Quran Universe
31:25

وَلَئِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۚ قُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

Walain saaltahum man khalaqa alssamawati waalarda layaqoolunna Allahu quli alhamdu lillahi bal aktharuhum la yaAAlamoona

And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and earth?" they would surely say, "Allah." Say, "[All] praise is [due] to Allah "; but most of them do not know.

Word by word
  1. وَلَئِنAnd if
  2. سَأَلۡتَهُمyou ask them
  3. مَّنۡWho
  4. خَلَقَcreated
  5. ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِthe heavens
  6. وَٱلۡأَرۡضَand the earth
  7. لَيَقُولُنَّThey will surely say
  8. ٱللَّهُۚAllah
  9. قُلِSay
  10. ٱلۡحَمۡدُAll praises
  11. لِلَّهِۚ(are) for Allah
  12. بَلۡBut
  13. أَكۡثَرُهُمۡmost of them
  14. لَا(do) not
  15. يَعۡلَمُونَknow
Luqman · 31:25Makkah

They admit Allah created everything, then live as if not.

Knowing the Creator is not the same as living by it

The question
who created all this?heavens and earth
they say
Allahwithout hesitation
yet
worship othersmade by Him
Belief and life
I believe, so I am fineknowing is enough
Say: praise be to Allahand live by it

Ibn Kathir says the Makkan idol worshippers admitted that Allah alone created heaven and earth. Yet they still worshipped things they knew He had created. Their own answer was the proof against them.

Ask yourself who provides, and you answer Allah instantly. Then payday comes and the fear is about the boss, the market, the bonus. The answer is right, but the heart lives by another.

I know Allah is the Creator, so my faith is sorted.

Knowing He created everything should change who I fear and hope in.

Try this

When you worry about money today, say Alhamdulillah and remind yourself who provides.

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

And if you ask them: "Who has created the heavens and the earth," they will certainly say: "Allah." Say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah!" But most of them know not (25)To Allah belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. Verily, Allah, He is Al-Ghani, Worthy of all praise (26)

The Idolators admitted that Allah is the Creator

Allah tells us that these idolators who associated others with Him admitted that Allah Alone, with no partner or associate, is the Creator of heaven and earth yet they still worshipped others besides Him who they recognized were created by Him and subjugated to Him. Allah says:

وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ۚ قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ 

(And if you ask them: "Who has created the heavens and the earth," they will certainly say: "Allah." Say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah!") By their admitting that, proof is established against them,

بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

(But most of them know not.) Then Allah says:

لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ 

(To Allah belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth.) meaning, He created it and has dominion over it.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ

(Verily, Allah, He is Al-Ghani, Worthy of all praise.) means, He has no need of anyone or anything besides Himself, and everything else is in need of Him. He is Worthy of praise for all that He has created, so praise be to Him in the heavens and on earth for all that He has created and decreed, and He is worthy of praise in all affairs.