أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ ٱللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُۥٓ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ 83
Translations
So is it other than the religion of Allāh they desire, while to Him have submitted [all] those within the heavens and earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned?
Transliteration
Afaghayra dīni-llāhi yabghūn, wa-lahu aslama man fī-s-samāwāti wa-l-ardi taw'an wa-karhān, wa-ilayhi yurja'ūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rhetorically rejects the notion of seeking any religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), affirming that everything in the heavens and earth has submitted to Allah's will—whether willingly or unwillingly. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as emphasizing the universal submission of creation to Allah's sovereignty, while humans are uniquely given the choice between willing obedience and forced compliance on the Day of Judgment. The ayah concludes with the reminder that all creation will ultimately return to Allah for accounting.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ali 'Imran's discussion of the People of the Book and those who dispute about monotheism. It follows verses addressing the deviation of Christians and Jews from pure Abrahamic faith, and serves to establish that Islam (true submission to Allah) is the only acceptable religion, supported by the testimony of all creation itself.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The first thing Allah created was the Pen, and He said to it: Write. It asked: What shall I write, O Lord? He said: Write the decree of all things until the Hour comes' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2155). This relates to the predetermined submission of creation mentioned in the ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that submission to Allah is not arbitrary or negotiable—it is the fundamental reality of existence woven into the very fabric of creation. For believers, this should inspire recognition that true religion means aligning one's will with Allah's established order rather than seeking alternatives, and that ultimate accountability awaits all of humanity.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ هَلْ مِنْ خَـٰلِقٍ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ
O mankind, remember the favor of Allāh upon you. Is there any creator other than Allāh who provides for you from the heaven and earth? There is no deity except Him, so how are you deluded?
لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۚ قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ ٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
They have certainly disbelieved who say that Allāh is Christ, the son of Mary. Say, "Then who could prevent Allāh at all if He had intended to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, or his mother or everyone on the earth?" And to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and Allāh is over all things competent.
سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ ٱلْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe.
فَتَعَـٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْكَرِيمِ
So exalted is Allāh, the Sovereign, the Truth; there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Noble Throne.