Tafseer of The Poets · Ash-Shu'araa · 26:214
And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred.
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.
Allah, exalted is His praise, says to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ — warn your nearest kinsfolk from your people, those who are closest to you in blood relationship, and frighten them against Our punishment lest it descend upon them on account of their disbelief.
It is mentioned that when this verse was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ began with the sons of his grandfather ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib and his own children; he frightened them and warned them.
* Mention of the narration concerning that:
Aḥmad ibn al-Miqdam related to me, saying: Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Hishām ibn ʿUrwa related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, who said: When this verse was revealed — وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "O Ṣafiyya, daughter of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! O Fāṭima, daughter of Muḥammad! O sons of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! Truly, I can avail you nothing against Allah. Ask me what you wish of my property."
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father and Yūnus ibn Bukayr related to me, on the authority of Hishām ibn ʿUrwa, on the authority of his father, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, on the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, with similar content.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, saying: ʿAnbasa related to us, on the authority of Hishām ibn ʿUrwa, on the authority of his father, who said: When وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ stood up and said: "O Fāṭima, daughter of Muḥammad! O Ṣafiyya, daughter of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib!" Then he mentioned something similar to the narration of Ibn al-Miqdam.
Yūnus ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to me, saying: Salāma related to us, saying: ʿAqīl said: al-Zuhrī related to me, saying: Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab and Abū Salama ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān said: Abū Hurayra said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, when there was revealed to him وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ: "O company of Quraysh! Ransom yourselves from Allah — I avail you nothing against Allah. O Banū ʿAbd Manāf! I avail you nothing against Allah. O ʿAbbās, son of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! I avail you nothing against Allah. O Fāṭima, daughter of the Messenger of Allah! I avail you nothing against Allah. Ask me what you wish — I avail you nothing against Allah."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Malik related to me, saying: Abū al-Yamān related to us, saying: Shuʿayb informed us on the authority of al-Zuhrī, who said: Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab and Abū Salama ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān informed me that Abū Hurayra said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, when there was revealed to him وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ: "O company of Quraysh! Ransom yourselves from Allah." Then he mentioned something similar to the narration of Yūnus by way of Salāma; but he added to it: "O Ṣafiyya, aunt of the Messenger of Allah! I avail you nothing against Allah." And he did not mention Fāṭima in his narration.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Salāma ibn Rawḥ related to us, saying: ʿAqīl said: Ibn Shihāb related to me that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when there was revealed to him وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ, gathered Quraysh, then went to them and said to them: "Is there among you any stranger?" They said: No, except a sister's son of ours, whom we count as one of us. He said: "He is one of you." Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ admonished them, and said at the end of his words: "I would surely not wish to witness that the people come to me on the Day of Resurrection bearing the Hereafter in their burden, while you come to me bearing the world in your burden."
Yūnus related to us, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Yūnus informed me on the authority of Ibn Shihāb — Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab and Abū Salama ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān informed me that Abū Hurayra said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, when there was revealed to him وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ: "O company of Quraysh! Ransom yourselves from Allah — I avail you nothing against Allah. O Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! I avail you nothing against Allah. O ʿAbbās, son of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! I avail you nothing against Allah. O Ṣafiyya, aunt of the Messenger of Allah! I avail you nothing against Allah. O Fāṭima, daughter of Muḥammad! Ask me what you wish — I avail you nothing against Allah."
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: al-Muʿtamir related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḥajjāj relating on the authority of ʿAbd al-Malik ibn ʿUmayr, on the authority of Mūsā ibn Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, who said: When Allah revealed وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ, the prophet of Allah ﷺ said: "O company of Quraysh! Save yourselves from the Fire. O Fāṭima, daughter of Muḥammad! Save yourself from the Fire. Know: you have a blood relationship with me — I shall keep it moistened with its moistening."
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Abū Usāma related to us, on the authority of Zāʾida, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Malik ibn ʿUmayr, on the authority of Mūsā ibn Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Abū Hurayra, who said: When this verse was revealed — وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ summoned Quraysh together and addressed them generally and specifically. He said: "O company of Quraysh! Ransom yourselves from Allah. O company of Banū Kaʿb ibn Luʾayy! O company of Banū ʿAbd Manāf! O company of Banū Hāshim! O company of Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib!" — he said to them all: "Save yourselves from the Fire. O Fāṭima, daughter of Muḥammad! Save yourself from the Fire, for by Allah, I can avail you nothing against Allah. Know: you have a blood relationship with me — I shall keep it moistened with its moistening."
