Quran Universe
37:87

فَمَا ظَنُّكُم بِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

Fama thannukum birabbi alAAalameena

Then what is your thought about the Lord of the worlds?"

Word by word
  1. فَمَاThen what
  2. ظَنُّكُم(do) you think
  3. بِرَبِّabout (the) Lord
  4. ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ(of) the worlds
As-Saffat · 37:87Makkah

What do you think the Lord of the worlds will do?

Your idea of Allah shapes how you live

The question behind the question
worshipping othersalongside Him
then meeting
the Lord of the worldswhat do you expect?
Two pictures of Allah
He will not minda careless picture
Lord of all worldsworthy of all worship

Qatadah explained Ibrahim's question as: what do you think He will do with you when you meet Him, given that you worshipped others alongside Him? It turns the argument from idols to their own meeting with Allah.

What you assume about Allah shows in your week. If you think He does not notice, you cut corners. If you know He is Lord of everything, generous and just, you live differently. Your idea of Him is steering you.

Allah is forgiving, so it does not really matter what I do.

What I expect from my meeting with Allah should shape what I do today.

Try this

Spend two minutes today thinking about meeting Allah. Ask what you want to bring.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 37:83)

And verily, among those who followed his way was Ibrahim (83)When he came to his Lord with a Salim heart (84)When he said to his father and to his people: "What is it that which you worship? (85)"Is it a falsehood – gods other than Allah – that you desire? (86)"Then what think you about the Lord of the all that exists? (87)

The Story of Ibrahim and His People

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him:

وَإِنَّ مِنْ شِيعَتِهِ لَإِبْرَاهِيمَ 

(And verily, among those who followed his ways was Ibrahim.) means, he was one of the followers of his religion. Mujahid said, "He was following his path and his way."

إِذْ جَاءَ رَبَّهُ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ 

(When he came to his Lord with a Salim heart.) Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "This means that he bore witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah."

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that 'Awf said, "I said to Muhammad bin Sirin, 'What is the Salim heart?' He said, 'One which knows that Allah is true and that the Hour will undoubtedly come to pass, and that Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves.'" Al-Hasan said, "One that is free from Shirk." 'Urwah said, "One that is not cursed."

إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَاذَا تَعْبُدُونَ

(When he said to his father and to his people: "What is it that which you worship?") He denounced his people for their worship of idols and false gods, Allah said:

أَئِفْكًا آلِهَةً دُونَ اللَّهِ تُرِيدُونَ - فَمَا ظَنُّكُمْ بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

(Is it a falsehood – gods other than Allah – that you desire? Then what think you about the Lord of the all that exists?)

Qatadah said, "This means, 'what do you think He will do with you when you meet Him, given that you worshipped others alongside Him?"