وَقُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٌ فِى ٱلْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلِىٌّ مِّنَ ٱلذُّلِّ ۖ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًۢا 111
Translations
And say, "Praise to Allāh, who has not taken a son and has had no partner in [His] dominion and has no [need of a] protector out of weakness; and glorify Him with [great] glorification."
Transliteration
Wa qul al-hamdu lillahi alladhi lam yattakhidh waladan wa lam yakun lahu sharikun fi al-mulki wa lam yakun lahu waliyyun min al-dulli wa kabbir hu takbiran
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the Prophet (peace be upon him) to proclaim praise to Allah alone, emphasizing His absolute oneness and transcendence by negating three critical attributes: that He has no offspring, no partners in sovereignty, and no need of protectors or helpers due to weakness. Ibn Kathir notes this ayah refutes Christian doctrine (claim of Jesus as son), Arabian polytheism (associating partners), and any notion of divine weakness, culminating in the command to magnify Allah with supreme glorification (takbir).
Revelation Context
This verse concludes Surah Al-Isra, which is a Meccan surah dealing with tawhid (monotheism) and the rejection of shirk (polytheism). It serves as a powerful closing statement affirming absolute monotheism after the surah's discussion of the Night Journey and various spiritual and legal teachings. The context emphasizes the urgency of pure monotheistic belief in the face of Meccan polytheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The most excellent supplication is 'Subhan'Allah wa bi hamdihi' (Glory be to Allah and praised be He)' - related to the emphasis on glorifying Allah. Additionally, Surah Al-Ikhlas (112:1-4) is thematically parallel, as both comprehensively address Allah's absolute oneness and freedom from partnership or offspring (Sahih Bukhari, Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to anchor their faith in the absolute uniqueness of Allah, rejecting any false attributions or partnerships, and to regularly glorify Him with full awareness of His transcendence and supreme authority. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder that true spiritual peace comes from undivided devotion to the One God alone.