وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا 132
Translations
And to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allāh as Disposer of affairs.
Transliteration
Wa-lillahi ma fi as-samawati wa ma fi al-ardi wa kafa billahi wakilan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms the absolute ownership and dominion of Allah over everything in the heavens and on earth, emphasizing His complete sovereignty over all creation. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret this as a reassurance to believers that Allah alone is the ultimate guardian and trustee of all affairs, and therefore reliance should be placed entirely upon Him. The phrase 'wa kafa billahi wakilan' (and sufficient is Allah as a Trustee/Guardian) concludes with a powerful affirmation that Allah's guardianship alone is enough for all of creation's needs.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nisa, a Medinan chapter that addresses matters of inheritance, family law, and communal relations. The broader context emphasizes proper conduct in wealth distribution and rights, with this ayah serving as a foundational theological principle—reminding believers that all wealth and possessions ultimately belong to Allah, providing spiritual context for the detailed legal rulings that follow regarding inheritance and financial obligations.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, 'None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' (Sahih Bukhari 13). Additionally, the hadith 'The best provision is taqwa (God-consciousness)' (At-Tirmidhi 2409) relates thematically to understanding that true ownership belongs to Allah alone, freeing hearts from attachment to material possessions.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah liberates believers from the anxiety of ownership and possession by reminding us that everything belongs to Allah—we are merely trustees of His blessings. By internalizing this truth, Muslims can release the spiritual burden of clinging to wealth and focus on using resources responsibly while placing complete trust in Allah's perfect management of all affairs.
Related Ayahs
وَمَآ أَمْرُنَآ إِلَّا وَٰحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍۭ بِٱلْبَصَرِ
And Our command is but one, like a glance of the eye.
قَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ۖ لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنْ عِندَكُم مِّن سُلْطَـٰنٍۭ بِهَـٰذَآ ۚ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
They have said, "Allāh has taken a son." Exalted is He; He is the [one] Free of need. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. You have no authority for this [claim]. Do you say about Allāh that which you do not know?
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبْغِى رَبًّا وَهُوَ رَبُّ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ ۚ وَلَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
Say, "Is it other than Allāh I should desire as a lord while He is the Lord of all things? And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ."
سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ ۚ قُلْ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
They will say, "To Allāh." Say, "Then will you not remember?"