قُلْ مَن يَكْلَؤُكُم بِٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ مِنَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۗ بَلْ هُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّهِم مُّعْرِضُونَ 42
Translations
Say, "Who can protect you at night or by day from the Most Merciful?" But they are, from the remembrance of their Lord, turning away.
Transliteration
Qul man yaklaʾukum bil-layli wa-n-nahāri min ar-raḥmān; bal hum ʿan dhikri rabbihim muʿriḍūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a rhetorical challenge to the disbelievers, asking who besides Allah (ar-Rahman) can protect them during the night and day—implying that only Allah possesses such power and protection. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that this question highlights the disbelievers' dependence on Allah while they simultaneously turn away from His remembrance and deny His oneness, exposing the contradiction in their beliefs and ingratitude.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Anbya, which discusses various prophets and themes of monotheism, divine protection, and the foolishness of shirk (associating partners with Allah). The surah addresses the polytheists of Mecca who despite acknowledging Allah's creative power, refused to worship Him exclusively and turned away from His message.
Related Hadiths
Related to the theme of divine protection and remembrance: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever remembers his Lord during the day and night will enter Paradise' (At-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith about seeking refuge in Allah's protection: 'No one is protected except by Allah' emphasizes reliance on divine guardianship.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that true security and protection come exclusively from Allah, making constant remembrance of Him (dhikr) and gratitude essential rather than optional. The contradiction of those who deny Allah while depending on Him for survival should motivate believers to maintain sincere devotion and awareness of God's dominion over all affairs.