Quran Universe
26:109

وَمَآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍۖ إِنۡ أَجۡرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

Wama asalukum AAalayhi min ajrin in ajriya illa AAala rabbi alAAalameena

And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds.

Word by word
  1. وَمَآAnd not
  2. أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡI ask (of) you
  3. عَلَيۡهِfor it
  4. مِنۡany
  5. أَجۡرٍۖpayment
  6. إِنۡNot
  7. أَجۡرِيَ(is) my payment
  8. إِلَّاbut
  9. عَلَىٰfrom
  10. رَبِّ(the) Lord
  11. ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ(of) the worlds
Ash-Shu'ara · 26:109Makkah

I am not asking you for anything.

Advice with no price tag

Nuh's terms
his adviceto them
costs
0no payment asked
reward with Allahsaved for later
How to judge advice
what is in it for him?always an angle
nothing for himhis reward is with Allah

Nuh says no reward do I ask of you for it. Ibn Kathir explains: I do not want any payment for the advice I give you; I will save my reward for it with Allah. He had nothing to gain from them.

You help a friend move, check a cousin's CV, teach your neighbor's kid to read. You catch yourself waiting for thanks. Do it for Allah, and you will never be disappointed. The pay comes from Him.

If I help someone, I deserve at least some thanks back.

When I help for Allah, my reward is already safe with Him.

Try this

Help someone today and do not mention it to anyone.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 26:105)

The people of Nuh denied the Messengers (105)When their brother Nuh said to them: "Will you not have Taqwa? ( 106)"I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. ( 107)"So have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me. ( 108)"No reward do I ask of you for it; my reward is only from the Lord of all that exists. ( 109)"So have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me. ( 110)

Nuh's Preaching to His People, and Their Response

Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Nuh, peace be upon him, who was the first Messenger sent by Allah to the people of earth after they started to worship idols. Allah sent him to forbid that and to warn people of the consequences of idol worship. But his people belied him and continued their evil practice of worshipping idols besides Allah. Allah revealed that their disbelieving in him was akin to disbelieving in all the Messengers, So Allah said:

كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ - إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ نُوحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

(The people of Nuh belied the Messengers. When their brother Nuh said to them: "Will you not have Taqwa?") meaning, 'do you not fear Allah when you worship others instead of Him?'

إِنِّي لَكُمْ رَسُولٌ أَمِينٌ

(I am a trustworthy Messenger to you.) means, 'I am the Messenger of Allah to you, faithfully fulfilling the mission with which Allah has sent me. I convey the Messages of my Lord to you, and I do not add anything to them or take anything away from them.

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ - وَمَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ

(So have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me. No reward do I ask of you for it;) means, 'I do not want any payment for the advice I give you; I will save my reward for it with Allah.'

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ

(So have Taqwa of Allah, and obey me.) 'It is clear to you that I am telling the truth and that I am faithfully fulfilling the mission with which Allah has entrusted me.'