هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنكُم مُّؤْمِنٌ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ 2
Translations
It is He who created you, and among you is the disbeliever, and among you is the believer. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
Transliteration
Huwa alladhee khalaqakum faminkum kafiruwn wa minkum mu'minun wa-Allahu bima ta'malun basir
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that Allah alone is the Creator of all humanity, yet among His creation are both disbelievers and believers—a division that stems from human choice and free will, not from creation itself. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir explain that while Allah creates all people, He grants them the intellect and ability to choose faith or disbelief, and He is fully aware of all their deeds. The ayah concludes with a reminder of Allah's all-encompassing knowledge, which serves as a warning that no action escapes His sight.
Revelation Context
Surah At-Taghabun was revealed in Medina during a period of intense religious division between Muslims and the hypocrites (munafiqun) within the community. This ayah appears early in the surah to establish the theological foundation that despite Allah's creation of all people, the differentiation between believer and disbeliever is determined by human choice and accountability, not predestination.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Every soul shall taste death, and We test you with evil and with good by way of trial' (Quran 21:35). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim reports that the Prophet said: 'No soul knows what is kept hidden for them of joy' - emphasizing divine knowledge of human deeds and intentions.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that while Allah is the Creator of all, individuals bear responsibility for their choice between faith and disbelief, knowing that Allah observes all actions and intentions. For modern Muslims, this serves as both a humbling reminder of accountability and a call to conscious, intentional faith rooted in genuine conviction rather than mere inheritance or social conformity.