شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمِ قَآئِمًۢا بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ 18
Translations
Allāh witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
Transliteration
Shahida Allahu annahu la ilaha illa huwa wa-al-mala'ikatu wa-ulu al-'ilmi qa'iman bi-al-qisti la ilaha illa huwa al-'Azizu al-Hakimu
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents Allah's own testimony, along with that of the angels and the people of knowledge, that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him alone, and that He maintains justice and equity in all creation. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this ayah establishes the highest form of testimony to Allah's oneness (tawhid), as it combines divine testimony with that of the most honored of creation—the angels—and those who possess deep understanding of Allah's signs. The attributes 'Al-'Aziz' (The Mighty) and 'Al-Hakim' (The All-Wise) underscore that this testimony is backed by absolute power and perfect wisdom.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ali 'Imran's discussion of monotheism and divine attributes, likely addressing the theological disputes with People of the Book during the Medinan period. It serves as a foundational statement of Islamic belief, affirming the absolute oneness of Allah as the central doctrine of Islam.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (no. 8) records that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared: 'I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.' This directly reflects the testimony of tawhid mentioned in 3:18.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that belief in Allah's oneness is not merely a personal conviction but is witnessed and upheld by the highest levels of creation—the angels and the scholars of faith. For contemporary believers, this emphasizes the importance of seeking knowledge to deepen one's understanding of Allah's unity and justice, recognizing that true scholarship is intertwined with spiritual conviction.