إِنَّمَا يُؤْمِنُ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهَا خَرُّوا۟ سُجَّدًا وَسَبَّحُوا۟ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ۩ 15
Translations
Only those believe in Our verses who, when they are reminded by them, fall down in prostration and exalt [Allāh] with praise of their Lord, and they are not arrogant.
Transliteration
Innamā yu'minu bi-āyātinā alladhīna idhā dhukkirū bihā kharrū sujjadan wa-sabbahū bihamdi rabbihim wa-hum lā yastakbirūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the true believers as those who, upon being reminded of Allah's signs, prostrate in humble submission and glorify their Lord with praise, free from arrogance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as the distinguishing characteristic of genuine faith—not merely intellectual acknowledgment, but an emotional and physical response of humility and reverence that manifests in prostration and remembrance of Allah. The negation of pride (istikbar) emphasizes that true belief requires the absence of spiritual haughtiness and the presence of complete submission.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah As-Sajdah, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes the signs of Allah in creation and the proper response of believers. The surah's theme centers on recognizing divine signs and responding with prostration; this particular ayah clarifies that genuine faith is distinguished by immediate, humble submission to Allah's reminders rather than mere verbal profession.
Related Hadiths
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so increase your supplications during prostration' (Sahih Muslim 482). Also relevant is the hadith about pride preventing entry into Paradise: 'No one will enter Paradise who has an atom's weight of pride in his heart' (Sahih Muslim 91).
Themes
Key Lesson
True faith transcends intellectual assent and requires a humble, responsive heart that immediately submits to Allah's guidance through both spiritual devotion and physical acts of worship. Modern believers should reflect on whether their response to divine reminders is characterized by genuine humility and eagerness to obey, rather than dismissiveness or spiritual pride.
Related Ayahs
ذَٰلِكَ عَـٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
That is the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Exalted in Might, the Merciful,
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ ثُمَّ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهَآ ۚ إِنَّا مِنَ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُنتَقِمُونَ
And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord; then he turns away from them? Indeed We, from the criminals, will take retribution.
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فَسَقُوا۟ فَمَأْوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ كُلَّمَآ أَرَادُوٓا۟ أَن يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنْهَآ أُعِيدُوا۟ فِيهَا وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ ذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ
But as for those who defiantly disobeyed, their refuge is the Fire. Every time they wish to emerge from it, they will be returned to it while it is said to them, "Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny."
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.