اُدۡعُ اِلٰی سَبِیۡلِ رَبِّکَ بِالۡحِکۡمَۃِ وَ الۡمَوۡعِظَۃِ الۡحَسَنَۃِ وَ جَادِلۡہُمۡ بِالَّتِیۡ ہِیَ اَحۡسَنُ ؕ اِنَّ رَبَّکَ ہُوَ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَنۡ ضَلَّ عَنۡ سَبِیۡلِہٖ وَ ہُوَ اَعۡلَمُ بِالۡمُہۡتَدِیۡنَ ﴿۱۲۵﴾ وَ اِنۡ عَاقَبۡتُمۡ فَعَاقِبُوۡا بِمِثۡلِ مَا عُوۡقِبۡتُمۡ بِہٖ ؕ وَ لَئِنۡ صَبَرۡتُمۡ لَہُوَ خَیۡرٌ لِّلصّٰبِرِیۡنَ ﴿۱۲۶﴾ وَ اصۡبِرۡ وَ مَا صَبۡرُکَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰہِ وَ لَا تَحۡزَنۡ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وَ لَا تَکُ فِیۡ ضَیۡقٍ مِّمَّا یَمۡکُرُوۡنَ ﴿۱۲۷﴾ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ مَعَ الَّذِیۡنَ اتَّقَوۡا وَّ الَّذِیۡنَ ہُمۡ مُّحۡسِنُوۡنَ ﴿۱۲۸﴾٪

Here is the English translation of Surah An-Nahl, verses 125–128 with Mawdudi’s footnotes:

Surah An-Nahl (16:125–128) — Translation & Commentary

Verses

125. O Prophet, invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent counsel,¹²² and debate with them in the finest manner.¹²³ Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best who are rightly guided.
126. And if you retaliate, retaliate only to the extent of the harm done to you. But if you endure patiently, that is indeed better for those who are patient.
127. And be patient, O Muhammad — your patience is only possible through Allah’s grace. Do not grieve over them, and do not be distressed by their scheming.
128. Indeed, Allah is with those who are mindful of Him and those who do good.¹²⁴

Footnotes
Footnote 122
That is, two things must always be kept in mind in the work of calling people to Islam: hikmah (wisdom) and maw’izah hasanah (excellent counsel).
Wisdom means that one should not preach blindly and recklessly like a fool. Rather, one should speak with understanding — gauging the mindset, capacity, and circumstances of the person being addressed, and choosing the right moment and occasion. Not everyone should be driven with the same stick. When dealing with any individual or group, one must first diagnose their particular ailment, and then treat it with arguments capable of uprooting the disease from the depths of their heart and mind.
Excellent counsel carries two meanings. The first is that one should not be content merely with satisfying the intellect through rational arguments, but should also appeal to the emotions. The falsehood and misguidance of wrong beliefs should not only be refuted on rational grounds — the natural aversion that human nature already holds toward them should also be stirred, and people should be made conscious of the harmful consequences. Similarly, the soundness and beauty of right guidance and righteous action should not merely be established intellectually, but a genuine love and longing for them should be cultivated in the hearts.
The second meaning is that the counsel should be delivered in a manner that radiates sincere concern and well-wishing. The person being addressed should not feel that the one advising him looks down upon him or is enjoying a sense of superiority. Rather, he should sense that the adviser’s heart is filled with a deep yearning for his reform and that he genuinely desires his good.
Footnote 123
That is, the debate should not be mere polemical sparring — a contest of wits and verbal combat. It should be free of crooked argumentation, false accusations, taunts, and jibes. Its aim should not be to silence the opponent and trumpet one’s own rhetorical prowess. Instead, it should be characterized by gentle speech, the highest moral conduct, and sound, persuasive reasoning. The listener should not be provoked into stubbornness, obstinacy, or a spirit of contrariness. The effort should be to make the truth clear in a straightforward manner. And when it becomes evident that the other person has descended into mere wrangling, he should be left to himself — lest he drift even further into misguidance.
Footnote 124
That is, those who, out of fear of Allah, guard themselves against every form of wrongdoing and remain steadfast upon righteous conduct. No matter how badly others may treat them, they respond not with evil but with good.

