وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ 25
Translations
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "[All] praise is [due] to Allāh"; but most of them do not know.
Transliteration
Wa-la-in sa-altahum man khalaqa as-samawati wa-al-arda layaqulunna Allah. Qul al-hamdu lillah. Bal akthuruhum la ya'lamun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses a fundamental contradiction in human nature: the pagans of Mecca readily acknowledge that Allah alone created the heavens and earth, yet they worship idols and associate partners with Him. Ibn Kathir explains that this acknowledgment comes from their fitrah (natural disposition), but their actions contradict their beliefs due to stubbornness and deviation. The Prophet is commanded to respond with 'All praise is due to Allah' and to note that most of them lack true knowledge ('ilm)—meaning they do not act upon what they claim to believe, conflating mere verbal confession with genuine understanding.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Luqman, a Meccan surah that addresses the idolaters of Mecca who rejected tawhid despite their innate recognition of Allah's oneness. The broader context shows the hypocrisy of those who acknowledge divine creation but deny divine exclusivity in worship, a central theme in refuting polytheism during the early Meccan period.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Every child is born upon the fitrah (natural disposition toward monotheism), but his parents make him a Jew, Christian, or Magian.' (Sahih Bukhari 1319). This hadith directly supports the ayah's implication that humans naturally recognize Allah's oneness but are led astray by societal influences and lack of true knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that true faith requires more than intellectual acknowledgment—it demands sincere conviction reflected in actions and obedience. Modern believers should reflect on whether their beliefs align with their practices, ensuring that knowledge of Allah's oneness translates into exclusive devotion to Him alone.
Related Ayahs
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِى لَهْوَ ٱلْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech to mislead [others] from the way of Allāh without knowledge and who takes it [i.e., His way] in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment.
هَـٰذَا خَلْقُ ٱللَّهِ فَأَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۚ بَلِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
This is the creation of Allāh. So show Me what those other than Him have created. Rather, the wrongdoers are in clear error.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
Those are on [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful.
وَإِذَا غَشِيَهُم مَّوْجٌ كَٱلظُّلَلِ دَعَوُا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّىٰهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْبَرِّ فَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ ۚ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ إِلَّا كُلُّ خَتَّارٍ كَفُورٍ
And when waves come over them like canopies, they supplicate Allāh, sincere to Him in religion [i.e., faith]. But when He delivers them to the land, there are [some] of them who are moderate [in faith]. And none rejects Our signs except everyone treacherous and ungrateful.