Tafseer of The Winnowing Winds · Adh-Dhaariyat · 51:56
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
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.
The explanation of the words of the Exalted: وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإِنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِ (And I have not created the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (56))
The exegetes of the text have differed over the explanation of His words وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِ . Some said: its meaning is: And I have not created the blessed ones among the jinn and mankind except for My worship, and the wretched ones among them for My disobedience.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us; he said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Zayd ibn Aslam وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِ : he said: that to which they are naturally disposed of wretchedness and felicity.
Ibn Bashshār related to us; he said: Muʾammal related to us; he said: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Zayd ibn Aslam, in similar fashion.
ʿAbd al-Aʿlā ibn Wāṣil related to me; he said: ʿUbaydallāh ibn Mūsā related to us; he said: Sufyān reported to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Zayd ibn Aslam, with the same.
Ḥumayd ibn al-Rabīʿ al-Kharrāz related to us; he said: Ibn Yamān related to us; he said: Ibn Jurayj related to us, on the authority of Zayd ibn Aslam, concerning His words وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِ : he said: He created them by nature upon wretchedness and felicity.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us; he said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِ : he said: of whoever was created for worship.
And others said: rather, its meaning is: And I have not created the jinn and mankind except that they should submit to Me in servitude.
* Mention of who said that:
ʿAlī related to me; he said: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us; he said: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِ : except that they should acknowledge servitude, willingly and unwillingly.
And the correct of the two opinions concerning this is the opinion which we have related from Ibn ʿAbbās, namely: I have not created the jinn and mankind except for Our worship and for submission to Our command.
If an objector were to say: How then is it that they became unbelievers, while He created them for submission to His command? — then it is answered: They have submitted to His decree which He has pronounced over them, for His decree is carried out upon them; they have no power to escape it when it comes upon them. Whoever became an unbeliever in Him only opposed Him by failing to carry out what He commanded him; as for submission to His decree, however, from that he cannot escape.