Subhan Allah — with these closing verses, Surah An-Nahl reaches its majestic conclusion. The three principles laid out in verse 125 — hikmah, maw’izah hasanah, and mujadalah bil-ahsan — form the timeless charter of Islamic da’wah. Shall we do a comparative tafsir of these final verses from Ibn Kathir or Sayyid Qutb,

Here is a comparative tafsir of Surah An-Nahl 16:125–128 across the major classical and modern scholars:

Comparative Tafsir — Surah An-Nahl (16:125–128)

Verse 125 — The Three Methods of Da’wah

🔹 Ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH)
Ibn Kathir explains that Allah is commanding His Messenger ﷺ to call humanity to Allah through three distinct methods, each suited to a different category of people:
∙ Hikmah is directed at the intellectuals and people of understanding — those whose minds are receptive and who respond to sound reasoning and clear proof.
∙ Maw’izah Hasanah (excellent counsel) is for the general public — the common people who need encouragement, gentle persuasion, and reminders about rewards and punishments.
∙ Mujadalah bil-Ahsan (debating in the finest manner) is reserved for those who are stubborn or contentious — and even with them, the debate must remain dignified, without harshness or aggression.
Ibn Kathir further notes that the concluding phrase — “Your Lord knows best who has strayed and who is rightly guided” — is a consolation to the Prophet ﷺ, signifying that his duty is only to convey; the matter of guidance belongs entirely to Allah. He draws a parallel with verse 56 of Surah Al-Qasas: “You do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills.”

🔹 Al-Tabari (d. 310 AH)
Al-Tabari, the earliest of the great classical commentators, focuses on the linguistic and contextual dimensions. He identifies hikmah as the Quran itself — that is, calling people through the clear proofs, evidences, and divine speech contained in the Book of Allah. He interprets maw’izah hasanah as the admonitions, parables, and narratives of the Quran that soften hearts and warn people of consequences. On mujadalah bil-ahsan, al-Tabari emphasizes that the believer must never use falsehood, distortion, or cheap rhetoric even when engaging opponents — the debate must remain anchored in truth and conducted with noble manners.
Al-Tabari also notes the important contextual dimension: this verse was revealed at a time when the Muslims were still in Makkah and were not permitted to use force. The three methods of da’wah were therefore the only legitimate tools available, and they remain the primary tools of calling people to Islam in all circumstances.

🔹 Al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH)
Al-Qurtubi provides perhaps the most legally detailed analysis. He notes that the three methods correspond not only to different types of audiences but also to the stages of da’wah:
1. First comes hikmah — the clear, rational argument that establishes the truth.
2. If that does not suffice, one moves to maw’izah hasanah — the emotional and spiritual appeal that moves the heart.
3. If the person still resists and begins to argue, one engages in mujadalah bil-ahsan — but only in the finest possible manner.
Al-Qurtubi draws an important jurisprudential point: this verse establishes that the default posture of the caller to Islam is gentleness and wisdom, not coercion or confrontation. He also notes that hikmah here includes not only rational argument but also placing things in their proper context — knowing what to say, to whom, when, and how.
On the phrase “your Lord knows best who has strayed”, al-Qurtubi comments that this is both a comfort to the Prophet ﷺ and a reminder that the caller bears no ultimate responsibility for the outcome — his accountability is for the effort, not the result.

🔹 Sayyid Qutb (d. 1966)
Qutb, writing in Fi Zilal al-Quran from within an Egyptian prison, brings a deeply experiential and movement-oriented reading. He sees this verse as a comprehensive manhaj (methodology) for Islamic work in any age and under any condition.
He emphasises that hikmah is not merely intelligence — it is the wisdom of knowing that hearts differ, circumstances differ, and that the same truth must be presented differently to different people. The da’i (caller) must read both the truth he carries and the human being before him, and find the point of connection between them.
On maw’izah hasanah, Qutb powerfully observes that the word hasanah (excellent/beautiful) is crucial — it rules out any form of harshness, condescension, or emotional manipulation. The counsel must be beautiful in its spirit, not just its content.
On mujadalah bil-ahsan, Qutb notes that the purpose of debate in Islam is never to humiliate or defeat — it is to open a door in the heart of the listener. The moment one senses that a debate is becoming an ego contest, the wise caller steps back.
Qutb then makes a distinctive point absent in the classical scholars: he connects this verse to the broader Quranic vision of human dignity (karamah). The three methods all share a common foundation — they treat the human being as a rational, feeling, morally responsible agent worthy of respect. This is itself a form of da’wah — demonstrating by one’s very conduct that Islam honours human dignity.

