وَمَا لِىَ لَآ أَعْبُدُ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ 22
Translations
And why should I not worship He who created me and to whom you will be returned?
Transliteration
Wa maa liya laa a'budu alladhee fataranii wa ilayhi turja'un
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is spoken by the believing man from the family of Pharaoh, who questions why he should not worship Allah alone when Allah is his Creator and to whom all will return. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this statement reflects the believer's logical reasoning that acknowledging the Creator logically necessitates exclusive worship to Him, and that the inevitability of returning to Allah on the Day of Judgment makes worship of Him a rational obligation. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes this as a rhetorical question asserting the absurdity of associating partners with Allah given His role as the sole Creator and Judge.
Revelation Context
This verse occurs within Surah Ya-Sin's narrative of the messengers sent to the people of Antioch. The believer from Pharaoh's family (mentioned in Surah Ghafir) is presented here as an exemplar of those who recognize Allah's oneness despite social and political pressure. The broader context of Surah Ya-Sin emphasizes resurrection, divine power, and the accountability of all creation before Allah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The right of Allah upon His servants is that they should worship Him and not associate anything with Him' (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Tawhid). Additionally, the concept of submission to the Creator is emphasized in: 'Whoever dies while associating partners with Allah shall enter the Fire' (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Iman).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that worship of Allah alone is not merely a religious obligation but a logical necessity that flows from recognizing Him as the Creator and Lord. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder that faith in Allah's oneness should be grounded in reflection upon creation and the certainty of standing before Him, making sincere devotion to Allah the only rational response to His sovereignty.