وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ وَإِن تَكْفُرُوا۟ فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَنِيًّا حَمِيدًا 131
Translations
And to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allāh. But if you disbelieve - then to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And ever is Allāh Free of need and Praiseworthy.
Transliteration
Wa-lillahi ma fi as-samawati wa ma fi al-ardi wa-laqad wassayna alladhina ootoo al-kitaba min qablakum wa-iyyakum ani ittaqoo Allah wa-in takfuroo fa-inna lillahi ma fi as-samawati wa ma fi al-ardi wa-kana Allahu ghaniyan hamiida
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that all creation in the heavens and earth belongs to Allah alone, emphasizing His absolute ownership and sovereignty. Allah reminds both the People of the Book before the Muslims and the Muslims themselves of the command to practice taqwa (God-consciousness), making clear that whether humans obey or disbelieve, Allah's dominion and richness remain unchanged. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this verse serves as a powerful reminder that human gratitude or ingratitude does not affect Allah's perfect attributes of being Al-Ghani (The Self-Sufficient) and Al-Hamid (The Praiseworthy).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan Surah An-Nisa, which addresses matters of social law, inheritance, and community conduct. The verse comes as part of a broader section emphasizing ethical obligations and divine commandments to both previous People of the Book and the Muslim ummah, reinforcing the continuity of God's message across communities.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895), relating to the broader context of An-Nisa's emphasis on righteous conduct. Additionally, the concept of taqwa is emphasized in the hadith: 'Taqwa is here' - the Prophet pointing to his chest three times (Sunan Ibn Majah 4171), emphasizing sincere God-consciousness.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that true submission to Allah stems from recognizing His absolute ownership of all creation and our complete dependence on Him, making taqwa not merely an obligation but a rational response to reality. In our modern context, this perspective liberates us from materialism and worldly anxiety, as it reminds us that our provision, success, and all blessings belong to Allah alone, encouraging us to focus on righteousness rather than accumulation.