قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ قَوۡلࣰا مِّمَّن دَعَاۤ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحࣰا وَقَالَ…

قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ قَوۡلࣰا مِّمَّن دَعَاۤ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحࣰا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِی مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِینَ﴾ [فصلت ٣٣]

Who is better in speech than one who calls people to Allah, does righteous deeds, and says: Verily I am one of those who submit to Allah [in Islam]?

This appears in the form of a question, but what is meant is confirmation that no one is better in speech – that is, in words, manners and attitude,

[than one who calls people to Allah] by teaching the ignorant and exhorting those who are heedless and turn away; debating with the followers of falsehood by enjoining worship of Allah in all ways and urging people to worship Him, making that fair-seeming by all possible means; telling people to stay away from that which Allah has forbidden and making it appear abhorrent by any means that will make people refrain, especially calling people to the religion of Islam, presenting it in the best of terms, debating with its enemies in ways that are best, speaking out against its opposite, namely disbelief and polytheism, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong.

Part of calling people to Allah is endearing Him to His slaves by mentioning in detail His blessings, vast generosity and perfect mercy, and mentioning His perfect and majestic attributes.

Another aspect of calling people to Allah is encouraging people to acquire knowledge and learn guidance from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (ﷺ), and urging them to do that by all possible means, which includes encouraging them to attain noble characteristics, treating people kindly, responding to those who behave offensively with kindness, and enjoining upholding of ties of kinship and honouring parents. It also includes exhorting people on special occasions, at special events and times of calamity, in a manner that is appropriate to the situation. And there are innumerable other ways of calling people to Allah, which includes calling them to all that is good and warning against all that is evil.

[does righteous deeds] that is, in addition to calling people to Allah, he himself hastens to obey the command of Allah, by doing righteous deeds that are pleasing to his Lord. [and says: Verily I am one of those who submit to Allah [in Islam]? that is, those who submit to His command and follow His path.

Reaching a high level in this regard means reaching the level of the strong and true in faith, who strive to perfect themselves and perfect others, and who are the rightful heirs of the Messengers. By the same token, among the worst of people in speech are those who call people to misguidance and follow its path.

Between these two levels, the one who attains the highest level and the one who sinks to the lowest levels, are m any other levels that are known to Allah, all of which are occupied by people:

[For all there will be ranks according to their deeds, for your Lord is not unaware of what they do.] (al-An’dm 6:132)

Tafseer As-Sadi رحمه الله

Volume-8-Juzz-22-24

Page 418-419.