Tafsir of Hud 11:2

Surah Hud 11:2

ﲐ ﲑ ﲒ ﲓ ﲔ ﲕ ﲖ ﲗ ﲘ ﲙ

[Through a messenger, saying], "Do not worship except Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a warner and a bringer of good tidings,"

Tafsir

Ruh al-Ma'ani

Verse range: 11:2

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Hud: (2) That you worship none but...

(That you worship none but Allah): This is in the position of the ‘illah (causative reason) for the two preceding verbs, based on the assumption that (an) is an infinitive particle (masdariyyah) and that the lam (preposition of purpose) is implied with it. It is as if it were said: "A Book whose verses have been perfected, then explained, so that you may worship none but Allah." That is, so that you may abandon the worship of other than Him—Mighty and Majestic is He—and devote yourselves exclusively to His worship—Glorified is He—for the perfection and explanation of the verses are things that invite them to faith, monotheism, and all the acts of obedience that branch out from them.

It is also permissible that it is mufassirah (explicative), explaining the meaning of "speech" contained within the "explanation," without needing the actual letters of speech. It is as if it were said: "He explained, and said: 'Worship none but Allah,'" or "He commanded: 'That you worship none but Allah.'" It has also been said that this is a statement disconnected from what preceded it, not connected to it verbally, but rather an initiation of speech intended to urge monotheism upon the tongue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). In this case, (an) and what follows it are in the position of a direct object for an implied verb; it is as if it were said: "Commit yourselves to abandoning the worship of other than Him—Exalted is He."

The possibility that the preceding [part of the verse] is also a direct object by implying qul (say) at the beginning of the speech is contrary to the apparent meaning (zahir). Similarly, the possibility of (an) and the verb being in the position of an absolute object (maf'ul mutlaq) is something that some verifiers have explicitly stated is not good or permissible, and therefore it should not be given attention.

(Indeed, I am to you from Him a warner and a bringer of good tidings): The pronoun of the third person [in minhu] is related to Allah—Exalted is He—and the min is for the initiation of the limit (ibtida’ al-ghayah). The prepositional phrase was originally an adjective for an indefinite noun, but when it was placed before it, it became a state (hal), as is well-known in similar instances. That is: "Indeed, I am to you, from His side—Exalted is He—a warner, warning you of His punishment if you do not abandon what you are upon of worshipping other than Him—Glorified is He—and a bringer of good tidings, promising you His reward if you believe and devote yourselves to His worship—Mighty and Majestic is He."

It is also permissible that min is linked to "warner," and the pronoun belongs to Allah—Exalted is He—also. The meaning then, according to what Abu al-Baqa’ said, is: "A warner because of His punishment." Alternatively, [the pronoun] may belong to the Book, meaning: "I am to you a warner against disobeying it, and a bringer of good tidings to whoever believes in it."