إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ 12
Translations
Indeed, those who fear their Lord unseen will have forgiveness and great reward.
Transliteration
Inna alladhīna yakhshawna rabbahum bil-ghaybi lahum maghfiratun wa-ajrun kabīr
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who fear Allah in private, when no one is watching them, as deserving of forgiveness and a great reward. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that fearing Allah 'in the unseen' (bil-ghaybi) represents the highest level of God-consciousness and taqwa, demonstrating sincere devotion free from hypocrisy or desire for worldly recognition. Al-Qurtubi notes that this fear rooted in sincere belief, rather than fear of punishment alone, leads to both divine forgiveness and an immense eternal reward.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Mulk, revealed in Mecca during the early Islamic period, focuses on Allah's absolute sovereignty and the characteristics of the believers. This ayah appears within a section praising the qualities of those who truly believe, emphasizing internal faith and private righteousness as pillars of genuine Islamic practice, distinct from mere outward conformity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The greatest jihad is the struggle against one's own self' (related to internal consciousness). Additionally, 'Whoever fears Allah in secret, Allah will grant him security on the Day of Judgment' reflects the principle that private God-consciousness yields divine reward.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that true piety is measured not by public display but by our private relationship with Allah—how we behave when no one is watching. Cultivating fear and awareness of Allah in solitude, away from observers, is the foundation of sincere faith that brings both purification from sins and eternal reward.
Related Ayahs
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ نُوحٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
When their brother Noah said to them, "Will you not fear Allāh?
ٱلشَّهْرُ ٱلْحَرَامُ بِٱلشَّهْرِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَٱلْحُرُمَـٰتُ قِصَاصٌ ۚ فَمَنِ ٱعْتَدَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَٱعْتَدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا ٱعْتَدَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
[Battle in] the sacred month is for [aggression committed in] the sacred month, and for [all] violations is legal retribution. So whoever has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh is with those who fear Him.
وَلْيَخْشَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا۟ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعَـٰفًا خَافُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلْيَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا
And let those [executors and guardians] fear [injustice] as if they [themselves] had left weak offspring behind and feared for them. So let them fear Allāh and speak words of appropriate justice.
إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَخَشِىَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ
You can only warn one who follows the message and fears the Most Merciful unseen. So give him good tidings of forgiveness and noble reward.