إِنَّ إِلَـٰهَكُمْ لَوَٰحِدٌ 4
Translations
Indeed, your God is One,
Transliteration
Inna ilahakum la-wahid
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphatically affirms the absolute oneness of Allah (Tawhid), declaring that your Lord is One without partner or equal. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this statement serves as the foundational principle of Islamic belief, refuting all forms of polytheism and idol worship that were prevalent among the pre-Islamic Arabs. The emphatic particle 'inna' (إن) combined with the definite article on 'ilah' (deity) stresses the uniqueness and singularity of Allah's divinity.
Revelation Context
Surah As-Saffat is a Meccan surah revealed during the early period when the Prophet Muhammad faced fierce opposition from the Quraysh polytheists. This ayah appears early in the surah as part of the opening oaths and serves as a direct counter to the pagan Arabian practice of worshipping multiple idols and deities, establishing monotheism as the central message of the revelation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever dies while associating partners with Allah will enter the Fire' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, the Hadith Qudsi states: 'I am as My servant thinks I am, and I am with him when he remembers Me' (Sahih Bukhari), emphasizing the intimate relationship with the One God.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that true faith is built upon the unwavering conviction that Allah alone is worthy of worship and obedience, rejecting any competing loyalties or associations. For modern readers, it serves as a spiritual anchor to evaluate whether our hearts and actions are truly devoted to Allah's will, or whether we have inadvertently given primacy to worldly concerns, desires, or other authorities.