Surah al-Ikhlas, meaning « purity » or « sincerity, » is the 112th surah of the Quran, consisting of only four verses. It is also called Surah Tawheed (monotheism) because this surah summarizes the concept of monotheism in a comprehensive way.
This is one of the very few surahs in the Qur’an whose name is not mentioned in the surah itself; rather, it was named because of its meaning and purpose.
Hz Aisha (RA): [1]
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent out a unit of the army under the command of a man who led his companions in prayer and concluded his recitation with Surah 112: ‘Say, [O Muhammad], « He is Allah, the One. »‘ (112:1) When they returned from the battle, they told the Prophet about it. He said to them, « Ask him why he does that. » They asked him, and he said, « I do it because it mentions the attributes of the Most Merciful, and I like to recite it in my prayer. » The Prophet said to them, « Tell him that Allah loves him. »
This article provides the complete translation and tafsir of Surah al-Ikhlas, along with the Arabic text.
First, the complete Arabic text of Surah al-Ikhlas:
Translation
- Say: « He is Allah, the One. »
- Allah, the One to whom we turn for what we desire.
- He never begot, nor was he begotten.
- And none is equal to Him.
And now, let’s move on to the Tafsir of Surah al-Ikhlas.
Tafsir
1. Say: « He is Allah, the One.
This verse proclaims the oneness of Allah. It summarizes the essence of Islam and denies all forms of polytheism and idolatry. The word « Ahad, » meaning « The One, » is used in the Quran only for Allah and no one else. Allah says: [2]
If there were deities in the heavens and the earth besides Allah, both would surely be in chaos. So glory be to Allah, Lord of the Throne; He is far above what they attribute to Him!
Allah has no partners, associates, or helpers. Worship is directed solely to Allah, for He is the One worthy of worship. As Allah says in Surah Al-Isra: [3]
And your Lord has decreed: “Worship none but Him, and be kind to parents. If one of them or both of them reach old age with you, do not say to them, ‘Ugh!’ nor repel them, but speak to them respectfully.”
2. Allah, the One to Whom we turn for what we desire.
In this verse, Allah refers to Himself by one of His perfect attributes: As-Samad. As-Samad is also one of the names of Allah.
Allah has been called the eternal refuge, the self-sufficient, the absolute, and the one on whom all depend and to whom all creation turns to satisfy their desires and needs, by various translators of the Quran.
Therefore, while the entire world depends on Allah for the fulfillment of its needs, it is in no need of anyone. As mentioned in Surah An-Naml: [4]
Someone who had knowledge of the Book said, « I will bring it to you before your eye blinks. » Then, when Solomon saw the throne placed before him, he said, « This is from the grace of my Lord, to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. Whoever is grateful is only grateful for his own benefit, and whoever is ungrateful—then indeed, my Lord is Self-Sufficient and Generous. »
3. He has never begotten, nor was he begotten.
This verse declares that Allah was not born, nor did He give birth. In other words, He has no beginning and therefore no end. Allah is the Creator of everyone and everything, but He was not created by any power.
One might ask: isn’t it quite obvious that Allah, the ultimate authority, is above all else? Well, it certainly is. But many polytheists and idolaters mistakenly attribute partners, sons, and daughters to Allah (Nauzubillah!). However, this particular verse from Surah Al-Ikhlas leaves no room for any doubt in this regard.
As in Surah al-An’am, Allah says: [5]
Creator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a child when He has no partner? He is the One who created everything, and He is All-Knowing.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [6]
No one is more patient than Allah with the harmful and annoying words that He hears (from the people): They attribute children to Him, but He grants them health and care.
Furthermore, in Surah An-Nisa: [7]
O People of the Scripture (Christians), do not exceed the limits in your religion or say about Allah anything except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a spirit created by Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, « Three. » Refrain; it is better for you. Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.
And in Surah Al-Isra: [8]
And say, « Praise be to Allah, who has not taken a son, nor has He partnered with any ruler, nor has He had any protector from humiliation. » And glorify Him.
4. And there is none comparable to Him.
The last verse of this surah declares that Allah is without comparison. In other words, there is nothing comparable to Him in His nature and attributes. There is none in the entire universe, nor has there ever been, nor can there ever be, who is equal to Allah. He is unique in every aspect. In Surah Ash-Shura, Allah says: [9]
…Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has given you mates from among yourselves and livestock in pairs; thereby He multiplies you. There is nothing like unto Him; and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
Thus, this surah provides a concise description of the oneness of Allah and the perfection of His attributes. Such is the importance of Surah al-Ikhlas that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) equated it with one-third of the Quran. As reported by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him): [10]
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to us and said: I will recite before you a third of the Quran. Then he recited: « Say: He is Allah, One Allah, the Eternal, » at the end of the surah.
References
- Sahih Bukhari Vol 09, Book 93, Hadith 472
- The Quran 21:22 (Surah al-Anbiya)
- The Quran 17:23 (Surah al-Isra)
- The Quran 27:40 (Surah an-Naml)
- The Quran 06:101 (Surah al-An’am)
- Sahih Bukhari Vol 09, Book 93, Hadith 475
- The Quran 04:171 (Surah an-Nisa)
- The Quran 17:111 (Surah al-Isra)
- The Quran 42:11 (Surah Ash-Shura)
- Sahih Muslim Book 06, Hadith 317
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