۞ قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 9
Translations
Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds."
Transliteration
Qul a-innakum latakfuruna billathi khalaqa al-arda fi yawmayn wa tajʿaluna lahu andadan. Dhalikarabbul ʿalamin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to challenge the disbelievers: how can they deny the One who created the earth in two days and yet associate partners with Him? This ayah emphasizes Allah's supreme creative power and the logical absurdity of polytheism. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that this rhetorical question is designed to awaken the conscience of those who recognize Allah's oneness in creation yet deny His uniqueness in worship.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Fussilat, a Meccan chapter revealed during the early period of Islam when the Prophet faced intense opposition from Quraysh polytheists. The surah systematically addresses the disbelievers' denial of monotheism and divine revelation by presenting evidence of Allah's creative power and wisdom. This particular ayah uses the creation narrative as proof of Allah's sole divinity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most hateful person to Allah is the one who associates partners with Him (mushrik).' (Sahih Bukhari 4477). Additionally, Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet taught that recognizing Allah as the sole Creator is the foundation of faith (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that awareness of Allah's creative power should naturally lead to exclusive worship of Him alone, and any act of associating partners with Allah contradicts the logical recognition of His supreme authority. For modern believers, it serves as a reminder that sincere reflection on creation strengthens faith and awareness of how polytheism—whether overt or subtle—contradicts the fundamental truth of divine unity.
Related Ayahs
وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلشِّعْرَىٰ
And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius.
لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَآ ءَالِهَةٌ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا ۚ فَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
Had there been within them [i.e., the heavens and earth] gods besides Allāh, they both would have been ruined. So exalted is Allāh, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.
ٱتَّبِعْ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Follow, [O Muḥammad], what has been revealed to you from your Lord - there is no deity except Him - and turn away from those who associate others with Allāh.
تَدْعُونَنِى لِأَكْفُرَ بِٱللَّهِ وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِۦ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ وَأَنَا۠ أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْغَفَّـٰرِ
You invite me to disbelieve in Allāh and associate with Him that of which I have no knowledge, and I invite you to the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver.