12:104

وَمَا تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍۚ إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

Wama tasaluhum AAalayhi min ajrin in huwa illa thikrun lilAAalameena

And you do not ask of them for it any payment. It is not except a reminder to the worlds.

Word by word
  1. وَمَاAnd not
  2. تَسۡـَٔلُهُمۡyou ask them
  3. عَلَيۡهِfor it
  4. مِنۡany
  5. أَجۡرٍۚreward
  6. إِنۡNot
  7. هُوَ(is) it
  8. إِلَّاbut
  9. ذِكۡرٞa reminder
  10. لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَto the worlds
Yusuf · 12:104Makkah

No payment asked, only a reminder for all the worlds.

The message is free


The Prophet's call
the Prophet ﷺgives sincere advice
asks
0no fee, no price
a reminderfor all the worlds
Why he called
for gainmoney, status
for Allahand their good

Ibn Kathir says the Prophet ﷺ asked for no price or compensation for his advice and his call to good. He did it seeking Allah's Face and sincere good for people. The Quran is a reminder to all the worlds, so they may be guided and saved.

You help a younger colleague, teach your nephew to read Quran, give advice to a friend. No invoice, no favor to call in later. Sincere advice is lighter when nothing is expected back.

If I give my time, I should get something for it.

The best advice is given freely, for Allah, and for the other person's good.

Try this

Give one piece of genuinely helpful advice or help today, expecting nothing back.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 12:102)

That is of the news of the Ghayb (Unseen) which We reveal to you. You were not (present) with them when they arranged their plan together, and (while) they were plotting (102)And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly (103)And no reward you ask of them for it; it (the Qur'an) is no less than a Reminder unto the 'Alamin (men and Jinn)(104)

This Story is a Revelation from Allah

Allah narrated to Muhammad, peace be upon him, the story of Yusuf and his brothers and how Allah raised him over them, giving him the better end, triumph, the sovereignty and wisdom (i.e., prophethood), even though they tried to harm and kill him. Allah said, 'This and similar stories are part of the unseen incidents of the past, O Muhammad,

نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ

(which We reveal to you.) and inform you of, O Muhammad, because it carries a lesson, for you to draw from and a reminder to those who defy you.' Allah said next,

وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ

(You were not (present) with them), you did not witness their conference nor saw them,

إِذْ أَجْمَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ

(when they arranged their plan together,) to throw Yusuf into the well,

وَهُمْ يَمْكُرُونَ

(and (while) they were plotting) against him. We taught you all this through Our Revelation which We sent down to you.' Allah said in other Ayat,

وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُونَ أَقْلَامَهُمْ

(You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens..)[3:44] and,

وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَى الْأَمْرَ

(And you were not on the western side, when We made clear to Musa the commandment...)[28:44] until,

وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ الطُّورِ إِذْ نَادَيْنَا

(And you were not at the side of the Tur when We did call.)[28:46] Allah also said,

وَمَا كُنتَ ثَاوِيًا فِي أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ تَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِنَا

(And you were not a dweller among the people of Madyan, reciting Our verses to them.)[28:45] Allah states that Muhammad is His Messenger and that He has taught him the news of what occurred in the past, which carry lessons for people to draw from, so that they acquire their safety in their religious affairs as well as their worldly affairs. Yet, most people did not and will not believe, so Allah said,

وَمَا أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

(And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly.) Allah said in similar Ayat,

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

(And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path)[6:116], and,

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً ۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

(Verily, in this is an Ayah, yet most of them are not believers.)[26:8] Allah said next,

وَمَا تَسْأَلُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ

(And no reward you ask of them for it;) Allah says, 'You, O Muhammad, do not ask them in return for this advice and your call to all that is good and righteous, for any price or compensation for delivering it. Rather, you do so seeking Allah's Face and to deliver good and sincere advice to His creatures,

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ

(it (the Qur'an) is no less than a Reminder unto the 'Alamin (men and Jinn)) with which they remember, receive guidance and save themselves in this life and the Hereafter.'