Az-Zumar · Ayah 14

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

Monotheism (Tawhid)Sincerity (Ikhlas)Pure WorshipRejection of PolytheismReligious Devotion

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.

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Related Ayahs

22:73Al-Hajj

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَٱسْتَمِعُوا۟ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُوا۟ ذُبَابًا وَلَوِ ٱجْتَمَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ ۖ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ ٱلذُّبَابُ شَيْـًٔا لَّا يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ۚ ضَعُفَ ٱلطَّالِبُ وَٱلْمَطْلُوبُ

O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke besides Allāh will never create [as much as] a fly, even if they gathered together for it [i.e., that purpose]. And if the fly should steal from them a [tiny] thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued.

9:129At-Tawbah

فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَهُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ

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."

10:104Yunus

قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمْ فِى شَكٍّ مِّن دِينِى فَلَآ أَعْبُدُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِنْ أَعْبُدُ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى يَتَوَفَّىٰكُمْ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Say, [O Muḥammad], "O people, if you are in doubt as to my religion - then I do not worship those which you worship besides Allāh; but I worship Allāh, who causes your death. And I have been commanded to be of the believers

52:28At-Tur

إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلُ نَدْعُوهُ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْبَرُّ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

Indeed, we used to supplicate Him before. Indeed, it is He who is the Beneficent, the Merciful."