32:4

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ مَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا شَفِيعٍۚ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ

Allahu allathee khalaqa alssamawati waalarda wama baynahuma fee sittati ayyamin thumma istawa AAala alAAarshi ma lakum min doonihi min waliyyin wala shafeeAAin afala tatathakkaroona

It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne. You have not besides Him any protector or any intercessor; so will you not be reminded?

Word by word
  1. ٱللَّهُAllah
  2. ٱلَّذِي(is) the One Who
  3. خَلَقَcreated
  4. ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِthe heavens
  5. وَٱلۡأَرۡضَand the earth
  6. وَمَاand whatever
  7. بَيۡنَهُمَا(is) between them
  8. فِيin
  9. سِتَّةِsix
  10. أَيَّامٖperiods
  11. ثُمَّThen
  12. ٱسۡتَوَىٰestablished Himself
  13. عَلَىon
  14. ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖthe Throne
  15. مَاNot
  16. لَكُمfor you
  17. مِّنbesides Him
  18. دُونِهِۦbesides Him
  19. مِنany
  20. وَلِيّٖprotector
  21. وَلَاand not
  22. شَفِيعٍۚany intercessor
  23. أَفَلَاThen will not
  24. تَتَذَكَّرُونَyou take heed
As-Sajdah · 32:4Makkah

He created it all. No protector or intercessor but Him.

Will you not remember?


What He did
created heavens and earthin six days
rose over the Thronein control of all
Who protects you
others besides Himtrusted instead
only Allahno intercessor without His permission

Ibn Kathir says only He is in control of all affairs. There is no intercessor except one He permits. The question will you not remember is addressed to those who trusted in others besides Him.

You need a favour, so you think of who you know. The cousin at the council, the friend in HR. None of them is a protector without Him. Ask Him first, then knock on doors.

Getting through life is about knowing the right people.

My real protector is Allah, and people only help by His permission.

Try this

Before asking anyone for help today, ask Allah for it in a short dua.

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

Allah it is He Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them in six Days. Then He Istawa over the Throne. You have none, besides Him, as a protector or an intercessor. Will you not then remember (4)He directs the command from the heavens to the earth; then it will go up to Him, in one Day, the space whereof is a thousand years of your reckoning (5)That is He, the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful (6)

Allah is the Creator and Controller of the Universe

Allah tells us that He is the Creator of all things. He created the heavens and earth and all that is between them in six days, then He rose over the Throne – we have already discussed this matter elsewhere.

مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ ۚ 

(You have none, besides Him, as a protector or an intercessor) means, only He is the Sovereign Who is in control of all affairs, the Creator of all things, the Controller of all things, the One Who is able to do all things. There is no Creator besides Him, no intercessor except the one to whom He gives permission.

أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ

(Will you not then remember?) – this is addressed to those who worship others apart from Him and put their trust in others besides Him – exalted and sanctified and glorified be He above having any equal, partner, supporter, rival or peer, there is no God or Lord except Him.

يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ 

(He directs the command from the heavens to the earth; then it will go up to Him,) means, His command comes down from above the heavens to the furthest boundary of the seventh earth. This is like the Ayah,

اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ 

(It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof. The command descends between them,)(65:12) Deeds are raised up to the place of recording above the lowest heaven. The distance between heaven and earth is the distance of five hundred years traveling, and the thickness of the heaven is the distance of five hundred years. Mujahid, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak said, "The distance covered by the angel when he descends or ascends is the distance of five hundred years, but he covers it in the blink of an eye." Allah says:

فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ - ذَٰلِكَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ

(in one Day, the measurement of which is a thousand years of your reckoning. That is He, the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen,) meaning, He is controlling all these affairs. He sees all that His servants do, and all their deeds, major and minor, significant and insignificant, ascend to Him. He is the Almighty Who has subjugated all things to His control, and to Whom everybody submits, and He is Most Merciful to His believing servants. He is Almighty in His mercy and Most Merciful in His might. This is perfection: might combined with mercy and mercy combined with might, for He is Merciful without any hint of weakness.