39:10  Say: “O my bondsmen who believe! revere your Rabb.  For those who do good in this world, there is good.  And Allāh’s earth is spacious.  Truly the persevering ones will be paid their reward beyond reckoning.”

39:10 Commentators often mentioned this verse bears a rare instance when the Prophet addressed his followers with yā ‘ibādi (lit. O my bondsmen!). On the contrary, here Allāh is asking the Prophet to state (qul) a response on His behalf, thus, use of the term ‘ibād (lit. servant of God) indicates it is Allāh who is speaking in first person through the Prophet. Halfway through the statement the mode of address changes from first person to third person, a style frequently adopted in the Qur’ān (cf. 2:172; 3:151; 4:30,33,122; 6:111; 7:142 etc.). Regarding the meaning of taqwā, see 2:2. The phrase ‘My Bondsmen’ is repeated in the sūrah several times, each time indicating the sense of God’s servant (vv. 7,16,17,46,53). The phrase Allāh’s earth is specious implies if the conditions in a certain place is not conducive to profess one’s faith, then people are encouraged to migrate to other places (4:97; 29:56).