لِّئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَلَّا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ مِّن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ ۙ وَأَنَّ ٱلْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ 29
Translations
[This is] so that the People of the Scripture may know that they are not able [to obtain] anything from the bounty of Allāh and that [all] bounty is in the hand of Allāh; He gives it to whom He wills. And Allāh is the possessor of great bounty.
Transliteration
Lillā ya'lama ahlu al-kitābi allā yaqdirūna 'alā shay'in min fadli Allāhi wa anna al-fadla biyadi Allāhi yu'tīhi man yashā' wa Allāhu dhū al-fadli al-'adhīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah clarifies that the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) should know that they have no power or control over any of Allah's blessings and grace, which remain entirely in Allah's hands to bestow upon whomever He wills. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this was revealed to address the arrogance of some People of the Book who boasted about their knowledge and status, reminding them that all bounties—spiritual and material—are divine gifts that depend solely on Allah's will and generosity, not human effort or merit alone.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Hadid's discussion of faith, spending in Allah's way, and the Day of Judgment. It addresses the spiritual pride of certain groups among the People of the Book who believed their position and knowledge gave them special privilege with Allah, serving as a reminder that divine grace is not monopolized by any group but distributed by Allah's wisdom.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' (Sahih Bukhari 13). Additionally, 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895) relates thematically to understanding that virtue and favor come from Allah's guidance rather than human superiority.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to remain humble regardless of their achievements or knowledge, recognizing that all blessings are ultimately from Allah alone and can be granted or withheld according to His infinite wisdom. It should inspire gratitude, humility, and the understanding that worldly success or spiritual knowledge are divine gifts deserving of grateful servitude rather than sources of pride.