وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ وَٱلْجِبِلَّةَ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ 184
Translations
And fear He who created you and the former creation."
Transliteration
Wa-ttaqū al-ladhī khalaqakum wa-al-jibillata al-awwalīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the people to fear Allah who created them and the former generations before them. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this is an exhortation to recognize Allah's power and dominion over creation, and to remember that previous nations who disobeyed Allah were destroyed, serving as a warning to those who hear this message. The verse emphasizes that piety (taqwa) toward the Creator should stem from awareness of His creative power and from historical lessons of divine punishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the story of the Prophet Shu'ayb warning his people of Madyan, who were engaged in dishonest trade and moral corruption. Shu'ayb calls them to taqwa (God-consciousness) and reminds them of Allah's creation and the fate of previous generations, placing this verse within the broader Quranic narrative of divine warnings delivered through the prophets during the Meccan period.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Taqwa is here,' pointing to his chest three times (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2609). Additionally, the hadith: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895) relates to the moral consciousness that taqwa produces.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should cultivate awareness of Allah as their Creator and reflect upon the consequences faced by past generations who rejected divine guidance, using these reminders as motivation for righteous conduct and genuine God-consciousness in all affairs.