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: al-Muʿtamir related to us, on the authority of his father, who said: Abū ʿUthmān related to us, on the authority of Zuhayr ibn ʿAmr and Qabīṣa ibn Mukhāriq: that they both said: Allah revealed to His prophet ﷺ: وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ. And they related to us that the prophet of Allah ﷺ climbed a rock on a mountain, then ascended its highest stone and called out: "O descendants of ʿAbd Manāf! Vigilance is required! I am a warner. My likeness and yours is like a man whose enemy appears; he fears for his family and goes to take up a lookout post, but he is afraid that they will reach his family before him. So he began to call out to them: Vigilance is required!" Or as he said it.
Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Wahhāb and Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of ʿAwf, on the authority of Qasāma ibn Zuhayr, who said: It reached me that when there was revealed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ, he put his finger in his ear, raised his voice and called out: "O Banū ʿAbd Manāf — vigilance is required!"
He said: Abū ʿĀṣim related to me, saying: ʿAwf related to us, on the authority of Qasāma ibn Zuhayr, who said — I think on the authority of al-Ashʿarī, on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ —, with similar content.
ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Ziyād related to me, saying: Abū Zayd al-Anṣārī Saʿd ibn Aws related to us, on the authority of ʿAwf, who said: Qasāma ibn Zuhayr said — al-Ashʿarī related to me: When it was revealed — then he mentioned something similar — but he said: He put his two fingers in his two ears.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Numayr related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Marra, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: When this verse was revealed — وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood upon the hill of Ṣafā and called out: "Vigilance is required!" The people gathered to him; one came himself, another sent his messenger. Then he said: "O Banū Hāshim! O Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! O Banū Fihr! O Banū such-and-such! Tell me: if I were to inform you that there are horsemen at the foot of this mountain who wish to raid you, would you believe me?" They said: Yes. He said: "Then I am to you a warner on the eve of a severe punishment." Abū Lahab said: May you be cursed for the rest of the day! Have you gathered us together only for this? Then there was revealed: تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ.
Abū Kurayb and Abū al-Sāʾib related to us, they said: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Marra, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: One day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ climbed up Ṣafā and called out: "Vigilance is required!" Quraysh gathered to him and asked: What is it? He said: "Tell me: if I were to inform you that the enemy will reach you in the morning or in the evening, would you not believe me?" They said: Yes, certainly. He said: "Then I am to you a warner on the eve of a severe punishment." Abū Lahab said: May you be cursed! Have you gathered us together, or had us assembled, only for this?! Then Allah revealed: تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ to the end of the sūra.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Abū Usāma related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Marra, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: When this verse was revealed — وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ and your nearest kinsfolk among them — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out until he climbed Ṣafā and called out: "Vigilance is required!" It was said: Who is it that is calling out? They said: Muḥammad. They gathered to him. He said: "O Banū such-and-such! O Banū such-and-such! O Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! O Banū ʿAbd Manāf!" They gathered to him. He said: "Tell me: if I were to inform you that horsemen are setting out from the foot of this mountain, would you believe me?" They said: We have never caught you in a lie. He said: "Then I am to you a warner on the eve of a severe punishment." Abū Lahab said: May you be cursed! Have you brought us together only for this? Then he stood up and there was revealed this sūra: تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَقَدْ تَبَّ — thus did al-Aʿmash read it — to the end of the sūra.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya ibn Hishām related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ḥabīb, on the authority of Saʿīd, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: When وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out, stood upon Ṣafā and said: "Vigilance is required!"
He said: Khālid ibn ʿAmr related to us, saying: Sufyān al-Thawrī related to us, on the authority of Ḥabīb ibn Abī Thābit, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: When وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood upon Ṣafā and said: "Vigilance is required!" Then he began to name them one by one: "O Banū such-and-such! O Banū such-and-such! O Banū ʿAbd Manāf!"
