۞ وَمَن يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ ۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْأُمُورِ 22
Translations
And whoever submits his face [i.e., self] to Allāh while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allāh will be the outcome of [all] matters.
Transliteration
Wa man yuslim wajhahu ilallahi wa huwa muhsin faqad istamsaka bil-urwatul-wuthqa wa ilallahi aqibatul-umur
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah teaches that whoever submits their face (entire being) to Allah while doing good deeds has grasped the strongest handhold—a reference to sincere monotheism and righteous action that cannot be severed. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that 'al-urwatul-wuthqa' (the strongest handhold) refers to faith in Allah's oneness combined with obedience, while Al-Tabari emphasizes that this verse encompasses both internal submission and external righteous conduct. The ayah concludes that all matters ultimately return to Allah for judgment, underscoring divine sovereignty.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Luqman, a Meccan surah containing the counsel of Luqman to his son. It comes near the conclusion of this section of moral and spiritual guidance, serving as a universal principle applicable to all believers. The context emphasizes that true success lies not in wealth or status, but in complete submission to Allah coupled with ethical conduct.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The strongest handhold of faith is to love for the sake of Allah and hate for the sake of Allah' (Sunan Abu Dawud 4644). Additionally, 'Whoever wants to meet Allah, let him do good deeds' (Sahih Bukhari 7528) relates to the emphasis on ihsan (doing good).
Themes
Key Lesson
True spiritual strength comes not from wealth, power, or status, but from wholehearted submission to Allah combined with righteous conduct in daily life. For modern readers, this teaches that genuine faith requires both internal sincerity and external ethical action, and that reliance on this foundation provides unshakeable spiritual security regardless of worldly circumstances.