Tafseer of Hud · Hud · 11:93
And O my people, work according to your position; indeed, I am working. You are going to know to whom will come a punishment that will disgrace him and who is a liar. So watch; indeed, I am with you a watcher, [awaiting the outcome]."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The exposition of the explanation of the words of Allah, the Exalted: وَيَا قَوْمِ اعْمَلُوا عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّي عَامِلٌ سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ (And O my people, act according to your ability, I too am acting. Soon you shall know.) — (11:93)
Abū Jaʿfar said: Allah, the Exalted, whose remembrance be glorified, speaks, reporting what the prophet Shuʿayb said to his people: وَيَا قَوْمِ اعْمَلُوا عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ — that is to say: act according to your established capacity and your firm standing.
Concerning this it is said: "The man acts upon his makīnatih (established capacity) and his makinatih," that is to say: upon his composure and deliberateness. And one says: "makuna al-rajul yamkunu maknan wa-makānatan wa-makānan."
Some of the scholars of exegesis said concerning the meaning of عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ: upon your places and positions.
Abū Jaʿfar said: The meaning of the words is then as follows: "O my people, act according to your position and steadfastness in the work that you do, and I act with calmness in the work that I do. سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ — soon you shall know which of us is the one who harms his own soul, who falls short with regard to it, and who attains the right in his action and does good for his soul."
The exposition of the explanation of the words of Allah, the Exalted: مَنْ يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ وَارْتَقِبُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ رَقِيبٌ (Who it is that a punishment will come to that disgraces him, and who it is that is lying. And watch and wait, I too am watching along with you.) — (11:93)
Abū Jaʿfar said: Allah, the Exalted, whose remembrance be glorified, speaks, reporting the words of His prophet Shuʿayb to his people: The one among us and among you, O people, to whom a عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ comes — that is to say: that disgraces and humiliates him — وَمَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ — that is to say: likewise the one who is a liar in his words and claims, among us and among you, will be disgraced. وَارْتَقِبُوا — that is to say: watch and wait and pay heed, derived from al-raqba (the guarding and waiting).
Concerning this it is said: "raqabtu fulānan arqubuhu riqbatan."
And His words إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ رَقِيبٌ — that is to say: I too am with you a watcher for that punishment, and I look on to see upon whom among us and among you that punishment will descend.
