فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَهُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ 129
Translations
But if they turn away, [O Muḥammad], say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne."
Transliteration
Fa-in tawallaw fa-qul hasbiya Allahu la ilaha illa huwa alayhi tawakkaltu wa-huwa Rabbu al-'Arshi al-'Adheem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to declare complete reliance upon Allah alone when people turn away from the message of Islam. Ibn Kathir explains that this statement—'Allah is sufficient for me; there is no deity except Him; upon Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne'—represents the ultimate expression of trust (tawakkul) and monotheism, affirming Allah's absolute power and sovereignty. Al-Qurtubi notes that this declaration strengthens the believer's heart and provides psychological fortitude when faced with rejection and opposition.
Revelation Context
Surah At-Tawbah was revealed during the later Medinan period and addresses the challenges the Muslim community faced with hypocrites and those who rejected faith. This particular ayah comes near the surah's conclusion and provides spiritual solace to the Prophet after extensive discussion of those who turned away from Allah's guidance, emphasizing that the Prophet's responsibility is only to convey the message, not to force belief.
Related Hadiths
The principle of tawakkul (reliance on Allah) is reinforced in the hadith: 'Whoever trusts in Allah, He will suffice him' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2347). Additionally, the hadith 'Place your trust in Allah, but tie your camel' (Sunan at-Tirmidhi) complements this ayah by showing that tawakkul combines trust with reasonable effort.
Themes
Key Lesson
When facing rejection or adversity in spreading faith or living righteously, believers should anchor themselves in absolute trust in Allah and recognition of His supreme power, finding psychological peace in knowing that Allah's sufficiency transcends human acceptance. This ayah teaches that true success lies in fulfilling one's duty faithfully while leaving outcomes to Allah, rather than being discouraged by those who turn away.