Tafsir of Hud 11:88

{And He has provided me from Him} i.e., from His presence, {a good provision}, which is what He provided him of prophethood and wisdom. It is also said: {a good provision} means lawful and pure, without deficiency or fraud.

If you ask: What is the answer to {Have you considered} (Ar’aytum), and why was it not recorded here as it was in the stories of Noah and Lot?

I say: Its answer is omitted. It was not recorded because its presence in the two previous stories indicates its place here, and the meaning of the speech calls out for it. The meaning is: "Inform me, if I am upon a clear proof and certainty from my Lord, and I am truly a prophet, is it appropriate for me not to command you to abandon the worship of idols and refrain from sins, when prophets are only sent for that purpose?"

It is said: "He opposed me to such-and-such" (khalafani) if he intends it while you are turning away from it, and "He opposed me from it" (khalafani ‘anhu) if he turns away from it while you are intending it. A man might meet you returning from the water, and you ask him about his companion, and he says: "He opposed me to the water," meaning he has gone to it as I am coming away from it. From this is the Almighty’s saying: {And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you}, meaning: I do not wish to precede you to the desires I have forbidden you, so that I may monopolize them to the exclusion of you.

{I intend nothing but reform}—I intend nothing but to reform you through my exhortation, my advice, my commanding of the good, and my forbidding of the evil.

{As much as I am able} (ma istata‘tu):

• It is an adverbial phrase, meaning: for the duration of my ability to reform, as long as I am capable of it, I will spare no effort.
• Or it is a substitute for "reform," meaning: the amount of it that I am able to achieve.
• It is permissible that it is based on the omission of a genitive construction, as if you said: "I intend nothing but reform—the reform of what I am able."
• Or it is an object for the sake of which the action is done, like the poet’s saying: "Weak in inflicting harm upon his enemies," meaning: I intend nothing but to reform what I am able to reform of your corruption.

{And my success is not but through Allah}—my being granted success in hitting the truth in what I do and what I leave, and its occurrence in accordance with Allah’s pleasure, is only by His aid and support. The meaning is that he sought success from his Lord in carrying out the matter according to His laws, and requested His support and victory over his enemies. Implicit in this is a threat to the disbelievers and a cutting off of their ambitions regarding him.

{And O my people, let not your opposition to me cause you to suffer what befell the people of Noah or the people of Hud or the people of Salih. And the people of Lot are not far from you. And ask forgiveness of your Lord and repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful and Affectionate.}