إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدْنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكْرِىٓ 14
Translations
Indeed, I am Allāh. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.
Transliteration
Innani ana Allahu la ilaha illa ana fa'abudni wa aqimi al-salata li-dhikri
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah declares His absolute oneness and uniqueness, emphasizing that He alone deserves worship and that no deity exists besides Him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this ayah establishes the fundamental principle of Tawhid (monotheism) as the basis for all worship, with prayer (Salah) being the paramount expression of remembrance and servitude to Allah. The command to establish prayer 'for My remembrance' indicates that Salah is not merely a ritual but a means of maintaining constant connection with the Divine.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the narrative of Prophet Musa's (Moses) mission, where Allah reveals Himself to Musa at Mount Sinai. It occurs after the mention of the appointed time of forty nights and establishes the foundation of monotheistic belief that Musa was commanded to convey to the Children of Israel. This revelation emphasizes the core message that precedes all divine commandments.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The closest a servant comes to his Lord is in prostration, so increase your supplications during sujud (prostration)' (Sahih Muslim). Also relevant is: 'Prayer is the pillar of religion; whoever establishes it has established religion, and whoever abandons it has abandoned religion' (At-Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the foundation of a meaningful spiritual life is recognizing Allah's absolute oneness and responding with sincere worship and regular prayer. In our modern age of distractions, we are called to use Salah as an anchor for remembrance, transforming it from mere routine into a profound moment of connection with our Creator.