إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ أَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَيَأْتِ بِـَٔاخَرِينَ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ قَدِيرًا 133
Translations
If He wills, He can do away with you, O people, and bring others [in your place]. And ever is Allāh competent to do that.
Transliteration
In yasha yughdhibkum ayyuha an-nasu wa ya'ti bi akhareena wa kana Allahu 'ala dhalika qadeeran
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah reminds humanity of Allah's absolute power and sovereignty, stating that if He wills, He can remove the current people and replace them with others. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret this as a warning against arrogance and disobedience, emphasizing that human existence and continuation depend entirely on Allah's will. The ayah serves as a powerful deterrent against transgression and a reminder that no people are indispensable to Allah's plans.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan context of Surah An-Nisa, which addresses community conduct and social ethics. The broader context of this section deals with warnings against those who reject divine guidance and behave unjustly. The ayah functions as a general reminder of divine omnipotence applicable to all humanity regarding their relationship with Allah's commands.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Verily, Allah does not look at your bodies or wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.' This emphasizes that Allah's replacement of people would be based on their spiritual condition and actions, not their numbers or strength.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that no individual or nation is irreplaceable in Allah's sight—our value lies only in our obedience and righteousness. Modern believers should recognize that complacency, arrogance, or disobedience can lead to replacement by those more deserving, making continuous self-reflection and adherence to divine guidance essential for both personal and communal flourishing.