۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ أَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ 15
Translations
O mankind, you are those in need of Allāh, while Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha an-nasu antumu al-fuqaraa ila Allah wa-Allah huwa al-ghani al-hamid
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the fundamental principle of human dependence on Allah and His absolute self-sufficiency. Ibn Kathir explains that all of creation, without exception, is in complete need of Allah for every moment of existence, provision, and sustenance, while Allah alone possesses all wealth, power, and is praised for His attributes. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this recognition of our poverty (fuqr) before Allah is essential for proper servitude and humility before the Divine.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Fatir, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes Allah's creative power and oneness. It comes in a context addressing all of humanity collectively, reinforcing the universal message of tawhid (monotheism) and the relationship between the Creator and creation that was central to the Meccan period's focus on foundational Islamic beliefs.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'O Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your command over me is forever executed, and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You...' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi). Also relevant: 'The strongest of you in faith is the one who is most humble before Allah' (Sunan Ibn Majah), reflecting the spiritual state described in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that recognizing our absolute dependence on Allah is not a source of despair but liberation from arrogance and false reliance on worldly means. For modern readers, it cultivates the spiritual awareness that true wealth lies in nearness to Allah, and that material accumulation without divine consciousness leaves one spiritually impoverished.
Related Ayahs
وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۚ وَإِن تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَىٰ حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَىْءٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَىٰٓ ۗ إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۚ وَمَن تَزَكَّىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّىٰ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And if a heavily laden soul calls [another] to [carry some of] its load, nothing of it will be carried, even if he should be a close relative. You can only warn those who fear their Lord unseen and have established prayer. And whoever purifies himself only purifies himself for [the benefit of] his soul. And to Allāh is the [final] destination.
وَمَا ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ
And that is for Allāh not difficult.
ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۖ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ
Then I seized the ones who disbelieved, and how [terrible] was My reproach.
أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَكَانُوٓا۟ أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً ۚ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعْجِزَهُۥ مِن شَىْءٍ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَلِيمًا قَدِيرًا
Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? And they were greater than them in power. But Allāh is not to be caused failure [i.e., prevented] by anything in the heavens or on the earth. Indeed, He is ever Knowing and Competent.