Quran Universe
6:107

وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَآ أَشۡرَكُواْۗ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَٰكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ حَفِيظٗاۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيۡهِم بِوَكِيلٖ

Walaw shaa Allahu ma ashrakoo wama jaAAalnaka AAalayhim hafeethan wama anta AAalayhim biwakeelin

But if Allah had willed, they would not have associated. And We have not appointed you over them as a guardian, nor are you a manager over them.

Word by word
  1. وَلَوۡAnd if
  2. شَآءَ(had) willed
  3. ٱللَّهُAllah
  4. مَآnot (they would have)
  5. أَشۡرَكُواْۗassociated partners (with Him)
  6. وَمَاAnd not
  7. جَعَلۡنَٰكَWe have made you
  8. عَلَيۡهِمۡover them
  9. حَفِيظٗاۖa guardian
  10. وَمَآand not
  11. أَنتَyou
  12. عَلَيۡهِم(are) over them
  13. بِوَكِيلٖa manager
Al-An'am · 6:107Makkah

You are not their guard, and not their manager.

The Prophet ﷺ freed from carrying other people's choices

What the role is not
not a guardwatching their words
not a managerrunning their affairs
only
one who conveysthe reckoning is Allah's
Whose result it is
their faith is on meI failed if they refuse
my duty is to conveyAllah decides the rest

The Prophet ﷺ longed for his people to believe. Allah reminds him that if He had willed, they would not have joined partners, and there is wisdom in it. You are not a watcher over them or in charge of their affairs. His only duty was to convey.

Your brother stopped praying. Your friend is making choices you hate. You carry it like it is your fault. You can advise, pray, and love. You were never asked to be their guard.

If the people I love go wrong, I have failed.

I convey with love. Their hearts are in Allah's hands, not mine.

Try this

Make dua by name for one person you worry about, then hand the worry over to Allah.

Related88:2113:40
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 6:106)

Follow what has been inspired (revealed) to you from your Lord, none has the right to be worshipped but He, and turn aside from the idolators (106)Had Allah willed, they would not have taken others besides Him in worship. And We have not made you 'Hafīz' over them nor are you set over them to dispose of their affairs (107)

The Command to Follow the Revelation

Allah commands His Messenger and those who followed his path,

اتَّبِعْ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ

(Follow what has been inspired to you from your Lord,) meaning, follow it, obey it and act according to it. What has been revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth, no doubt, and there is no deity worthy of worship except Him,

وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

(and turn aside from the idolators) meaning, forgive them, be forbearing and endure their harm until Allah brings relief to you, supports you and makes you triumphant over them. Know – O Muhammad ﷺ – that there is a wisdom behind misleading the idolators, and that had Allah willed, He would have directed all people to guidance,

وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا أَشْرَكُوا

(Had Allah willed, they would not have taken others besides Him in worship.)

Allah's is the perfect will and wisdom in all decrees and decisions, and He is never questioned about what He does, while they all will be questioned. Allah's statement,

وَمَا جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا

(And We have not made you 'Hafīz' over them.) means, a watcher who observes their statements and deeds,

وَمَا أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ

(Nor are you set over them to dispose of their affairs.) or to control their provision. Rather, your only job is to convey, just as Allah said,

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ - لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ

(So remind them, you are only one who reminds. You are not a dictator over them.)[88:21-22] and,

فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ

(Your duty is only to convey and on Us is the reckoning.)[13:40]