Surah As-Saff 61:10
سُورَةُ الصَّفِّ · Medinan · Verse 10 of 14
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ تِجَٰرَةٍۢ تُنجِيكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ
Translation
You who believe, shall I show you a bargain that will save you from painful torment?
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
An Inviting Call
The verse opens with a direct, warm address to those who believe: `يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟` (O you who have believed). This is Allah, our Creator, speaking directly to His faithful servants, inviting them to something profoundly beneficial. It's not a rebuke or a command initially, but a tender offer, an invitation to consider a path that might not be immediately obvious. This particular opening sets a tone of immense care and divine generosity, encouraging a receptive heart.
A Profound Question
The next phrase, `هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ` (Shall I direct you?), is pivotal. The Arabic particle `هل` (hal) signals a question, but here, as scholars like Ibn Ashur and al-Razi explain, it's not a question seeking information. Instead, it's an offer (عرض), filled with enticement (تشويق). Imagine someone saying, "Would you like me to show you something amazing?" It's designed to pique interest and stir desire, making the listener eager to know what comes next. The verb `أَدُلُّكُمْ` (adullukum, I direct you) itself implies guiding to something that isn't easily discovered on one's own, suggesting a special insight or a hidden treasure that requires divine guidance to attain.
A Unique "Trade"
The object of this guidance is a `تِجَٰرَةٍۢ` (tijārah, trade or commerce). Why use the word "trade" instead of simply "good deeds" or "a path"? As Ibn Ashur points out, good deeds are metaphorically called "trade" because they involve seeking profit, engaging in effort, and striving, much like a merchant invests time and energy to gain returns. Al-Razi adds that just as worldly trade saves a merchant from poverty, this divine trade saves a believer from immense suffering. It evokes the idea of an exchange: investing something (our faith, our efforts) to gain something far greater. This specific choice of word emphasizes the immense value and benefit of what is being offered, and the effort required, with the promise of a magnificent return.
The Saving Benefit
The trade's ultimate benefit is clearly stated: `تُنجِيكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ` (that will save you from a painful punishment). The word `تُنجِيكُم` (tunjeekum, will save you) highlights deliverance, while `عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ` (ʿadhābin ʾalīm, a painful punishment) underscores the severity of what is to be escaped. This explicit mention of salvation from a dreadful fate clarifies the immense importance of this spiritual transaction, ensuring there is no ambiguity about the stakes involved. The Quran, through this carefully chosen language, invites believers to deeply ponder this incredible offer, stirring their hearts towards action.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah As-Saff 61:10 is discussed in 15 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah As-Saff 61:10 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.