29:56

يَٰعِبَادِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّ أَرۡضِي وَٰسِعَةٞ فَإِيَّـٰيَ فَٱعۡبُدُونِ

Ya AAibadiya allatheena amanoo inna ardee wasiAAatun faiyyaya faoAAbudooni

O My servants who have believed, indeed My earth is spacious, so worship only Me.

Word by word
  1. يَٰعِبَادِيَO My servants
  2. ٱلَّذِينَwho
  3. ءَامَنُوٓاْbelieve
  4. إِنَّIndeed
  5. أَرۡضِيMy earth
  6. وَٰسِعَةٞ(is) spacious
  7. فَإِيَّـٰيَso only
  8. فَٱعۡبُدُونِworship Me
Al-'Ankabut · 29:56Makkah

My earth is wide, so worship Me.

When one place closes, the earth is still open


The migration
Makkahpersecuted, unable to worship
moved to
Abyssiniathe Negus gave refuge
later
Madinahthe Prophet and Companions
What is fixed, what can move
the placecan be changed
the worshipmust not be given up

This surah came in a time of harsh persecution in Makkah. Ibn Kathir explains: when believers could not practice their faith, Allah's earth was spacious. Many moved to Abyssinia, where the Negus gave them refuge and honored them. Later the Prophet ﷺ and the rest went to Madinah.

The job where you cannot pray on time and feel pressure every day. The friend group where staying means slowly losing yourself. You feel stuck, as if this is the only option. Allah's earth is wide. There are other jobs, other circles, other cities.

I have no choice but to stay where I am.

Places are many. What I must protect is my worship, wherever that takes me.

Try this

Name one place or circle that keeps pulling you from Allah. Write down one real alternative.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

O My servants who believe! Certainly, spacious is My earth. Therefore worship Me (56)Everyone shall taste death. Then unto Us you shall be returned (57)And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, to them We shall surely give lofty dwellings in Paradise, beneath which rivers flow, to live therein forever. Excellent is the reward for the workers (58)Those who are patient, and put their trust in their Lord (59)And so many a moving creature carries not its own provision! Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower (60)

Advice to migrate and the Promise of Provision and a Goodly Reward

Allah commands His believing servants to migrate from a land in which they are not able to establish Islam, to the spacious earth of Allah where they can do so, by declaring Allah to be One and worshipping Him as He has commanded. Allah says:

يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ أَرْضِي وَاسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّايَ فَاعْبُدُونِ 

(O My servants who believe! Certainly, spacious is My earth. Therefore worship Me.) When things became too difficult for the believers in Makkah who were in a weak position and were oppressed, they left and migrated to Ethiopia, where they were able to practice their religion. The Muslims found Ethiopia the best place for guest; where Ashamah, the Negus or king, may Allah have mercy on him, gave them refuge, helped them, supported them, and honored them in his land. Later, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his remaining Companions migrated to Al-Madinah, formerly known as Yathrib, may Allah protect it. Then Allah says:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ

(Everyone shall taste death. Then unto Us you shall be returned.) meaning, 'wherever you are, death with catch up with you, so always obey Allah and be where Allah commands you to be, for this is better for you. Death is inevitable and there is no escape from it, and then you will return to Allah, and whoever was obedient to Him will have the best reward.' Allah says:

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ 

(And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, to them We shall surely give lofty dwellings in Paradise, underneath which rivers flow,) meaning, 'We shall cause them to dwell in lofty homes in Paradise under which various kinds of rivers flow – water, wine, honey and milk – which they can direct and cause to flow wherever they wish.'

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا

(to live therein forever.) means, they will remain there forever, never wanting to leave.

نِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ

(Excellent is the reward for the workers.) these rooms will be a blessed reward for the good deeds of the believers,

الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا 

(Those who are patient,) in adhering to their religion, who migrated for the sake of Allah and fought the enemy, leaving behind their families and relatives to seek Allah's Face, and hoping for that which is with Him, believing His promise.

Ibn Abi Hatim, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded from Abu Mu'aniq Al-Ash'ari that Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari told him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told him:

إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا يُرَى ظَاهِرُهَا مِنْ بَاطِنِهَا، وَبَاطِنُهَا مِنْ ظَاهِرِهَا، أَعَدَّهَا اللهُ تَعَالَى لِمَنْ أَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ، وَأَطَابَ الْكَلَامَ، وَتَابَعَ الصَّلَاةَ وَالصِّيَامَ، وَقَامَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَامٌ

(In Paradise there are rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside, and their inside can be seen from the outside; Allah has prepared them for those who feed others, who speak well, who pray and fast continually, and who stand in prayer at night while people are asleep.)

وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

(and put their trust in their Lord.) in all their affairs, spiritual and worldly alike. Then Allah tells us that provision is not limited only to one place, but it is given to all His creatures no matter where they are. Indeed, when the Muhajirin migrated, their provision was greater and better than before, because after a short time they became rulers in the land, in all regions. Allah says:

وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ دَابَّةٍ لَا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا

(And so many a moving creature carries not its own provision!) meaning, it does not have the ability to gather its provision and save it for tomorrow.

اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ

(Allah provides for it and for you.) means, Allah allots its provision to it even though it is weak, and makes it easy for it. He sends provision to every creature in the appropriate manner, even the ants in the depths of the earth, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea. Allah says:

وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا ۚ كُلٌّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ

(And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit. All is in a Clear Book.)(11:6)

وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

(And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.) means, He hears all that His servants say and He knows their every movements.