Tafsir of Surah Ar-Ra’d Verse 11: An Approach Base onUlum al-Qur’an and Classical Tafsir

By: Ilham Alim

Qur’anic verses are often quoted in various life contexts, including as sources of motivation. One verse that is frequently used to inspire enthusiasm is QS. Ar-Ra’d:11, which seemingly conveys a message about the importance of personal effort in changing one’s destiny. Although this kind of interpretation is popular and uplifting, it is important to re-examine whether such an understanding aligns with the methodology of ‘Ulum al-Qur’an and classical tafsir. Let’s explore this further!

Ar-Ra’d: Verse 11

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتّٰى يُغَيِّرُوْا مَا بِاَنْفُسِهِمْۗ

“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”

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Grammatically, this verse contains the word ما (ma), which is mubham (ambiguous or non-concrete in meaning). In Indonesian, it may be translated as “what” or “something.” Therefore, further clarification is needed regarding the concrete form of “what is in a people” as mentioned in the verse. This is where the importance of the tafsir al-Qur’an bil Qur’an (explaining one verse with another) approach comes into play—specifically Surah Al-Anfal, verse 53:

Al-Anfal: Verse 53

ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّ اللّٰهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًا نِّعْمَةً اَنْعَمَهَا عَلٰى قَوْمٍ حَتّٰى يُغَيِّرُوْا مَا بِاَنْفُسِهِمْۙ وَاَنَّ اللّٰهَ سَمِيْعٌ عَلِيْمٌۙ

“That is because Allah will not change a favor that He has granted to a people until they change what is in themselves. Indeed, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

This verse makes it clear that the concrete meaning of ما (ma) is blessing (ni‘mah).

Some scholars, as cited by Imam Ath-Thabari in his tafsir, explained that the meaning of this verse is that all people are originally in a state of goodness and blessings. Allah will not change these blessings unless they themselves turn those blessings into misfortune due to their own behavior—by acting unjustly and harboring hostility toward their own brothers.

Imam Al-Qurthubi, in his tafsir, stated:

In this verse, Allah informs us that He does not change a people’s condition unless someone among them initiates the change. This change may come from within their own group, from an external observer, or from a related cause—as in the case of the Muslim troops who were defeated in the Battle of Uhud due to the disobedience committed by the archers.

This verse does not imply that the defeat at Uhud was solely the result of one person’s sinful actions; rather, calamities may sometimes descend due to the sins of others.

Then, is it wrong to use this verse as a form of motivation? In fact, it is perfectly acceptable to treat this verse as motivational—as a means to encourage individuals to give their best and to strive wholeheartedly. However, it must be noted that the “struggle” referred to in the context of this verse is not about transforming something bad into something good, but about preserving the blessings granted by Allah so they are not lost or corrupted due to our own actions.

These two attitudes actually stem from different paradigms. The first stems from an “arrogance” in one’s own potential, while the second is based on the belief that everything Allah gives is inherently good—and that we are obligated to preserve it properly.