Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-Ankabut -> Evidences of Tawhid |
Allah states that there is no God but He. The idolators who worshipped others besides Him recognized that He was the sole creator of the heavens and earth, the sun and the moon, alternating the night and day. They acknowledged that He was the Creator Who provided for His servants and decreed how long they should live. He made them and their provision different, so that some were rich and some were poor, and He knew best what was suitable for each of them, who deserved to be rich and who deserved to be poor. So, Allah stated that He has alone created everything, and that He alone is controlling them -- if this is how it is, then why worship anyone else Why put one's trust in anyone else Since dominion is His Alone, then let worship be for Him Alone. Allah often establishes His divinity by referring to their acknowledgement of His Unique Lordship, because the idolators used to acknowledge His Lordship, as they said in their Talbiyah (during Hajj and `Umrah: "At Your service, You have no partner, except the partner that You have, and You possess him and whatever he has.'' ﴿وَمَا هَـذِهِ الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَآ إِلاَّ لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ وَإِنَّ الدَّارَ الاٌّخِرَةَ لَهِىَ الْحَيَوَانُ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ - فَإِذَا رَكِبُواْ فِى الْفُلْكِ دَعَوُاْ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ - لِيَكْفُرُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَيْنَـهُمْ وَلِيَتَمَتَّعُواْ فَسَوْفَ يَعلَمُونَ ﴾ (64. And this life of the world is only an amusement and a play! Verily, the home of the Hereafter -- that is the life indeed, if they but knew.) (65. And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him only, but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others.) (66. So that they become ingrate for that which We have given them, and that they take their enjoyment, but they will come to know.)
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