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Mughīra, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Marra al-Jamalī, who said: When وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ was revealed, he climbed a mountain and called out: "Vigilance is required!" The swift ones came to him and those who lagged behind sent their messengers to follow up who it was that was calling. When they reached him, he said: "Some of you have come to see, and others have sent someone to look who the caller is." When they were assembled and numerous, he said: "Tell me: if I were to inform you that there are horsemen who will assail you in the morning from this mountain, would you believe me?" They said: Yes — we have never caught you in a lie. Then he recited to them the verses that had been revealed and warned them as he had been commanded. Then he called out: "O Quraysh! O Banū Hāshim!" until he said: "O Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! I am to you a warner on the eve of a severe punishment."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr — that he read وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ followed by "and your nearest kinsfolk who are sincere."
He said: Salama related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq related to me, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Ghaffār ibn al-Qāsim, on the authority of al-Minhāl ibn ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥārith ibn Nawfal ibn al-Ḥārith ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib: When this verse was revealed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me and said to me: "O ʿAlī! Allah has commanded me to warn my nearest kinsfolk." He said: "I felt greatly constrained by that, and I knew that when I called them to this, I would see from them something that would not please me. I kept silent until Jibrāʾīl came and said: O Muḥammad! If you do not do what you are commanded, your Lord will punish you. Prepare for us a ṣāʿ of food, place a leg of mutton with it, fill for us a large bowl with milk, then gather for me the Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, so that I may speak to them and convey to them what I have been commanded." I did what he ordered me, then I summoned them together to him — they were that day forty men, more or less by one. Among them were his uncles: Abū Ṭālib, Ḥamza, al-ʿAbbās and Abū Lahab. When they were with him, he asked me for the food that I had prepared for them. I brought it. When he set it down, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took a piece of meat, tore it apart with his teeth and threw it into the corners of the dish. He said: "Take, in the name of Allah." The people ate until they had no need of anything more, and I saw only the places where their hands had touched. By Allah, in Whose hand is the soul of ʿAlī: one man alone could have simply eaten up what I had set down for them all! Then he said: "Pour out for the people." I brought them that large bowl; they drank until all of them were satisfied. By Allah: one man of them would ordinarily have drunk as much as all of it was! But when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wished to address them, Abū Lahab forestalled him in speech and said: "Ah, how your companion has bewitched you!" The people dispersed and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had been unable to address them. He said: "Tomorrow, O ʿAlī! This man forestalled me with what you heard of his speech, so that the people dispersed before I could address them. Prepare for us again the same food and then bring them together to me again." He said: I did that, then I gathered them. Then he requested the food from me and I brought it near. He did the same as the previous day; they ate until they had no need of anything more. He said: "Pour out for them." I brought them that bowl and they drank until all of them were satisfied. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed them and said: "O Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! By Allah, I know of no youth among the Arabs who has brought his people anything better than what I bring you. I have brought you the good of this life and the Hereafter. Allah has commanded me to invite you to it. Which of you will support me in this — on condition that he be my brother" — and this and that? He said: The people were all silent and held back. And I, the youngest of them, the most tearful of eye, the fattest of belly and the thinnest of leg, said: I, O prophet of Allah, will be your helper. He took me by my neck and said: "This one here is my brother" — and this and that — "listen to him and obey him." The people stood up laughing, and said to Abū Ṭālib: He has commanded you to listen to your son and to obey him!
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, saying: Isḥāq related to me, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn ʿUbayd, on the authority of al-Ḥasan ibn Abī al-Ḥasan, who said: When this verse was revealed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up in al-Abṭaḥ and called out: "O Banū ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! O Banū ʿAbd Manāf! O Banū Quṣayy!" Then he named the tribes of Quraysh, tribe by tribe, until he reached the last of them, and said: "I call you to Allah and I warn you against His punishment."
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ: he said: Muḥammad was commanded to warn his people, and to begin therein with his household and nearest relatives. He said: وَكَذَّبَ بِهِ قَوْمُكَ وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ.
Al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Hishām ibn ʿUrwa, on the authority of his father, who said: And when وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ said: "O Fāṭima, daughter of Muḥammad! O Ṣafiyya, daughter of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib! Fear the Fire, even if it be by means of half a date."
It was related to me by way of al-Ḥusayn: he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning the words وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ: he began with his household and nearest relatives.
Al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, who said: When وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ gathered the Banū Hāshim together and said: "O Banū Hāshim! I would surely not wish to witness that you come to me bearing the world, while the people come to me bearing the Hereafter. Know: those among you who are my allies are the God-fearing. Fear the Fire, even if it be by means of half a date."