إِنَّمَآ أَمْرُهُۥٓ إِذَآ أَرَادَ شَيْـًٔا أَن يَقُولَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ 82
Translations
His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, "Be," and it is.
Transliteration
Innamā amruhu idhā arāda shay'an an yaqūla lahu kun fayakūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah expresses the absolute power and sovereignty of Allah over creation, affirming that His command is instantaneous and effortless—whenever He wills something to exist, He merely says 'Be' (kun) and it comes into being (fayakūn). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize this demonstrates Allah's complete mastery over all existence without any intermediary or delay, while Al-Qurtubi notes this refutes the notion that creation requires time or effort, highlighting the distinction between divine will and human action.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Ya-Sin, which addresses fundamental Islamic beliefs including Allah's oneness, His creative power, and the reality of the resurrection. The broader context discusses Allah's ability to resurrect the dead and restore creation, making this ayah a powerful affirmation of His authority in response to Meccan disbelievers' doubts about the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best supplication is 'There is no god but You, alone without partner, to You belongs the dominion and to You belongs all praise, and You have power over all things' (Tirmidhi). This relates to acknowledging Allah's absolute power as expressed in Surah Ya-Sin 36:82.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that Allah's power transcends human limitations of time and effort, encouraging complete trust in His ability to fulfill His promises and establish justice. It should inspire humility before the Divine and confidence that no obstacle is insurmountable to Allah's will.
Related Ayahs
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
Have you not seen [i.e., considered] that Allāh created the heavens and the earth in truth? If He wills, He can do away with you and produce a new creation.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُوا۟ بِهَا جَآءَتْهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَآءَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ ۙ دَعَوُا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ
It is He who enables you to travel on land and sea until, when you are in ships and they sail with them by a good wind and they rejoice therein, there comes a storm wind and the waves come upon them from every place and they expect to be engulfed, they supplicate Allāh, sincere to Him in religion, "If You should save us from this, we will surely be among the thankful."
تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent -
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ وَلَهُ ٱخْتِلَـٰفُ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
And it is He who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of the night and the day. Then will you not reason?