لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۖ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ ءَابَآئِكُمُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ 8
Translations
There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death. [He is] your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers.
Transliteration
Lā ilāha illā huwa yuḥyī wa-yumayyit, rabbukum wa-rabb ābāʾikum al-awwalīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms the absolute oneness of Allah (Tawhīd) by declaring that there is no deity except Him, and establishes His complete dominion over life and death. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this statement encompasses Allah's exclusive right to worship and His sovereign control over all creation, addressing the polytheistic beliefs of the Meccan Arabs who attributed partners to Allah while acknowledging His lordship over them and their ancestors.
Revelation Context
Surah Ad-Dukhan is a Meccan surah revealed during the period of intense opposition to the Prophet Muhammad's message. This ayah appears within a passage refuting polytheism and asserting monotheism, directly confronting the idolatrous practices of pre-Islamic Arabia and reminding the disbelievers that Allah alone is the Lord of all generations.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever dies knowing that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah will enter Paradise' (Sahih Muslim 26). Additionally, 'The best supplication is: 'There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah alone, Who has no partner, to Him belongs dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is Able to do all things'' (Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that true faith requires acknowledging Allah's exclusive right to worship and recognizing His absolute control over existence itself. For modern readers, it emphasizes that sincere monotheism must extend beyond mere verbal declaration to include wholehearted devotion and the rejection of all false authorities and idols in one's life.