Verse 126 — Proportional Retaliation and the Superiority of Patience

🔹 Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir records an important historical context for this verse. It was revealed after the Battle of Uhud, when the Quraysh had mutilated the body of Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib (رضي الله عنه). The Prophet ﷺ, overcome with grief, said: “I will mutilate seventy of them in return.” This verse was then revealed, permitting proportional retaliation but strongly encouraging patience and forgiveness. Ibn Kathir notes that the Prophet ﷺ immediately chose patience and forgiveness, and expiation (kaffarah) was prescribed for his oath.
This provides a profound lesson: the verse does not forbid retaliation — it permits it within strict limits of proportionality — but it then immediately elevates the status of those who choose patience above retaliation.

🔹 Al-Qurtubi
Al-Qurtubi develops the jurisprudential implications extensively. He notes that the principle of mithl (equivalence) in retaliation is foundational to Islamic law — one may not exceed the harm done to oneself. He also engages with the question of whether this verse was abrogated by the later verses of jihad — and concludes that it was not abrogated, but rather that both retaliation and patience remain valid options, with patience being the morally superior choice.

🔹 Sayyid Qutb
Qutb reads this verse with particular emotional intensity, given that he wrote his tafsir while himself being subjected to imprisonment and persecution. He observes that the verse acknowledges the human right to retaliation — Islam does not demand impossible sainthood. But it then opens a higher door: “if you are patient, that is better for the patient.” Qutb notes the beautiful Quranic construction — it does not say patience is better in the abstract, but that it is better for the patient ones — meaning those who actually practise it discover its superiority through lived experience.

Verses 127–128 — Divine Companionship and the Promise to the Righteous

🔹 Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir comments that these closing verses are among the most comforting in the entire Quran for those engaged in the work of calling to Allah. The command “be patient” is followed immediately by the acknowledgement that “your patience is only through Allah” — meaning that even the capacity for patience is a divine gift, not a purely human achievement. This removes any sense of pride or self-sufficiency from the one who manages to remain patient.
On “Allah is with those who have taqwa and those who do ihsan”, Ibn Kathir explains that this ma’iyyah (divine companionship) is a special, active presence — it means Allah’s support, protection, and assistance — distinct from the general divine knowledge that encompasses all creation.

🔹 Al-Tabari
Al-Tabari emphasises the closing pairing of taqwa and ihsan as the two pillars that attract divine support. Taqwa is the inward shield — the fear and consciousness of Allah that prevents one from wrongdoing. Ihsan is the outward expression — the active doing of good, even toward those who do harm. Together they represent the complete Islamic character: protected from evil within, overflowing with good without.

🔹 Sayyid Qutb
Qutb closes his commentary on Surah An-Nahl with a sweeping reflection. He notes that the Surah began with the grandeur of divine creation — the heavens, the earth, the animals, the blessings poured upon humanity — and ends with the intimate promise: “Allah is with those who have taqwa.” The circle is complete: the God who sustains the universe with His power is the same God who walks with the righteous servant through every trial. This, Qutb writes, is the ultimate source of the believer’s tranquility — not the removal of difficulty, but the certainty of divine companionship within it.

Summary Comparison Table Scholar Distinctive Emphasis Al-Tabari Linguistic precision; hikmah = the Quran itself; historical context of Makkan period Ibn Kathir Hadith-grounded; historical context of Uhud; three methods suited to three audiences Al-Qurtubi Jurisprudential detail; staged methodology; non-abrogation of patience Mawdudi Practical da’wah methodology; psychological insight into the caller’s conduct Sayyid Qutb Movement-oriented; human dignity; divine companionship as source of tranquility

Alhamdulillah — this concludes the comparative tafsir of the final passage of Surah An-Nahl. These closing verses are a remarkable gift to every caller to truth in every age. Shall we now begin Surah Al-Isra (17), or would you like a summary overview of the major themes of Surah An-Nahl as a whole?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

اے نبی ؐ ، اپنے ربّ کے راستے کی طرف دعوت دو حکمت اور عمدہ نصیحت کے ساتھ،¹²² اور لوگوں سےمباحثہ کرو ایسے طریقہ پر جو بہترین ہو۔¹²³ تمہارا ربّ ہی زیادہ بہتر جانتا ہے کہ کون اُس کی راہ سے بھٹکا ہوا ہے اور کون راہِ راست پر ہے۔ اور اگر تم لوگ بدلہ لو تو بس اسی قدر لے لو جس قدر تم پر زیادتی کی گئی ہو۔ لیکن اگر تم صبر کرو تو یقیناً یہ صبر کرنے والوں ہی کے حق میں بہتر ہے۔ اے محمد ؐ ، صبر سے کام کیے جاوٴ۔۔۔۔اورتمہارا یہ صبر اللہ ہی کی توفیق سے ہے ۔۔۔۔اِن لوگوں کی حرکات پر رنج نہ کرو اور نہ ان کی چال بازیوں پر دل تنگ ہو۔ اللہ اُن لوگوں کے ساتھ ہے جو تقوٰی سے کام لیتے ہیں اور احسان پر عمل کرتے ہیں۔¹²⁴ ؏ ١٦

