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wa-yā-qawmi lā ʾasʾalukum ʿalayhi mālan ʾin ʾajriya ʾillā ʿalā llāhi wa-mā ʾana bi-ṭāridi lladhīna ʾāmanū ʾinnahum mulāqū rabbihim wa-lākinnī ʾarākum qawman tajhalūna
O my people! I do not ask you any material reward for it. My reward lies only with Allah. But I will not drive away those who have faith: they will indeed encounter their Lord. But I see that you are an ignorant lot.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Hud – Verse 29
29. “And O’ my People! I ask you no wealth for it. My reward is only upon Allah, and I will not drive away those who believe, (for) verily they shall meet their Lord, but I see you are an ignorant people.”
The secret of a preacher’s success is his lack of over expectation with regard to people and not letting himself be stymied by the objections of the wealthy corrupt classes. If the prophets were seeking illegitimate profits, they would call on the aristocrats and not the poor, on the princes not on the paupers. The followers of the prophets are the oppressed people and they never neglect them. The prophets are never greedy for the people’s property. Their sole purpose, according to their mission is to save the people from their ignorance and from the Divine punishment.
The verse says:
“And O’ my People! I ask you no wealth for it. My reward is only upon Allah, and I will not drive away those who believe, (for) verily they shall meet their Lord, but I see you are an ignorant people.”