يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ هَلْ مِنْ خَـٰلِقٍ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ 3
Translations
O mankind, remember the favor of Allāh upon you. Is there any creator other than Allāh who provides for you from the heaven and earth? There is no deity except Him, so how are you deluded?
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha an-nasu udhkuru ni'mata allahi alaikum. Hal min khalikin ghayra allahi yarzuqukum mina as-sama'i wa al-ardi. La ilaha illa huwa. Fa-anna tu'fakun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses all humanity, commanding them to remember His blessings and favors upon them, then poses a rhetorical question challenging them to identify any creator besides Allah who provides sustenance from the heavens and earth. The ayah culminates in the affirmation of Divine Oneness (Tawhid) and rebukes those who turn away from this truth. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah serves as a rational argument for monotheism: since only Allah provides all sustenance and provision, only He deserves worship and obedience.
Revelation Context
Surah Fatir is a Meccan surah revealed during the early Islamic period when polytheism was prevalent in Arabia. This ayah appears within the surah's broader theme of highlighting Allah's creative power and the foolishness of associating partners with Him. The context addresses the Meccan disbelievers who denied Allah's oneness despite witnessing His blessings in creation and provision.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi). Related thematically, 'Gratitude for blessings increases them' (Tirmidhi), emphasizing remembrance of Allah's favors as taught in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should cultivate constant awareness and gratitude for Allah's blessings, as recognition of His sole role as Provider naturally leads to exclusive worship of Him. This ayah teaches that logical reflection on creation and sustenance serves as evidence for monotheism, encouraging both intellectual engagement and spiritual commitment to Islam.
Related Ayahs
وَلَهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُۥ قَـٰنِتُونَ
And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and earth. All are to Him devoutly obedient.
لَقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَقَالَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
They have certainly disbelieved who say, "Allāh is the Messiah, the son of Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O Children of Israel, worship Allāh, my Lord and your Lord." Indeed, he who associates others with Allāh - Allāh has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ ٱللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُۥٓ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
So is it other than the religion of Allāh they desire, while to Him have submitted [all] those within the heavens and earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned?
أَفَمَن يَخْلُقُ كَمَن لَّا يَخْلُقُ ۗ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Then is He who creates like one who does not create? So will you not be reminded?