وَلَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ ٱلدِّينُ وَاصِبًا ۚ أَفَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ تَتَّقُونَ 52
Translations
And to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and to Him is [due] worship constantly. Then is it other than Allāh that you fear?
Transliteration
Wa lahu ma fi as-samawati wa al-ardi wa lahu ad-dinu wasiba. Afa ghayra Allahi tattaqun?
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's absolute ownership and sovereignty over all that exists in the heavens and the earth, and that all worship and obedience (ad-din) belongs to Him alone, permanently and necessarily. The rhetorical question at the end—'Then is it other than Allah that you fear?'—serves as a powerful rebuke to the Meccan polytheists, challenging them to recognize the logical absurdity of fearing and obeying created beings while denying the worship of their Creator. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that 'wasiba' (permanently/necessarily) stresses the perpetual nature of Allah's right to exclusive obedience.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah An-Nahl, which addresses the fundamental concepts of Tawhid (monotheism) in response to the idolatry and polytheism of pre-Islamic Mecca. The surah systematically refutes polytheism by presenting evidence of Allah's oneness through His creation and blessings.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever dies believing that there is a partner with Allah will enter the Fire.' (Sahih Muslim 93). Additionally, the ayah relates to the hadith about the seven whom Allah will shade on the Day of Judgment, including 'a young man who grew up in the worship of Allah' (Sahih Bukhari 629), illustrating exclusive devotion to Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that true piety and fear should be directed exclusively toward Allah, the sole Owner and Sustainer of all creation, and that directing reverence or obedience to anyone or anything besides Him contradicts the logical recognition of His absolute power. For modern Muslims, it serves as a reminder to examine their priorities and loyalties, ensuring that worldly fears and concerns do not override their commitment to Allah's obedience.
Related Ayahs
أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنۢ بَعْدِى قَالُوا۟ نَعْبُدُ إِلَـٰهَكَ وَإِلَـٰهَ ءَابَآئِكَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ إِلَـٰهًا وَٰحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ
Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِىٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
Do you not see [i.e., know] that Allāh causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term, and that Allāh, of whatever you do, is Aware?
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلنَّهَارَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ
Say, "Have you considered: if Allāh should make for you the day continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allāh could bring you a night in which you may rest? Then will you not see?"
قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ ۖ إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ
[Moses] said, "The Lord of the heavens and earth and that between them, if you should be convinced."