وَلَوْلَآ إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا۠ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالًا وَوَلَدًا 39
Translations
And why did you, when you entered your garden, not say, 'What Allāh willed [has occurred]; there is no power except in Allāh'? Although you see me less than you in wealth and children,
Transliteration
Wa law lā idhā dakhal ta jannata ka qul ta mā shāa Allāhu lā quw wata illā bi-Allāh. In tara nī anā aqal la min ka mālan wa wa lada
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the wealthy man of the two gardens parable, rebuking him for not acknowledging Allah's will upon entering his garden. The verse teaches that one should invoke "Mā shāa Allāh, lā quwwata illā bi-Allāh" (Whatever Allah wills; there is no power except in Allah) when witnessing blessings, as a safeguard against arrogance and the evil eye. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize this phrase as both a protection and an expression of humble reliance on Allah, regardless of one's wealth or progeny.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the parable of the two gardens (18:32-44), a Meccan surah addressing the dangers of wealth-induced arrogance and forgetfulness of Allah. The parable illustrates a wealthy, prideful man who attributes his blessings solely to his own efforts rather than to Allah's favor, serving as a moral lesson against materialism and spiritual negligence.
Related Hadiths
The phrase 'Mā shāa Allāh, lā quwwata illā bi-Allāh' is documented in various collections as a protective invocation. A related hadith in Sahih Muslim emphasizes that when one sees something pleasing, saying this phrase protects from envy and the evil eye (Hadith on protection from 'ayn).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to habitually acknowledge Allah's will in all circumstances and to express gratitude for blessings while recognizing that all power and provision come from Allah alone, protecting one from spiritual arrogance and worldly delusion.
Related Ayahs
وَأَمَّا مَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَلَهُۥ جَزَآءً ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْرًا
But as for one who believes and does righteousness, he will have a reward of the best [i.e., Paradise], and we [i.e., Dhul-Qarnayn] will speak to him from our command with ease."
قَالَ أَرَءَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ ٱلْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُۥ ۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا
He said, "Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly."
أَمَّا ٱلسَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ لِمَسَـٰكِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَآءَهُم مَّلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًا
As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force.
وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا
And nothing has prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them and from asking forgiveness of their Lord except that there [must] befall them the [accustomed] precedent of the former peoples or that the punishment should come [directly] before them.