Al-An'am: 18

Ayah

Word by Word

وَهُوَ

And He

ٱلۡقَاهِرُ

(is) the Subjugator

فَوۡقَ

over

عِبَادِهِۦۚ

His slaves

وَهُوَ

And He

ٱلۡحَكِيمُ

(is) the All-Wise

ٱلۡخَبِيرُ

the All-Aware

Translation

"He is the irresistible, (watching) from above over His worshippers; and He is the Wise, acquainted with all things."

Tafsir

Allah is the Creator and the Sustainer

Allah says;

قُل لِّمَن مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارۡضِ قُل لِلّهِ كَتَبَ عَلَى نَفۡسِهِ الرَّحۡمَةَ

Say:To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth!

Say:To Allah.

He has prescribed mercy for Himself.

Allah states that He is the King and Owner of the heavens and earth and all of what is in them, and that He has written mercy on His Most Honorable Self.

It is recorded in the Two Sahihs, that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,

إِنَّ اللهَ لَمَّا خَلَقَ الۡخَلۡقَ كَتَبَ كِتَابًا عِنۡدَهُ فَوۡقَ الۡعَرۡشِ إِنَّ رَحۡمَتِي تَغۡلِبُ غَضَبِي

When Allah created the creation, He wrote in a Book that He has with Him above the Throne; `My mercy overcomes My anger.'

Allah said;

لَيَجۡمَعَنَّكُمۡ إِلَى يَوۡمِ الۡقِيَامَةِ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهِ

Indeed He will gather you together on the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt.

swearing by His Most Honored Self that He will gather His servants,

إِلَى مِيقَاتِ يَوۡمٍ مَّعۡلُومٍ

(For appointed meeting of a known Day), (56:50), the Day of Resurrection that will certainly occur, and there is no doubt for His believing servants in this fact. As for those who deny and refuse, they are in confusion and disarray.

Allah's statement,

الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواۡ أَنفُسَهُمۡ

Those who destroy themselves,

on the Day of Resurrection,

فَهُمۡ لَا يُوۡمِنُونَ

will not believe.

in the Return and thus do not fear the repercussions of that Day.

Allah said next

وَلَهُ مَا سَكَنَ فِي اللَّيۡلِ وَالنَّهَارِ

And to Him belongs whatsoever exists in the night and the day.

meaning, all creatures in the heavens and earth are Allah's servants and creatures, and they are all under His authority, power and will; there is no deity worthy of worship except Him,

وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الۡعَلِيمُ

and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

He hears the statements of His servants and knows their actions, secrets and what they conceal.

Allah then said to His servant and Messenger Muhammad, whom He sent with the pure Tawhid and the straight religion, commanding him to call the people to Allah's straight path

قُلۡ أَغَيۡرَ اللّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارۡضِ

Say:Shall I take as a guardian any other than Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth!

The meaning here is, I will not take a guardian except Allah, without partners, for He is the Creator of the heavens and earth Who originated them without precedent,

Similarly, Allah said,

قُلۡ أَفَغَيۡرَ اللَّهِ تَأۡمُرُونِّى أَعۡبُدُ أَيُّهَا الۡجَـهِلُونَ

Say:Do you order me to worship other than Allah, O you fools! (39:64)

وَهُوَ يُطۡعِمُ وَلَا يُطۡعَمُ

And it is He Who feeds but is not fed.

For He sustains His creatures without needing them.

Allah also said;

وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ الۡجِنَّ وَالاِنسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعۡبُدُونِ

And I created not the Jinn and humans except that they should worship Me (Alone). (51:56)

Some scholars read it,

وَهُوَ يُطۡعِمُ وَلَا

يَطۡعَمُ

And it is He Who feeds but He does not eat.

meaning, Allah does not eat.

Abu Hurayrah narrated,

A man from Al-Ansar from the area of Quba' invited the Prophet to eat some food, and we went along with the Prophet. When the Prophet ate and washed his hands, he said,

الۡحَمۡدُ للهِ الَّذِي يُطۡعِمُ وَلَا يُطۡعَمُ وَمَنَّ عَلَيۡنَا فَهَدَانَا وَأَطۡعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا مِنَ الشَّرَابِ وَكَسَانَا مِنَ العُرۡيِ وَكُلَّ بَلَءٍ حَسَنٍ أَبۡلَنَا

الۡحَمۡدُ للهِ غَيۡرَ مُوَدَّعٍ رَبِّي وَلَا مُكَافأً وَلَا مَكۡفُورٍ وَلَا مُسۡتَغۡنًى عَنۡهُ

الۡحَمۡدُ للهِ الَّذِي أَطۡعَمَنَا مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَسَقَانَا مِنَ الشَّرَابِ وَكَسَانَا مِنَ الۡعُرۡيِ وَهَدَانَا مِنَ الضَّلَلِ وَبَصَّرَنَا مِنَ العَمَى وَفَضَّلَنَا عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنَ خَلَقَ تَفۡضِيلً

الۡحَمۡدُ للهِ رَبِّ الۡعَالَمِين

All praise is due to Allah, Who feeds but is never fed, He bestowed bounty unto us, Who gave us guidance and fed us, gave us something to drink, covered our nakedness; and for every favor He has given us.

All praise is due to Allah, praise that should not be neglected, my Lord, all the while affirming that we will never be able to duly thank Him; nor be appreciative enough of Him, nor be free of needing Him.

