Tafseer of The Smoke · Ad-Dukhaan · 44:8
There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death. [He is] your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
And His word lā ilāha illā huwa ("there is no god but He") — He says: There is for you, O people, no object of worship except the Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them. So worship nothing other than Him, for worship is not applied to anyone else and is due to nothing other than Him. He gives life and causes death — He says: He is the One who gives life to whatever He wills, and causes to die whatever He wills of that which was alive.
And His word rabbukum wa-rabbu ābāʾikumu al-awwalīn ("your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers") — He says: He is your Owner and the Owner of those who passed away before you, of your earlier forefathers. He says: This one, then, the One whose description this is, He is the Lord; so worship Him, to the exclusion of your deities which can bring neither harm nor benefit.