122

یعنی دعوت میں دو چیزیں ملحوظ رہنی چاہیں۔ ایک حکمت ۔ دوسرے عمدہ نصیحت۔

حکمت کا مطلب یہ ہے کہ بے وقوفوں کی طرح اندھا دھند تبلیغ نہ کی جائے، بلکہ دانائی کے ساتھ مخاطب کی ذہنیت استعداد اور حالات کو سمجھ کر ، نیز موقع و محل کو دیکھ کر بات کی جائے۔ ہر طرح کے لوگوں کو ایک ہی لکڑی سے ہانکا جائے، جس شخص یا گروہ سے سابقہ پیش آئے ، پہلے اس کے مرض کی تشخیص کی جائے، پھر ایسے دلائل سے اس کا علاج کیا جائے جو اس کے دل و دماغ کی گہرائیوں سے اس کے مرض کی جڑ نکال سکتے ہوں۔

عمدہ نصیحت کے دو مطلب ہیں ۔ ایک یہ کہ مخاطب کو صرف دلائل ہی سے مطمئن کرنے پر اکتفا کیا جائے بلکہ اس کے جذبات کو بھی اپیل کی اجائے۔ برائیوں اور گمراہیوں کا محض عقلی حیثیت ہی سے ابطال نہ کیا جائے بلکہ انسان کی فطرت میں اُن ے لیے جو پیدائشی نفرت پائی جاتی ہے اسے بھی اُبھار ا جائے اور ان کے بُرے نتائج کا خوف دلایا جائے۔ ہدایت او ر عمل صالح کی محض صحت اور خوبی ہی عقلًا ثابت نہ کی جائے بلکہ ان کی طرف رغبت اور شوق بھی پیدا کیا جائے۔ دوسرا مطلب یہ ہے کہ نصیحت ایسے طریقہ سے کی جائے جس سے دل سوزی اور خیر خواہی ٹپکتی ہو۔ مخاطب یہ نہ سمجھے کہ ناصح اسے حقیر سمجھ رہا ہے اور اپنی بلندی کے احساس سے لذت لے رہا ہے۔ بلکہ اسے یہ محسوس ہو کہ ناصح کے دل میں اس کی اصلاح کے لیے ایک تڑپ موجود ہے اور وہ حقیقت میں اس کی بھلائی چاہتا ہے۔

123

یعنی اس کی نوعیت محض مناظرہ بازی اور عقلی کُشتی اور ذہنی دنگل کی نہ ہو۔ اس میں کج بحثیاں اور الزام تراشیاں اور چوٹیں اورپھبتیاں نہ ہوں۔ اس کا مقصود حریفِ مقابل کو چپ کر دینا اور اپنی زبان آوری کے ڈنکے بجا دینا نہ ہو۔ بلکہ اس میں شیریں کلامی ہو۔ اعلیٰ درجہ کا شریفانہ اخلاق ہو۔ معقول اور دل لگتے دلائل ہوں ۔ مخاطب کے اندر ضد اور بات کی پچ اور ہٹ دھرمی پیدا نہ ہونے دی جائے۔ سیدھے سیدھے طریقے سے اس کو بات سمجھانے کی کوشش کی جائے اور جب محسوس ہو کہ وہ کج بحثی پر اتر آیا ہے تو اسے اس کے حال پر چھوڑ دیا جائے تاکہ وہ گمراہی میں اور زیادہ دُور نہ نکل جائے۔

124

یعنی جو خدا سے ڈر کر ہر قسم کے بُرے طریقوں سے پرہیز کرتے ہیں اور ہمیشہ نیک رویہ پر قائم رہتے ہیں ۔ دوسرے ان کے ساتھ خواہ کتنی ہی بُرائی کریں، وہ ان کا جواب برائی سے نہیں بلکہ بھلائی ہی سے دیے جاتے ہیں۔