Then I warn you of a great punishment that is close at hand. ) Abu Lahab said, "May you perish for the rest of the day! You only called us to tell us this" Then Allah revealed: تَبَّتْ يَدَآ أَبِى لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ ( Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and perish he! ) 111:1 This was also recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i.
Imam Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her said: "When the Ayah: وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ ( And warn your tribe of near kindred ) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and said: «يَا فَاطِمَةُ ابْنَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ، يَا صَفِيَّةُ ابْنَةُ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ، يَا بَنِي عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ، لَا أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ مِنَ اللهِ شَيْئًا سَلُونِي مِنْ مَالِي مَا شِئْتُم» ( O Fatimah daughter of Muhammad, O Safiyyah daughter of `Abd Al-Muttalib, O Bani `Abd Al-Muttalib, I cannot help you before Allah.
Ask me for whatever you want of my wealth. ) This was recorded by Muslim.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Qabisah bin Mukhariq and Zuhayr bin `Amr said: "When the Ayah: وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الاٌّقْرَبِينَ ( And warn your tribe of near kindred. ) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ climbed on top of a rock on the side of a mountain and started to call out: «يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ، إِنَّمَا أَنَا نَذِيرٌ، وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَرَجُلٍ رَأَى الْعَدُوَّ فَذَهَبَ يَرْبَأُ أَهْلَهُ يَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْبِقُوهُ، فَجَعَلَ يُنَادِي وَيَهْتِفُ: يَا صَبَاحَاه» ( O Bani `Abd Manaf, I am indeed a warner, and the parable of me and you is that of a man who sees the enemy so he goes to save his family, fearing that the enemy may reach them before he does. ) And he started to call out, ( O people! ) It was also recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i.
Allah's saying: وَتَوكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ ( And put your trust in the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful, ) means, `in all your affairs, for He is your Helper, Protector and Supporter, and He is the One Who will cause you to prevail and will make your word supreme.' الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ ( Who sees you when you stand up.
) means, He is taking care of you.
This is like the Ayah, وَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ فَإِنَّكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا ( So wait patiently for the decision of your Lord, for verily, you are under Our Eyes ) ( 52:48 ) Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah, الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ ( Who sees you when you stand up. ) means, "To pray." `Ikrimah said: "He sees him when he stands and bows and prostrates." Al-Hasan said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ ( Who sees you when you stand up. ) "When you pray alone." Ad-Dahhak said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ ( Who sees you when you stand up. ) "When you are lying in bed and when you are sitting." Qatadah said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ ( Who sees you ) "When you are standing, when you are sitting, and in all other situations." وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى السَّـجِدِينَ ( And your movements among those who fall prostrate. ) Qatadah said: الَّذِى يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى السَّـجِدِينَ- ( Who sees you when you stand up.
And your movements among those who fall prostrate. ) "When you pray, He sees you when you pray alone and when you pray in congregation." This was also the view of `Ikrimah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani and Al-Hasan Al-Basri. إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ( Verily, He, only He, is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. ) He hears all that His servants say and He knows all their movements, as He says: وَمَا تَكُونُ فِى شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُواْ مِنْهُ مِن قُرْءَانٍ وَلاَ تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلاَّ كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ ( Neither you do any deed nor recite any portion of the Qur'an, nor you do any deed, but We are Witness thereof, when you are doing it ) ( 10:61 ).

( And warn thy tribe of near kindred ) your blood relations,

And warn your tribe (O Muhammad SAW) of near kindred.

Page 376 English transliteration