Quran Universe
26:112

قَالَ وَمَا عِلۡمِي بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

Qala wama AAilmee bima kanoo yaAAmaloona

He said, "And what is my knowledge of what they used to do?

Word by word
  1. قَالَHe said
  2. وَمَاAnd what
  3. عِلۡمِي(do) I know
  4. بِمَاof what
  5. كَانُواْthey used
  6. يَعۡمَلُونَ(to) do
Ash-Shu'ara · 26:112Makkah

What do I know about what they used to do?

Not checking backgrounds at the door

Nuh's reply
their pastwhatever it was
not my concern
their faith nowwhat I accept
What Nuh checks
their backgroundprove you are worthy
their beliefthat is enough

Ibn Kathir explains Nuh's reply: what does it have to do with me if they follow me? No matter what they did before, I do not have to check on them and examine their background. All he had to do was accept them if they believed.

A brother with a prison record starts coming to the masjid. A new convert with tattoos joins the circle. People whisper about their past. Their past is not yours to investigate. Welcome them.

Before I accept someone, I should know what they have done.

If someone turns to Allah, their past is not my business to dig into.

Try this

Greet one newcomer at your masjid or community warmly this week.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 26:111)

They said: "Shall we believe in you, when the inferior follow you? (111)He said: "And what knowledge have I of what they used to do? (112)"Their account is only with my Lord, if you could (but) know. (113)"And I am not going to drive away the believers. (114)"I am only a plain warner. (115)

The Demand of the People of Nuh and His Response

They said: "We do not believe in you, and we will not follow you and become equal to the meanest of the people, who follow you and believe in you, and they are the lowest among us."

قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الْأَرْذَلُونَ - قَالَ وَمَا عِلْمِي بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

(They said: "Shall we believe in you, when the inferior follow you?" He said: "And what knowledge have I of what they used to do?") meaning, 'what does it have to do with me if they follow me? No matter what they used to do before, I do not have to check on them and examine their background; all I have to do is accept it if they believe in me; whatever is in their hearts is for Allah to know.'

إِنْ حِسَابُهُمْ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّي ۖ لَوْ تَشْعُرُونَ - وَمَا أَنَا بِطَارِدِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(Their account is only with my Lord, if you could (but) know. And I am not going to drive away the believers.) It seems that they asked him to drive these people away, then they would follow him, but he refused to do that, and said:

وَمَا أَنَا بِطَارِدِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ

(And I am not going to drive away the believers. I am only a plain warner.) meaning, 'I have been sent as a warner, and whoever obeys me and follows me and believes in me, then he belongs to me and I to him, whether he is noble or common, upper-class or lower-class.'