فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 51
Translations
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
Transliteration
Fa-bi-ayyi alaa'i rabbikuma tukadhdhiban
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah continues the powerful refrain of Surah Ar-Rahman, addressing both jinn and mankind, asking: 'So which of the favors of your Lord will you both deny?' According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this rhetorical question emphasizes the impossibility of denying Allah's countless blessings—His mercy (rahman), creation of the heavens and earth, provision of sustenance, and guidance—making ingratitude and denial inexcusable. The dual form 'rabbikuma' (your Lord - addressing both humanity and jinn) highlights that all creation receives these mercies and therefore all are accountable for their response.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the Medinan surah that emphasizes Allah's attributes of mercy and beneficence. The surah systematically catalogs divine favors (creation, provision, mercy) before repeatedly posing this refrain approximately 31 times. The context serves to awaken consciousness of divine blessings and warn against ingratitude, a theme especially relevant for the Muslim community in Medina.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best supplication is the supplication of the Day of Arafah, and the best thing that I and the prophets before me have said is: There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing' (Tirmidhi). This relates to acknowledging Allah's attributes and mercies. Additionally, 'Whoever counts the blessings of Allah will not be able to count them' (Sunan Ibn Majah) directly supports this ayah's theme.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should regularly reflect on Allah's countless favors—both tangible and intangible—and recognize that ingratitude is both illogical and spiritually destructive. This ayah serves as a call to conscious gratitude and should motivate us to acknowledge divine blessings in our daily lives, thereby strengthening our faith and weakening our propensity toward heedlessness.