قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبْغِى رَبًّا وَهُوَ رَبُّ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ ۚ وَلَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ 164
Translations
Say, "Is it other than Allāh I should desire as a lord while He is the Lord of all things? And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ."
Transliteration
Qul a-ghayra Allahi abghi rabba wa huwa rabbu kulli shay'in. Wa la taksib kullu nafsin illa alayha. Wa la taziru waziratu wizra ukhra. Thumma ila rabbikum marji'ukum fa-yunabbikum bima kuntum fihi takhtalifun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the absolute oneness of Allah as the sole Lord and Master of all creation, rhetorically questioning why one would seek any other lord when Allah alone sustains everything. It emphasizes individual moral accountability—each soul bears only the consequences of its own deeds and cannot bear the burden of another's sins—a principle that undercuts all forms of vicarious atonement outside Islamic framework. The ayah concludes with the certainty of the Day of Judgment when Allah will inform people of their disputes and differences, settling all matters with perfect justice.
Revelation Context
This ayah comes near the end of Surah Al-An'am, which is Meccan and addresses fundamental Islamic principles against polytheism and idolatry. The broader context of the surah involves refuting the false beliefs and practices of the polytheists of Mecca, establishing Allah's uniqueness in lordship and worship, and clarifying the doctrine of individual responsibility before Allah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Each of you is a guardian and each of you is responsible for those under his guardianship' (Sahih Bukhari 893), which relates to the principle of individual accountability mentioned here. Also relevant is: 'No soul shall bear the burden of another' (Quran 17:15), which appears elsewhere with similar thematic content about personal responsibility.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that each person is solely responsible for their own beliefs and actions before Allah—we cannot transfer our spiritual burden to anyone else, nor can we blame others for our choices. In a modern context, this empowers individuals to take ownership of their spiritual journey and ethical conduct, while absolving us from false guilt about others' sins and reminding us that the final judgment rests with Allah alone.