All thanks and praises are due to Allah Who fed us the food, gave us the drink, covered our nudity, guided us from misguidance, gave us sight from blindness, and honored us above many of His creatures.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all that exists.

قُلۡ إِنِّيَ أُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنۡ أَسۡلَمَ

Say:Verily, I am commanded to be the first of those who submit themselves to Allah as (Muslims).

from this Ummah,

وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِكَينَ

قُلۡ إِنِّيَ أَخَافُ إِنۡ عَصَيۡتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٍ

And be not you of the idolaters.

Say:I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the torment of a Mighty Day.

the Day of Resurrection

مَّن يُصۡرَفۡ عَنۡهُ

Who is averted from,

such a torment,

يَوۡمَيِذٍ فَقَدۡ رَحِمَهُ

on that Day, He has surely been Merciful to him,

meaning, Allah will have been merciful to him,

وَذَلِكَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡمُبِينُ

And that would be the obvious success.

Allah also said,

فَمَن زُحۡزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدۡخِلَ الۡجَنَّةَ فَقَدۡ فَازَ

And whoever is moved away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. (3:185)

success here indicates acquiring profit and negates loss.

Allah is the Irresistible, Able to Bring Benefit and Protect from Harm

Allah states that He Alone brings benefit or harm, and that He does what He wills with His creatures, none can resist His judgment or prevent what He decrees,

وَإِن يَمۡسَسۡكَ اللّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَ كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ

وَإِن يَمۡسَسۡكَ بِخَيۡرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ قَدُيرٌ

And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is able to do all things.

Similarly, Allah said,

مَّا يَفۡتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحۡمَةٍ فَلَ مُمۡسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمۡسِكۡ فَلَ مُرۡسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعۡدِهِ

Whatever mercy, Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. (35:2)

It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah used to supplicate,

اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعۡطَيۡتَ وَلَا مُعۡطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعۡتَ وَلَا يَنۡفَعُ ذَا الۡجَدِّ مِنۡكَ الۡجَد

O Allah, there is none Who can avert what You grant or give what You deprive, and no fortune ever helps the fortunate against You.

This is why Allah said

وَهُوَ الۡقَاهِرُ فَوۡقَ عِبَادِهِ

And He is the Irresistible, above His servants,

meaning, to Him the necks are subservient, the tyrants humble before Him and He has complete control over all things. The creatures have all bowed to Allah and are humbled before His grace, honor, pride, greatness, highness and ability over all things. The creatures are insignificant before Him, for they are all under His irresistible decision and power,

وَهُوَ الۡحَكِيمُ

and He is the All-Wise, (in all His actions),

الۡخَبِيرُ

Well-Acquainted with all things.

Who places everything in its rightful place, grants and favors whomever deserves His favor.

Allah said next

قُلۡ أَيُّ شَيۡءٍ أَكۡبَرُ شَهَادةً

Say:What thing is the most great in witness!

or what is the greatest witness,

قُلِ اللّهِ شَهِيدٌ بِيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكُمۡ

Say:Allah (the Most Great!) is Witness between you and I.

for He knows what I brought you and what you will answer me with,

وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الۡقُرۡانُ لاُنذِرَكُم بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ

this Qur'an has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.

Therefore, this Qur'an is a warner for all those who hear of it.

In another Ayah, Allah said,

وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحۡزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوۡعِدُهُ

But those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place. (11:17)

Ar-Rabi bin Anas said,

Those who follow the Messenger of Allah ought to call to what the Messenger of Allah called to and warn against what he warned against.

Allah said next,

أَيِنَّكُمۡ لَتَشۡهَدُونَ

Can you verily bear witness... (O idolators),

أَنَّ مَعَ اللّهِ الِهَةً أُخۡرَى قُل لاَّ أَشۡهَدُ

that besides Allah there are other gods! Say, I bear no (such) witness!

Similarly, in another Ayah, Allah said;

فَإِن شَهِدُواۡ فَلَ تَشۡهَدۡ مَعَهُمۡ

Then if they testify, testify not you with them. (6:150)

Allah said next,

قُلۡ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشۡرِكُونَ

Say:Only He is God, alone, and truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him.

People of the Book Recognize the Prophet Just as They Recognize Their Own Children

Allah says

الَّذِينَ اتَيۡنَاهُمُ الۡكِتَابَ يَعۡرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعۡرِفُونَ أَبۡنَاءهُمُ

Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize him, as they recognize their own children.

Allah says, the People of the Book know what you brought them, O Muhammad, as they know their own children. This is because they received good news from the previous Messengers and Prophets about the coming of Muhammad, his attributes, homeland, his migration, and the description of his Ummah.

Allah said next,

الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواۡ أَنفُسَهُمۡ

Those who have lost (destroyed) themselves,

and thus incurred the ultimate loss,

فَهُمۡ لَا يُوۡمِنُونَ

will not believe.

in this clear matter. A matter about which the previous Prophets gave good news, and a matter extolled about in ancient and modern times.

Allah said next

وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ افۡتَرَى عَلَى اللّهِ كَذِبًا أَوۡ كَذَّبَ بِأيَاتِهِ

And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat,

meaning, there is no person more unjust than he who lies about Allah and claims that Allah has sent him, while Allah did not send him. There is no person more unjust than he who denies Allah's proofs, signs and evidences,

إِنَّهُ لَا يُفۡلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ

Verily, the wrongdoers shall never be successful.

Surely, both of these people will never acquire success, whoever falsely (claims that Allah sent him) and whoever refuses (Allah's Ayat).