هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرِيكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَيُنَزِّلُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ رِزْقًا ۚ وَمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ إِلَّا مَن يُنِيبُ 13
Translations
It is He who shows you His signs and sends down to you from the sky, provision. But none will remember except he who turns back [in repentance].
Transliteration
Huwa alladhee yureekum ayatih wa yunazzil lakum min al-sama'i rizqan wa ma yatadhakkaru illa man yunib
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes Allah's role as the sole Provider and Revealer of signs to humanity. He displays His miraculous signs (ayat) through creation and sends down sustenance from the heavens, yet only those who turn back to Him in repentance and submission (inabah) truly benefit from and remember these blessings. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that the condition 'illa man yunib' (except those who turn to Him) indicates that recognizing Allah's blessings requires sincere devotion and a receptive heart.
Revelation Context
Surah Ghafir is a Meccan chapter revealed during a period when the Quraysh rejected the Prophet's message despite witnessing numerous signs of Allah's power. This ayah comes within the context of reminding the disbelievers of Allah's continuous provision and evident signs, calling them to reflection and repentance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best remembrance (dhikr) is 'La ilaha illallah' (There is no god but Allah)' (Tirmidhi). This relates to the ayah's theme that remembrance (tadhakkur) comes through turning to Allah. Additionally, 'Every soul shall taste death, and you will only be given your full compensation on the Day of Resurrection' (Quran 3:185) echoes the theme of divine provision and accountability.
Themes
Key Lesson
Recognizing Allah's blessings—both the sustenance He provides and the signs He displays in creation—requires sincere repentance and a conscious turning toward Him; material provision alone does not benefit those whose hearts remain heedless and disconnected from their Creator.
Related Ayahs
وَوَجَدَكَ عَآئِلًا فَأَغْنَىٰ
And He found you poor and made [you] self-sufficient.
۞ فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ مُوسَى ٱلْأَجَلَ وَسَارَ بِأَهْلِهِۦٓ ءَانَسَ مِن جَانِبِ ٱلطُّورِ نَارًا قَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ ٱمْكُثُوٓا۟ إِنِّىٓ ءَانَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّىٓ ءَاتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ
And when Moses had completed the term and was traveling with his family, he perceived from the direction of the mount a fire. He said to his family, "Stay here; indeed, I have perceived a fire. Perhaps I will bring you from there [some] information or burning wood from the fire that you may warm yourselves."
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ بُشْرًۢا بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتْ سَحَابًا ثِقَالًا سُقْنَـٰهُ لِبَلَدٍ مَّيِّتٍ فَأَنزَلْنَا بِهِ ٱلْمَآءَ فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِۦ مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy [i.e., rainfall] until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land and We send down rain therein and bring forth thereby [some] of all the fruits. Thus will We bring forth the dead; perhaps you may be reminded.
يُنۢبِتُ لَكُم بِهِ ٱلزَّرْعَ وَٱلزَّيْتُونَ وَٱلنَّخِيلَ وَٱلْأَعْنَـٰبَ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and of all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.