ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ مَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ 4
Translations
It is Allāh who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne. You have not besides Him any protector or any intercessor; so will you not be reminded?
Transliteration
Allahu alladhi khalaqa as-samawati wa-al-arda wa-ma baynahuma fi sittati ayyamin thumma istawaa alaa al-arshi. Ma lakum min dunuhi min waliyyin wa-la shafiin. Afala tattadakkarun?
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes Allah's absolute sovereignty through His creation of the heavens, earth, and all between them in six days, culminating in His settling upon the Throne (Istiwaa). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this passage negates any intermediaries or intercessors independent of Allah's will, affirming His exclusive right to be worshipped and supplicated. The concluding rhetorical question calls believers to reflection and remembrance of Allah's majesty and their own dependence upon Him alone.
Revelation Context
Surah As-Sajdah is a Meccan surah revealed during the early phase of prophecy when polytheists rejected the concept of divine unity. This ayah directly addresses the polytheistic practice of seeking intercession through idols and false deities, emphasizing tawhid (monotheism) by asserting that only Allah possesses authority and can grant intercession.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim wherein the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions the creation in six days and Allah's subsequent rest on the Seventh Day relates to the creation narrative here. Additionally, Jami' at-Tirmidhi records that the Prophet emphasized none can intercede except by Allah's permission, directly echoing this ayah's message.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers are reminded that their ultimate reliance must be upon Allah alone, and any seeking of help or intercession must be through proper Islamic channels with Allah's permission, not through false deities or independent intermediaries. This ayah encourages constant reflection on creation as evidence of Allah's power, fostering deeper spiritual consciousness and grateful servitude.