Tafsir of Surah Al Ma'idah

يَٰٓأَيُّهَاٱلَّذِينَءَامَنُوا۟عَلَيْكُمْأَنفُسَكُمْلَايَضُرُّكُممَّنضَلَّإِذَاٱهْتَدَيْتُمْإِلَىٱللَّهِمَرْجِعُكُمْجَمِيعًافَيُنَبِّئُكُمبِمَاكُنتُمْتَعْمَلُونَ ١٠٥

Saheeh International

O you who have believed, upon you is [responsibility for] yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided. To Allah is your return all together; then He will inform you of what you used to do.

en: Ibn Kathir

Tafseer 'Ibn Kathir' (EN)

One is Required to Reform Himself First

Allah says;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ لَا يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّيُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

O you who believe! Take care of yourselves. If you follow the right guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who are in error. The return of you all is to Allah, then He will inform you about (all) that you used to do.

Allah commands His believing servants to reform themselves and to do as many righteous deeds as possible. He also informs them that whoever reforms himself, he would not be affected by the wickedness of the wicked, whether they were his relatives or otherwise.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Qays said,

"Abu Bakr As-Siddiq stood up, thanked Allah and praised Him and then said, `O people! You read this Ayah,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ لَا يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ

(O you who believe! Take care of yourselves. If you follow the right guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who are in error).

You explain it the wrong way. I heard the Messenger of Allah say,

إِنَّ النَّاسَ إِذَا رَأَوُا الْمُنْكَرَ وَلَا يُغَيِّرُونَهُ يُوشِكُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَعُمَّهُمْ بِعِقَابِه

If the people witness evil and do not change it, then Allah is about to send His punishment to encompass them.

I (Qays) also heard Abu Bakr say,

`O people! Beware of lying, for lying contradicts faith."