وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ 159
Translations
And indeed, your Lord - He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.
Transliteration
Wa-inna rabbaka la-huwa al-'Azīzu ar-Rahīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah is both Al-'Azīz (The Mighty/Invincible) and Ar-Rahīm (The Merciful), emphasizing His dual attributes of absolute power and infinite compassion. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this statement serves as a reassurance to the believers and a warning to the disbelievers—Allah's might ensures His justice will prevail, while His mercy encompasses those who turn to Him in obedience. The combination of these two attributes demonstrates that Allah's power is exercised with perfect wisdom and mercy, never tyrannically.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears at the conclusion of the story of the Prophet Salih and the people of Thamūd in Surah Ash-Shu'ara. It comes after describing how the disbelievers rejected Salih's message and were destroyed for their arrogance and rejection of truth. The ayah serves as a thematic conclusion, reminding the Meccan polytheists that Allah's dominion is absolute and that His punishment for those who reject His signs is inevitable, yet His mercy remains available to the believers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon upon him) said, 'My mercy precedes My wrath' (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 3194), which reflects the reconciliation of Allah's might and mercy referenced in this ayah. Additionally, the general principle of Allah being Al-'Azīz and Ar-Rahīm is emphasized throughout the Quran and Sunnah as foundational to Islamic theology.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that while Allah possesses absolute power to punish wrongdoing, His mercy is ever-present for those who submit to Him—thus Muslims should neither despair of Allah's mercy nor take His warnings lightly. In modern times, this balance reminds us that we should approach Allah with both reverence for His might and hope in His compassion.