Surah Nisa ayat 131 Tafsir Quran 4:131

﴿وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ وَإِن تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَنِيًّا حَمِيدًا﴾
[ النساء: 131]

4:131 And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allah. But if you disbelieve - then to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And ever is Allah Free of need and Praiseworthy.

To God belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth. We have charged those who were given the Scripture meaning the scriptures before you namely the Jews and Christians and you O people of the Qur’ān ‘Fear God’ fear His punishment by being obedient to Him. And We said to them and to you ‘If you disbelieve in what you have been charged with then to God belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth’ as creatures possessions and servants and He will not be harmed by your disbelief God is ever Independent of the need for His creation or their worship Praised praise-worthy for what He does with them.

And to Allah belong all that is in the heavens and that is on earth, and We have enjoined those who were given the Book before you -Ahl AL-Kitab- as well as you Muslims to entertain the profound reverence dutiful to Allah. And if you should deny Allah and refuse to acknowledge His infinite Authority, then you must realize that to Allah belong all that is in the heavens and all, that is on earth, and Allah has always been Ghaniyun (Independent), (Absolute), and Hamidun (Worthy of all praise); His grace abounds in the universe

The Necessity of Taqwa of Allah Allah states that He is the Owner of the heavens and earth and that He is the Supreme Authority over them.
Hence Allah's statement, وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّـكُمْ ( And verily, We have recommended to the People of the Scripture before you, and to you ) meaning, We have recommended to you what We recommended to the People of Scriptures; Taqwa of Allah, by worshipping Him Alone without partners.
Allah then said, وَإِن تَكْفُرُواْ فَإِنَّ للَّهِ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( But if you disbelieve, then unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth ).
In another Ayah, Allah said that Musa said to his people, إِن تَكْفُرُواْ أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ ( "If you disbelieve, you and all on the earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich (free of any need ), Owner of all praise.").
Allah said, فَكَفَرُواْ وَتَوَلَّواْ وَّاسْتَغْنَى اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ ( So they disbelieved and turned away.
But Allah was not in need (of them ).
And Allah is Rich ( free of any need ), Worthy of all praise) meaning, He is far too Rich than to need His servants, and worthy of all praise in all His decisions and commandments.
The meaning of Allah's statement, وَللَّهِ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلاً ( And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.
And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs. ) He has perfect watch over every soul, knowing what it deserves, He is the Watcher, and Witness of all things.
Allah's statement, إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ وَيَأْتِ بِـاخَرِينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى ذلِكَ قَدِيراً ( If He wills, He can take you away, O people, and bring others.
And Allah is Ever All-Potent over that. ) means, He is able to take you away and replace you with other people if you disobey Him.
In a similar Ayah, Allah said, الْفُقَرَآءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْاْ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُونُواْ ( And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes ) Allah's statement, مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا فَعِندَ اللَّهِ ثَوَابُ الدُّنْيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ ( Whoever desires the rewards of this life, then with Allah is the reward of this worldly life and of the Hereafter. ) means, O those whose ultimate desire is this life, know that Allah owns the rewards of this life and the Hereafter.
Therefore, if you ask Allah for both, He will enrich you, award you and suffice for you.
As Allah said, فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُم مَّنَـسِكَكُمْ فَاذْكُرُواْ اللَّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ ءَابَآءَكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهُ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَـقٍ - وِمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الاٌّخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ أُولَـئِكَ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواْ ( But of mankind there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world!" and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter.
And of them there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" For them there will be alloted a share for what they have earned ), مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الاٌّخِرَةِ نَزِدْ لَهُ فِى حَرْثِهِ ( Whosoever desires (by his deeds ) the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward), and مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَـجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ( Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world ), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like) until, انظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ ( See how We prefer one above another (in this world )).
So Allah said here, وَكَانَ اللَّهُ سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً ( And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer. )

The Necessity of Taqwa of Allah Allah states that He is the Owner of the heavens and earth and that He is the Supreme Authority over them.
Hence Allah's statement, وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّـكُمْ ( And verily, We have recommended to the People of the Scripture before you, and to you ) meaning, We have recommended to you what We recommended to the People of Scriptures; Taqwa of Allah, by worshipping Him Alone without partners.
Allah then said, وَإِن تَكْفُرُواْ فَإِنَّ للَّهِ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ ( But if you disbelieve, then unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth ).
In another Ayah, Allah said that Musa said to his people, إِن تَكْفُرُواْ أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ ( "If you disbelieve, you and all on the earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich (free of any need ), Owner of all praise.").
Allah said, فَكَفَرُواْ وَتَوَلَّواْ وَّاسْتَغْنَى اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ ( So they disbelieved and turned away.
But Allah was not in need (of them ).
And Allah is Rich ( free of any need ), Worthy of all praise) meaning, He is far too Rich than to need His servants, and worthy of all praise in all His decisions and commandments.
The meaning of Allah's statement, وَللَّهِ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلاً ( And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.
And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs. ) He has perfect watch over every soul, knowing what it deserves, He is the Watcher, and Witness of all things.
Allah's statement, إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ وَيَأْتِ بِـاخَرِينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى ذلِكَ قَدِيراً ( If He wills, He can take you away, O people, and bring others.
And Allah is Ever All-Potent over that. ) means, He is able to take you away and replace you with other people if you disobey Him.
In a similar Ayah, Allah said, الْفُقَرَآءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْاْ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُونُواْ ( And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes ) Allah's statement, مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا فَعِندَ اللَّهِ ثَوَابُ الدُّنْيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ ( Whoever desires the rewards of this life, then with Allah is the reward of this worldly life and of the Hereafter. ) means, O those whose ultimate desire is this life, know that Allah owns the rewards of this life and the Hereafter.
Therefore, if you ask Allah for both, He will enrich you, award you and suffice for you.
As Allah said, فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُم مَّنَـسِكَكُمْ فَاذْكُرُواْ اللَّهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ ءَابَآءَكُمْ أَوْ أَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهُ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَـقٍ - وِمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الاٌّخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ أُولَـئِكَ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواْ ( But of mankind there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world!" and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter.
And of them there are some who say: "Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" For them there will be alloted a share for what they have earned ), مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الاٌّخِرَةِ نَزِدْ لَهُ فِى حَرْثِهِ ( Whosoever desires (by his deeds ) the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward), and مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَـجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ( Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world ), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like) until, انظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ ( See how We prefer one above another (in this world )).
So Allah said here, وَكَانَ اللَّهُ سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً ( And Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer. )

( Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens ) of stores ( and whatsoever is in the earth ) of stores and other things. ( And We charged those who received the Scripture before you ) i.e. the people of the Torah We charged them in the Torah, and the people of the Gospel in the Gospel, and the people of every Scripture in their Scripture, ( and (We charge ) you) O Community of Muhammad in your Book, ( that you keep your duty towards Allah ) obey Allah. ( And if you disbelieve ) in Allah, ( lo! Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens ) of angels as soldiers ( and whatsoever is in the earth ) of humans, jinn and other creatures as soldiers, ( and Allah is ever Absolute ) free from the need of your faith, ( Owner of Praise ) for His actions, He is grateful for whatever little is done for His sake and rewards abundantly for it.

And to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allah, and keep your duty to Him, But if you disbelieve, then unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is Ever Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all praise.

Page 99 English transliteration