Surah An-Nahl, Ayah 125
Quran 16:125 · The Bee · Makki · Para 14 · Page 281
اُدْعُ اِلٰی سَبِیْلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِیْ هِیَ اَحْسَنُ ؕ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِیْلِهٖ وَهُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِیْنَ ۟
Transliteration
OdAAu ila sabeeli rabbika bilhikmatiwalmawAAithati alhasanati wajadilhumbillatee hiya ahsanu inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamubiman dalla AAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bilmuhtadeen
Saheeh International
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
Invite - O Messenger - to the religion of Islam, you and the believers who follow you, in a manner that is appropriate for the condition, understanding and mindset of the person who you are inviting and with admonition that contains encouragement and caution. Argue with them in the manner that is best in terms of speech, thought and politeness, for it is not your duty to guide people. You are only required to convey the message to them. Your Lord knows best who has strayed from the religion of Islam and He knows best those who are rightly guided to it, so do not lose yourself in grief over them.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them with that which is best. Truly, your Lord best knows who has strayed from His path, and He best knows those who are guided (125)
The Command to invite people to Allah with Wisdom and Good Preaching
Allah commands His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ to invite the people to Allah with Hikmah (wisdom). Ibn Jarir said: "That is what was revealed to him from the Book and the Sunnah."
وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ
(and fair preaching) meaning, with exhortation and stories of the events that happened to people that are mentioned in the Qur'an, which he is to tell them about in order to warn them of the punishment of Allah.
وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ
(and argue with them with that which is best.) meaning, if any of them want to debate and argue, then let that be in the best manner, with kindness, gentleness and good speech, as Allah says elsewhere:
وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ
(And do not argue with the People of the Book, unless it be with that which is best, except for those who purposefully do wrong.)[29:46] Allah commanded him to speak gently, as He commanded Musa and Harun to do when he sent them to Pharaoh, as He said:
فَقُولَا لَهُ قَوْلًا لَّيِّنًا لَّعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَىٰ
(And speak to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear (Allah))(20:44).
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ
(Truly, your Lord best knows who has strayed from His path,) meaning, Allah already knows who is doomed (destined for Hell) and who is blessed (destined for Paradise). This has already been written with Him and the matter is finished, so call them to Allah, but do not exhaust yourself with regret over those who go astray, for it is not your task to guide them. You are just a warner, and all you have to do is convey the Message, and it is He Who will bring them to account.
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ
(You cannot guide whom you love)[28:56]
لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ
(It is not up to you to guide them, but Allah guides whom He wills.)(2:272)