Quran Universe
13:40

وَإِن مَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِي نَعِدُهُمۡ أَوۡ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡبَلَٰغُ وَعَلَيۡنَا ٱلۡحِسَابُ

Wain ma nuriyannaka baAAda allathee naAAiduhum aw natawaffayannaka fainnama AAalayka albalaghu waAAalayna alhisabu

And whether We show you part of what We promise them or take you in death, upon you is only the [duty of] notification, and upon Us is the account.

Word by word
  1. وَإِنAnd whether
  2. مَّا(what)
  3. نُرِيَنَّكَWe show you
  4. بَعۡضَa part
  5. ٱلَّذِي(of) what
  6. نَعِدُهُمۡWe have promised them
  7. أَوۡor
  8. نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَWe cause you to die
  9. فَإِنَّمَاso only
  10. عَلَيۡكَon you
  11. ٱلۡبَلَٰغُ(is) the conveyance
  12. وَعَلَيۡنَاand on Us
  13. ٱلۡحِسَابُ(is) the reckoning
Ar-Ra'd · 13:40Madinah

Your job is to convey; the results are Allah's.

Whether or not you see the outcome

Split of duties
the Prophet ﷺonly to convey
Allahthe reckoning
What success means
seeing resultsor I failed
delivering wellthe mission fulfilled

Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ: whether We show you some of what We promised them, or take you before that, your duty is only to convey. Ibn Kathir says by conveying he fulfils his mission, and the reckoning is on Allah.

You keep reminding your teenage son to pray, and nothing changes. You start to feel you have failed as a parent. Your part is to convey with love. The heart is in Allah's hand, not yours.

If they do not change, I have failed.

My task is to convey well; the outcome belongs to Allah.

Try this

Give one gentle reminder today, then let go of how it lands.

Related88:21
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Whether We show you part of what We have promised them or cause you to die, your duty is only to convey (the Message) and on Us is the reckoning (40)See they not that We gradually reduce the land from its outlying borders. And Allah judges, there is none to put back His judgement, and He is swift at reckoning (41)

Punishment is by Allah, and the Messenger's Job is only to convey the Message

Allah said to His Messenger ﷺ,

وَإِن مَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ

(Whether We show you) O Muhammad, part of the disgrace and humiliation We have promised your enemies in this life,

أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ

(or cause you to die) before that,

فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ

(your duty is only to convey We have only sent you to convey to them Allah's Message, and by doing so, you will have fulfilled the mission that was ordained on you,

وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ

(and on Us is the reckoning), their reckoning and recompense is on Us.' Allah said in similar Ayat,

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ - لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ - إِلَّا مَن تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ - فَيُعَذِّبُهُ اللَّهُ الْعَذَابَ الْأَكْبَرَ - إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا إِيَابَهُمْ - ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُم

(So remind them - you are only one who reminds. You are not a dictator over them - Save the one who turns away and disbelieves. Then Allah will punish him with the greatest punishment. Verily, to Us will be their return, Then verily, for Us will be their reckoning.)[88:21-26] Allah said next,

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَأْتِي الْأَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا

(See they not that We gradually reduce the land from its outlying borders.) Ibn 'Abbas commented, "See they not that We are granting land after land to Muhammad ﷺ?" Al-Hasan and Ad-Dahhak commented that this Ayah refers to Muslims gaining the upper hand over idolators, just as Allah said in another Ayah,

وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَا مَا حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ الْقُرَىٰ

(And indeed We have destroyed towns round about you.)[46:27]