wamā arsalnā min rasūlin illā bilisāni qawmihi liyubayyina lahum fayuḍillu l-lahu man yashāu wayahdī man yashāu wahuwa l-ʿazīzu l-ḥakīmu
Translation
And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly for them, and Allāh sends astray [thereby] whom He wills649 and guides whom He wills. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
Verse 4 of Surah Ibrahim (14:4), a Meccan surah, is in juz 13, on page 255 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 4
Al-Mukhtasar
We did not send any messenger except that We sent him speaking the language of his people, so that they could easily understand what he brought from Allah. We did not send him to compel them to have faith in Allah, for Allah misguides whoever He wills out of His justice, and guides whoever He wills through His grace. He is the Mighty, whom no one can overpower, and the Wise in His creation and planning.
We did not send any messenger but in the language of his people to make things clear for them. Allah causes to stray whom He wills3 and guides whom He wills, and He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
Notes
[3] i.e., those who refuse His guidance.
And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them. Then Allâh misleads whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
And We never sent a messenger save with the language of his folk, that he might make (the message) clear for them. Then Allah sendeth whom He will astray, and guideth whom He will. He is the Mighty, the Wise.
We sent not a messenger except (to teach) in the language of his (own) people, in order to make (things) clear to them. Now Allah leaves straying those whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases: and He is Exalted in power, full of Wisdom.
And We did not send any messenger but with the language of his people, so that he might explain to them clearly; then Allah makes whom He pleases err and He guides whom He pleases and He is the Mighty, the Wise.
And in no way have We sent any Messenger except with the tongue of his people, that he may make (the message) evident for them. Then Allah leads into error whomever He decides and guides whomever He decides; and He is The Ever-Mighty, The Ever-Wise.
Say, [O Muḥammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allāh to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death." So believe in Allāh and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allāh and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
And We have not made the keepers of the Fire except angels. And We have not made their number except as a trial for those who disbelieve - that those who were given the Scripture will be convinced and those who have believed will increase in faith and those who were given the Scripture and the believers will not doubt and that those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] and the disbelievers will say, "What does Allāh intend by this as an example?" Thus does Allāh send astray whom He wills and guide whom He wills. And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him. And it [i.e., mention of the Fire] is not but a reminder to humanity.
And if Allāh had willed, He could have made you [of] one religion, but He sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And you will surely be questioned about what you used to do.
And We did not send any messenger except to be obeyed by permission of Allāh. And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you, [O Muḥammad], and asked forgiveness of Allāh and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allāh Accepting of Repentance and Merciful.
Then is one to whom the evil of his deed has been made attractive so he considers it good [like one rightly guided]? For indeed, Allāh sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. So do not let yourself perish over them in regret. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of what they do.
