۞ 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.
وَإِن يُكَذِّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَبِٱلزُّبُرِ وَبِٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ٱلْمُنِيرِ
And if they deny you - then already have those before them denied. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs and written ordinances and with the enlightening Scripture.
وَلَا ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتُ وَلَا ٱلنُّورُ
Nor are the darknesses and the light,
ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌۢ بِٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَضْلُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ
Then We caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants; and among them is he who wrongs himself [i.e., sins], and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allāh. That [inheritance] is what is the great bounty.