مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ ٱلْكَلِمُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ وَٱلْعَمَلُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحُ يَرْفَعُهُۥ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَمْكُرُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۖ وَمَكْرُ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ 10
Translations
Whoever desires honor [through power] - then to Allāh belongs all honor. To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it. But they who plot evil deeds will have a severe punishment, and the plotting of those - it will perish.
Transliteration
Man kana yureedu al-izzata falillahi al-izzatu jameeAAan ilayhi yasdaaAAu al-kalimu al-tayyibu wa-al-aAAamalu al-salihpu yarfaAAuh wa-alladhina yamkuroona al-sayyiaat lahum adhhabun shadeedun wa-makru ulaaika huwa yaboor
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah teaches that true honor and dignity (al-izzah) belongs entirely to Allah alone, and whoever seeks honor should seek it through obedience to Him. Good words and righteous deeds ascend to Allah and elevate the servant, while those who plot evil schemes will face severe punishment, for their plots are destined to perish. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that this is a refutation of the pre-Islamic practice of seeking honor through worldly power and lineage, redirecting believers to seek honor through piety and good deeds.
Revelation Context
Surah Fatir is a Meccan chapter revealed during a period when the pagan Quraysh were arrogantly pursuing worldly power and status through their wealth and lineage. This ayah addresses the spiritual disease of seeking honor through means other than obedience to Allah, providing a corrective perspective to the believers during their struggle in Mecca.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'There is no honor except for Allah and His Messenger and the believers' (an interpretation of this concept found in various hadith collections). Also relevant is: 'The most honorable among you in the sight of Allah is the most pious among you' (Hadith from Jami' at-Tirmidhi, relating to true honor being based on taqwa).
Themes
Key Lesson
True honor and success in life come not from worldly power, wealth, or status, but from seeking the pleasure of Allah through righteous deeds and good speech. Believers should understand that their elevation in this life and the next depends on their piety and moral character, not on schemes or material pursuits that ultimately lead to ruin.