قُلِ ٱللَّهَ أَعْبُدُ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُۥ دِينِى 14
Translations
Say, "Allāh [alone] do I worship, sincere to Him in my religion,
Transliteration
Qul Allaha a'budu mukhlisan lahu dinee
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to declare that he worships only Allah with sincere devotion, making his entire religion exclusively for Allah's pleasure. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this ayah establishes the fundamental principle of tawhid (monotheism) and ikhlas (sincerity), rejecting any association of partners with Allah in worship or intention. Al-Tabari notes that 'mukhlisan' (sincere) signifies purity of heart and action, free from riya (showing off) or seeking worldly gain through religious practice.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Az-Zumar (The Troops), a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of Islam when the Prophet faced intense pressure from the Quraysh to compromise his message. The surah addresses the core issue of religious sincerity and absolute monotheism in response to polytheistic practices and false gods worshipped by the Arabs.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best supplication is that made with sincerity (ikhlas)' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Also related is the hadith: 'Actions are judged by intentions, and each person shall have what they intended' (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim), emphasizing that sincere intention is essential in all acts of worship.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true worship must be motivated by sincere devotion to Allah alone, free from worldly desires, showing off, or seeking approval from others. For believers today, it serves as a reminder to regularly examine their intentions and ensure their religious practices stem from a pure heart solely dedicated to pleasing Allah.
Related Ayahs
وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
And to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and to Allāh is the destination.
هُوَ ٱلْأَوَّلُ وَٱلْـَٔاخِرُ وَٱلظَّـٰهِرُ وَٱلْبَاطِنُ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing.
يَوْمَ هُم بَـٰرِزُونَ ۖ لَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مِنْهُمْ شَىْءٌ ۚ لِّمَنِ ٱلْمُلْكُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ۖ لِلَّهِ ٱلْوَٰحِدِ ٱلْقَهَّارِ
The Day they come forth nothing concerning them will be concealed from Allāh. To whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day? To Allāh, the One, the Prevailing.
أَمَّن يَهْدِيكُمْ فِى ظُلُمَـٰتِ ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ وَمَن يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ بُشْرًۢا بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِۦٓ ۗ أَءِلَـٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ تَعَـٰلَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
Is He [not best] who guides you through the darknesses of the land and sea and who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy? Is there a deity with Allāh? High is Allāh above whatever they associate with Him.