Transliteration:( Qul aghairal laahi attakhizu waliyyan faatiris samaawaati wal ardi wa Huwa yut'imu wa laa yut'am; qul inneee umirtu an akoona awwala man aslama wa laa takoonanna minal mushrikeen )
"Please declare (O Beloved Prophet): 'Shall I take for a protector anyone other than Allah [27], the Originator of the heavens and the earth, Who feeds but is not fed? [28]' Please declare (O Beloved Prophet): 'I have been commanded to submit [29], and never to be a polytheist [30].'"
This verse was revealed in response to Qurayshi disbelievers who tried to persuade the Prophet ﷺ to abandon Tawheed and revert to the ancestral beliefs of idol-worship. The Prophet ﷺ is commanded to reject such appeals and reaffirm that obedience to Allah outweighs all social or ancestral ties. It highlights that Allah’s right is greater than all of creation combined.
Allah is described as the One Who feeds but is never fed, showing His complete independence. All creation—including celestial bodies like the sun and moon—are themselves dependent and powerless, unable to sustain others without Allah’s command. Only Allah possesses true power and self-sufficiency.
The phrase “I have been commanded to submit” alludes to the belief that the Noor (Light) of the Prophet ﷺ was the first creation, and also the first to worship Allah. This verse subtly honors the primordial submission of the Prophet ﷺ, supported by narrations like “The first thing Allah created was my Noor.” The Prophets are the foremost worshippers, preceding even their nations in obedience.
Allah doesn’t merely say “don’t commit shirk”—instead, the Prophet ﷺ is commanded not to be from among the polytheists. This emphasizes total distinction in beliefs, actions, customs, and identity. A believer should not resemble polytheists even outwardly, and must be completely separate in ideology and practice.
The tafsir of Surah Al-Anam verse 14 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Anam ayat 12 which provides the complete commentary from verse 12 through 16.
(6:14) Say: ‘Shall I take for my guardian anyone other than Allah – the Originator of the heavens and earth; He Who feeds and Himself is not fed?’[10] Say: ‘Surely I have been commanded to be the first among those who submit (to Allah) and not to be one of those who associate others with Allah in His divinity (even though others may do so).’
10. This remark contains a subtle sarcasm. Far from providing sustenance to their followers, the beings whom the polytheists set up as deities beside the true God were dependent upon them for their sustenance. No Pharaoh can maintain the pomp and splendour connected with his godhead unless his subjects pay their tax dues and make him other offerings. No deity can attract worshippers unless some of its devotees make an idol, place it in some magnificent temple, and decorate it lavishly. All these counterfeit gods are totally dependent upon their own servants. It is the Lord of the Universe alone Who is the True God, Whose godhead rests solely upon His.own power; Who needs the help of no one, whereas no one can dispense with His.
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