Quran Universe
16:125

ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ وَجَٰدِلۡهُم بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ

OdAAu ila sabeeli rabbika bialhikmati waalmawAAithati alhasanati wajadilhum biallatee hiya ahsanu inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dalla AAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bialmuhtadeena

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.

Word by word
  1. ٱدۡعُCall
  2. إِلَىٰto
  3. سَبِيلِ(the) way
  4. رَبِّكَ(of) your Lord
  5. بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِwith the wisdom
  6. وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِand the instruction
  7. ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖthe good
  8. وَجَٰدِلۡهُمand discuss with them
  9. بِٱلَّتِيin that
  10. هِيَwhich
  11. أَحۡسَنُۚ(is) best
  12. إِنَّIndeed
  13. رَبَّكَyour Lord
  14. هُوَHe
  15. أَعۡلَمُ(is) most knowing
  16. بِمَنof who
  17. ضَلَّhas strayed
  18. عَنfrom
  19. سَبِيلِهِۦHis way
  20. وَهُوَAnd He
  21. أَعۡلَمُ(is) most knowing
  22. بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَof the guided ones
An-Nahl · 16:125Makkah

Invite with wisdom and good words; argue in the best way.

How to call people to Allah

Three ways to invite
wisdomthe Book and Sunnah
good advicestories, gentle warning
best argumentkind, gentle speech
Who guides
I must win themexhaust myself
your Lord knowswho is guided

Ibn Kathir says if anyone wants to debate, it should be with kindness, gentleness and good speech, as Allah told Musa and Harun to speak mildly even to Pharaoh. Then: do not exhaust yourself with regret over those who go astray, for guiding them is not your task.

Your uncle makes a provocative comment about religion at a family dinner. You could win the argument and lose him. Speak gently, the way Musa was told to speak even to Pharaoh.

Winning the argument is how I defend my faith.

I invite with wisdom and gentleness, and leave guidance to Allah.

Try this

In your next disagreement about faith, lower your voice and say one kind thing first.

Related29:4620:4428:56
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

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)