وَلِلَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ 49
Translations
And to Allāh prostrates whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth of creatures, and the angels [as well], and they are not arrogant.
Transliteration
Wa lillahi yasjudu ma fi as-samawati wa ma fi al-ardi min dabbah wa al-mala'ikatu wa hum la yastakbiroon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that all creatures in the heavens and on earth, along with the angels, prostrate to Allah in submission and obedience. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this prostration represents the natural submission of all creation to Allah's will and divine order, whether through conscious recognition (as with humans and angels) or through their inherent nature and purpose. The phrase 'wa hum la yastakbiroon' (and they are not arrogant) emphasizes that neither the angels nor any creature refuses or shows arrogance toward Allah's command, presenting a stark contrast to human free will and the danger of human pride.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nahl (Meccan chapter) within a broader context of demonstrating Allah's majesty and the universality of creation's submission to Him. The surah uses natural phenomena, particularly the example of bees mentioned in its name, to illustrate divine wisdom and providence. This specific ayah reinforces the theme that all creation acknowledges Allah's supremacy.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'Every creature glorifies with his prayer' (Sunan Ibn Majah), indicating that all creatures engage in worship and submission according to their nature. Additionally, Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet taught that when one prostrates, they should say 'Subhana Rabbi al-A'la' (Glory be to my Lord the Most High), reflecting conscious participation in the universal prostration described in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that submission to Allah is the natural state of all creation and should be our default condition; it challenges human arrogance and reminds us that maintaining humility and obedience to Allah aligns us with the fundamental nature of the universe rather than opposing it.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذَا رَءَا ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ شُرَكَآءَهُمْ قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ شُرَكَآؤُنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كُنَّا نَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِكَ ۖ فَأَلْقَوْا۟ إِلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلَ إِنَّكُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
And when those who associated others with Allāh see their "partners," they will say, "Our Lord, these are our partners [to You] whom we used to invoke [in worship] besides You." But they will throw at them the statement, "Indeed, you are liars."
إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ سُلْطَـٰنٌ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord.
وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ دَخَلًۢا بَيْنَكُمْ فَتَزِلَّ قَدَمٌۢ بَعْدَ ثُبُوتِهَا وَتَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلسُّوٓءَ بِمَا صَدَدتُّمْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
And do not take your oaths as [means of] deceit between you, lest a foot slip after it was [once] firm, and you would taste evil [in this world] for what [people] you diverted from the way of Allāh, and you would have [in the Hereafter] a great punishment.
ٱلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ ۙ يَقُولُونَ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
The ones whom the angels take in death, [being] good and pure; [the angels] will say, "Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do."