Quran Universe
24:53

۞وَأَقۡسَمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ جَهۡدَ أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡ لَئِنۡ أَمَرۡتَهُمۡ لَيَخۡرُجُنَّۖ قُل لَّا تُقۡسِمُواْۖ طَاعَةٞ مَّعۡرُوفَةٌۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ

Waaqsamoo biAllahi jahda aymanihim lain amartahum layakhrujunna qul la tuqsimoo taAAatun maAAroofatun inna Allaha khabeerun bima taAAmaloona

And they swear by Allah their strongest oaths that if you ordered them, they would go forth [in Allah 's cause]. Say, "Do not swear. [Such] obedience is known. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with that which you do."

Word by word
  1. ۞وَأَقۡسَمُواْAnd they swear
  2. بِٱللَّهِby Allah
  3. جَهۡدَstrong
  4. أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡtheir oaths
  5. لَئِنۡthat if
  6. أَمَرۡتَهُمۡyou ordered them
  7. لَيَخۡرُجُنَّۖsurely they (would) go forth
  8. قُلSay
  9. لَّا(Do) not
  10. تُقۡسِمُواْۖswear
  11. طَاعَةٞObedience
  12. مَّعۡرُوفَةٌۚ(is) known
  13. إِنَّIndeed
  14. ٱللَّهَAllah
  15. خَبِيرُۢ(is) All-Aware
  16. بِمَاof what
  17. تَعۡمَلُونَyou do
An-Nur · 24:53Madinah

Do not swear. Your obedience is already known.

Big oaths standing in for small actions

What they offered
strongest oathsby Allah, we would go
but
no actionobedience only in words
reply
Allah knowswhat you actually do
What proves loyalty
louder promisesI really mean it
the deedAllah sees what you do

Ibn Kathir explains the hypocrites swore that if the Prophet ﷺ ordered them out, they would go. The reply: do not swear, your obedience is known, meaning it is only verbal and not followed by action. He links it to verses where they use their oaths as a screen.

"Next month I will start, I promise." "Wallahi this time is different." You hear yourself swearing bigger the more you have failed before. The verse cuts through: no need to swear. Allah is acquainted with what you do. Let the doing speak.

If I promise strongly enough, it shows I am serious.

Allah knows what I do; a quiet action is worth more than a loud oath.

Try this

Instead of promising to start something, do five minutes of it today without telling anyone.

Related9:9658:16
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

They swear by Allah their strongest oaths that if only you would order them, they would leave. Say: "Swear you not; obedience is known. Verily, Allah knows well what you do. (53)Say: "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance. The Messenger's duty is only to convey (the Message) in a clear way. (54)

Allah says about the hypocrites who had promised the Messenger ﷺ and sworn that if he were to command them to go out for battle, they would go:

قُل لَّا تُقْسِمُوا

(Say: "Swear you not...") meaning, do not swear this oath.

 طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوفَةٌ

(obedience is known.) It was said that the meaning is, your obedience is known, i.e., it is known that your obedience is merely verbal and is not accompanied by action. Every time you swear an oath you lie. This is like the Ayah:

يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ

(They swear to you that you may be pleased with them...)(9:96) And Allah says:

اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً

(They have made their oaths a screen (for their evil actions).)(58:16) It is part of their nature to tell lies, even in the issues they choose, as Allah says:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نَافَقُوا يَقُولُونَ لِإِخْوَانِهِمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَئِنْ أُخْرِجْتُمْ لَنَخْرُجَنَّ مَعَكُمْ وَلَا نُطِيعُ فِيكُمْ أَحَدًا أَبَدًا وَإِن قُوتِلْتُمْ لَنَنصُرَنَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ - لَئِنْ أُخْرِجُوا لَا يَخْرُجُونَ مَعَهُمْ وَلَئِن قُوتِلُوا لَا يَنصُرُونَهُمْ وَلَئِن نَّصَرُوهُمْ لَيُوَلُّنَّ الْأَدْبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا يُنصَرُونَ

(Have you not observed the hypocrites who say to their friends among the people of the Scripture who disbelieve: "If you are expelled, we indeed will go out with you, and we shall never obey any one against you; and if you are attacked, we shall indeed help you." But Allah is Witness that they verily are liars. Surely, if they are expelled, never will they go out with them; and if they are attacked, they will never help them. And if they do help them, they will turn their backs, and they will not be victorious.)(59:11-12) Then Allah says:

قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ

(Say: "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger...) meaning, follow the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.

فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا

(but if you turn away,) if you ignore what he has brought to you,

فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ

(he is only responsible for the duty placed on him), conveying the Message and fulfilling the trust.

وَعَلَيْكُم مَّا حُمِّلْتُمْ

(and you for that placed on you.) accepting that, and venerating it and doing as it commanded.

وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا

(If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance.) because he calls to the straight path,

صِرَاطِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ

(The path of Allah to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth...)(42:53)

وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ

(The Messenger's duty is only to convey in a clear way.) This is like the Ayat:

فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ

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

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)