Tafsir of An-Naml 27:92

"And that I recite the Quran" (i.e., that I persist in reading it to the people by way of repeating the call and reiterating guidance, for it suffices as a path to true rectitude).

It is also said: That I persist in reading it so that its splendid truths, stored within its folds, may be revealed to me bit by bit; for persistence in its recitation is among the causes for opening the door to divine outpourings and holy secrets. It has been narrated that the Prophet (may Allah grant him peace and blessings) stood one night in prayer and recited the words of the Almighty: If You punish them, indeed they are Your servants, and he continued to repeat it, and there were revealed to him of its secrets whatever was revealed, until the dawn broke.

It is said that "recite" (atlu) comes from talahu when one follows it; meaning: "And that I follow the Quran." But this is contrary to the apparent meaning. What supports the meaning we mentioned first is what is found in the codex of Ubayy—as related by Abu Ubayd and Ibn al-Mundhir from Harun—"And recite the Quran to them" (watlu 'alayhim al-Qur'an). It was narrated from him in al-Bahr that he read, "And recite this Quran," though there is no support in that for what we have mentioned. Abdullah read, "And recite" (wa-an utlu) without the 'waw' (conjunction), as an imperative from tala (to recite). Thus, it is possible that 'an' is an infinitive particle connected to the imperative, or it may be explanatory, implying an omitted command, "I was commanded."

"So whoever is guided" (i.e., by believing in the Quran and acting upon the laws and rulings contained within it). It is also said: whoever is guided by following what was mentioned of worship, submission, and the recitation of the Quran, or by following him. "Then he is only guided for his own soul" (i.e., the benefits of his guidance return only to him). "And whoever goes astray" (by disbelieving in it and turning away from it; and it is said: by opposing what was mentioned), "Say" (i.e., to him): "I am only one of the warners."

I have fulfilled the duty of warning; therefore, no consequence of your misguidance falls upon me, for it is upon you alone. It is known from what we have mentioned that the response to the conditional clause is the sentence "Say" and what is within its scope, and the connector required in such cases is omitted. Some have estimated it after "warners," meaning: "from the warners thereof." Abu Hayyan permitted that the response be omitted, meaning: "Whoever goes astray, then the consequence of his misguidance is specific to him," and that it was omitted due to the indication provided by the response to its counterpart. Some allowed the sentence that follows it to be the response, and because it is an indirect implication of what Abu Hayyan estimated, it did not require a connector.

Furthermore, the apparent declaration of "Say" here necessitates that "So whoever is guided..." be from the speech of the Almighty, following the command to the Prophet (may Allah grant him peace and blessings) that he say to them what preceded it. There is no disagreement regarding its being part of the spoken content implied before the words of the Almighty: I have only been commanded, as you have heard.