فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ 34
Translations
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
Transliteration
Fa-bi-ayyi alaa'i rabbikuma tukazzibaan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah continues the refrain of Surah Ar-Rahman, asking the jinn and mankind which of their Lord's blessings they deny. According to classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir, this rhetorical question emphasizes the ingratitude of denying Allah's countless favors despite their obvious manifestation in creation. The dual form 'rabbikuma' (your Lord - dual) and 'tukazzibaan' (you both deny - dual) addresses both jinn and humans collectively, highlighting that both are equally accountable for acknowledging divine grace.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Rahman is a Medinan surah that celebrates Allah's attributes of mercy (Rahman) and majesty. This particular ayah is part of the surah's recurring refrain that appears 31 times throughout, structuring the surah thematically around the enumeration of Allah's blessings and the rhetorical challenge to deny them. The surah establishes a dialogue between Allah and His creation about recognizing divine favors.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Every day the sun rises, and the angels call out saying: O people of the earth, be mindful of your Lord' (related to recognizing blessings). Additionally, the concept of shukr (gratitude) is emphasized in numerous hadiths, such as: 'Whoever is not grateful for the little, will not be grateful for the much' (Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah invites believers to reflect deeply on the countless blessings from Allah in daily life and to cultivate genuine gratitude, recognizing that denial of these favors is both irrational and spiritually dangerous. Modern readers should examine their own hearts to ensure they are acknowledging divine grace rather than taking blessings for granted in their pursuit of worldly goals.