إِن تَكْفُرُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ عَنكُمْ ۖ وَلَا يَرْضَىٰ لِعِبَادِهِ ٱلْكُفْرَ ۖ وَإِن تَشْكُرُوا۟ يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۗ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ 7
Translations
If you disbelieve - indeed, Allāh is Free from need of you. And He does not approve for His servants disbelief. And if you are grateful, He approves [i.e., likes] it for you; and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you about what you used to do. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
Transliteration
In takfuroo fa inna Allaha ghanniyyun ankum wa la yarda li ibaadihi al-kufr wa in tashkuroo yardahu lakum wa la taziru waziratun wizra ukhra thumma ila rabbikum marji'ukum fayunabbiukum bima kuntum ta'maloon innahu alimun bi dhat al-sudur
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a profound theological principle: Allah's absolute self-sufficiency means that human disbelief causes Him no harm, while He does not approve of ingratitude among His servants; conversely, gratitude pleases Him. The ayah then establishes individual accountability before Allah on the Day of Judgment, clarifying that no soul bears the burden of another's sin—a principle emphasized by classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi as central to Islamic justice. The concluding statement that Allah knows the secrets of hearts underscores the inescapability of divine knowledge and accountability.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan Surah Az-Zumar, which addresses the fundamental matters of monotheism, resurrection, and the futility of polytheism. It is positioned within a broader context emphasizing Allah's complete independence from creation and the absolute nature of divine judgment, serving to motivate the early Meccan community toward faith and gratitude while warning against disbelief.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' (Sahih Bukhari 13), relating to the concept of individual responsibility and the community's duty. Additionally, the hadith 'Every soul shall taste death, and you will only be given your compensation in full on the Day of Resurrection' (Sahih Muslim 2836) directly relates to the accountability principle stated in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that our faith or disbelief affects only ourselves—not Allah—and that true wisdom lies in gratitude to our Creator, knowing that we alone bear responsibility for our deeds before Him. It should inspire us to cultivate sincere gratitude and accountability in our actions, recognizing that Allah's knowledge penetrates beyond outward acts to the hidden intentions of our hearts.