يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ 74
Translations
He selects for His mercy whom He wills. And Allāh is the possessor of great bounty.
Transliteration
Yakhtassu birrahmatih-i man yasha'u wallahu dhu al-fadl al-azim
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah's mercy is exclusive to whom He wills, emphasizing His absolute sovereignty and divine prerogative in bestowing grace. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain that this mercy encompasses both spiritual guidance (hidayah) and material blessings, and that while Allah's mercy is vast, its bestowal is according to His infinite wisdom and knowledge. The phrase 'Allah is the Possessor of Immense Favor' reinforces that all grace and goodness ultimately emanate from His boundless generosity, not from human deserving.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ali 'Imran's discussion of divine guidance and prophethood (3:73-74), following references to the People of the Scripture. The broader context addresses how Allah guides whom He wills and that His favor is not limited by human expectations or claims of exclusive access to divine mercy.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' (Sahih Bukhari 13). This relates to understanding that Allah's mercy extends to all believers. Additionally, 'Verily, Allah is Merciful and loves mercy' (Sunan Ibn Majah 3679) reinforces the theme of divine mercy.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize that all blessings and guidance are gifts from Allah, not earned through our own merit, which should cultivate humility and gratitude. It also encourages trust in Allah's wisdom while motivating us to seek His guidance and mercy through righteous action, knowing that ultimately acceptance rests with the Most Merciful.
Related Ayahs
وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
And to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Allāh - there is no deity except Him. And upon Allāh let the believers rely.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَقَالُوا۟ لِإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ إِذَا ضَرَبُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَوْ كَانُوا۟ غُزًّى لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ عِندَنَا مَا مَاتُوا۟ وَمَا قُتِلُوا۟ لِيَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ حَسْرَةً فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
O you who have believed, do not be like those who disbelieved and said about their brothers when they traveled through the land or went out to fight, "If they had been with us, they would not have died or have been killed," so Allāh makes that [misconception] a regret within their hearts. And it is Allāh who gives life and causes death, and Allāh is Seeing of what you do.
وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ
And that it is He who enriches and suffices