قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَـٰلِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَحَدًۢا 110
Translations
Say, "I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone."
Transliteration
Qul innama ana basharun mithlukum yuha ilayya annama ilahukum ilahun wahid faman kana yarjoo liqaa rabbihi falyamal amalan salihan wala yushrik bieabadati rabbihi ahada
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is instructed to clarify that he is merely a human like others, distinguished only by receiving revelation from Allah. This ayah emphasizes the oneness of Allah and establishes that true preparation for meeting the Lord requires righteous deeds performed solely for His sake, without associating partners with Him in worship. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this ayah refutes the notion that the Prophet possessed divine attributes, while Al-Qurtubi emphasizes the ethical imperative of sincere monotheistic practice as the foundation for spiritual success.
Revelation Context
This ayah concludes Surah Al-Kahf and appears in the Meccan period when polytheists were challenging the Prophet's message. It serves as a summary statement addressing misconceptions about the Prophet's nature and reaffirming the core message of Islamic monotheism (tawhid) and accountability before Allah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet said, 'The best of deeds is to believe in Allah and His Messenger, and then to do righteous deeds' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, 'Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will be rewarded according to his intention' (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim) relates directly to the emphasis on sincere, unassociated worship.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must recognize that spiritual advancement comes not through blind following of any human, but through sincere individual effort in righteous action dedicated solely to Allah's pleasure. This ayah reminds us that our accountability before God depends on the purity of our intentions and deeds, untainted by worldly motives or associating others in our worship.
Related Ayahs
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْيَاكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَكَفُورٌ
And He is the one who gave you life; then He causes you to die and then will [again] give you life. Indeed, mankind is ungrateful.
ٱتَّبِعْ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Follow, [O Muḥammad], what has been revealed to you from your Lord - there is no deity except Him - and turn away from those who associate others with Allāh.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى ذَرَأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
And it is He who has multiplied you throughout the earth, and to Him you will be gathered.
سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
Exalted is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.