20:113

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ قُرۡءَانًا عَرَبِيّٗا وَصَرَّفۡنَا فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلۡوَعِيدِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ أَوۡ يُحۡدِثُ لَهُمۡ ذِكۡرٗا

Wakathalika anzalnahu quranan AAarabiyyan wasarrafna feehi mina alwaAAeedi laAAallahum yattaqoona aw yuhdithu lahum thikran

And thus We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an and have diversified therein the warnings that perhaps they will avoid [sin] or it would cause them remembrance.

Word by word
  1. وَكَذَٰلِكَAnd thus
  2. أَنزَلۡنَٰهُWe have sent it down
  3. قُرۡءَانًا(the) Quran
  4. عَرَبِيّٗا(in) Arabic
  5. وَصَرَّفۡنَاand We have explained
  6. فِيهِin it
  7. مِنَof
  8. ٱلۡوَعِيدِthe warnings
  9. لَعَلَّهُمۡthat they may
  10. يَتَّقُونَfear
  11. أَوۡor
  12. يُحۡدِثُit may cause
  13. لَهُمۡ[for] them
  14. ذِكۡرٗاremembrance
Taha · 20:113Makkah

Warnings repeated in many ways, so they might wake up.

Why the Quran says it more than once


What the warnings aim for
clear Arabicno confusion in it
varied warningstold many ways
so that
taqwaleave off sins
remembrancedo deeds that bring near
Why repeat it
naggingheard it already
careone of them will reach me

Ibn Kathir says the Quran came as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner, in clear Arabic. The warnings are varied so people will leave off sins, or so it will produce acts of obedience that bring them closer to Allah.

Your mother reminds you for the fifth time to call your grandmother. It feels like nagging. Then one day it lands. Repetition is how love gets through. The Quran repeats for the same reason.

I have heard this warning before, so I can skip it.

Allah repeats it in different ways because one of them might finally reach me.

Try this

Next time you read a familiar warning verse, ask: what is it saying to me today?

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

And thus We have sent it down as a Qur'an in Arabic, and have explained therein in detail the warnings, in order that they may have Taqwa, or that it may cause them to have a lesson from it (113)Then High above all be Allah, the True King. And be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you, and say: "My Lord! Increase me in knowledge. (114)

The Qur'an was revealed so that the People would have Taqwa and reflect

After Allah, the Exalted, mentions that on the Day of Judgement both the good and the evil will be recompensed and there is no avoiding it, He then explains that the Qur'an was revealed as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner in the clear and eloquent Arabic language. There is no confusion or deficiency in it.

وَصَرَّفْنَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْوَعِيدِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

(And thus We have sent it down as a Qur'an in Arabic, and have explained therein in detail the warnings, in order that they may have Taqwa of,) This means: so that they will leave off sins, forbidden things and lewd abominations.

أَوْ يُحْدِثُ لَهُمْ ذِكْرًا

(or that it may cause them to have a lesson from it.) This means: to produce acts of obedience and deeds that will bring one closer to Allah.

فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ

(Then High above all be Allah, the True King.) This means: Most Holy and Majestic is He, the True King, Who is Himself the Truth and His promise is true. Likewise, His threat is true, His Messengers are true, the Paradise is true, the Hellfire is true and everything from Him is true. His justice is that He does not punish anyone before warning them, sending Messengers to them and granting excuses to His creatures, so that no one will have any argument or doubt (on Judgment Day).

The Command to the Prophet to listen to the Qur'an when it is revealed without making haste to recite it

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُقْضَىٰ إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ

(And be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you,) This is similar to Allah's statement,

لَا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ - إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ - فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ - ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ

(Move not your tongue to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you the ability to recite it. And when We have recited it to you, then follow its recital. Then it is for Us to made it clear (to you).)(75:16-19)

It is confirmed in the Sahih on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to go through great pains to retain the revelation. In doing so he used to move his tongue rapidly with its recital. Then, Allah revealed this Ayah. This means that whenever Jibril would say an Ayah, the Prophet ﷺ would say it with him due to his eagerness to memorize it. Then, Allah guided him to that which was easier and lighter in this matter, to relieve him of this difficulty. Allah said,

لَا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ - إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ

(Move not your tongue to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you the ability to recite it.)(75:16-17) Meaning, "We will gather it in your chest, then you will recite it to the people without forgetting anything of it."

فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ - ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ

(And when We have recited it to you, then follow its recital. Then it is for Us to made it clear (to you).)(75:18-19) And He said in this Ayah,

وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُقْضَىٰ إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ

(And be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you,) This is a command to the Prophet ﷺ to listen quietly: 'Then, when the angel (Jibril) completes reciting to you, you recite it after him.'

وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

(and say: "My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.") meaning, "Give me more knowledge from You." Ibn 'Uyaynah said, "The Prophet ﷺ did not cease increasing (in knowledge) until Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, took him (i.e. he died)."