Surah Fatir (35): Verse 15

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) increased his supplication, and the disbelievers persisted [in their disbelief],

they said: "Perhaps Allah needs our worship, which is why He commands us with it emphatically and threatens us severely for abandoning it."

So Allah revealed: {You are the needy ones in relation to Allah, but Allah, He is the Self-Sufficient (Al-Ghaniyy)}.

This means He does not command you to worship out of need for you. Rather, it is out of compassion for you. In this verse, there are several issues:

Issue 1: Definiteness in the Predicate (Khabar)

Generally, the predicate (Khabar) is indefinite (Nakirah), while the subject (Mubtada') is definite (Ma'rifah). This is logical because the speaker usually informs about something unknown to the listener, or something the speaker assumes the listener is unaware of. If the predicate were definite, it would imply that the listener already knows the attribute being mentioned, as in saying, "Zayd is standing," meaning, "Zayd, whom you know, has the attribute of standing, which you are not aware of."

However, if both the subject and the predicate are definite, and the predicate is used for alerting (Tanbih) rather than informing (Tafhim), then making the predicate definite is highly appropriate. This is seen in the statement: "Allah is our Lord, and Muhammad is our Prophet," where the status of Allah as Lord and Muhammad as Prophet are both affirmed definitively.

Here, since the neediness of the people is an obvious matter known to everyone, Allah said: {You are the needy ones (Al-Fuqara')}.

Issue 2: The meaning of {Except Allah}

The phrase {...in relation to Allah} indicates that all need (Iftiqar) is directed only toward Him, and all reliance (I'timad) is upon Him alone. This necessitates worshipping Him because of this need, and not worshipping others because there is no need for them.

Then Allah said: {but Allah, He is the Self-Sufficient (Al-Ghaniyy)}. This means that despite His absolute Self-Sufficiency, He calls you to worship. Yet, due to your neediness, you do not respond to His call, nor do you supplicate Him so that He may answer you.

Issue 3: The significance of {The Praiseworthy (Al-Hamid)}

When Allah added the phrase {to Allah} to the first predicate, {You are the needy ones}, it points to the necessity of restricting worship to Him alone. Similarly, when He added the attribute {The Self-Sufficient} to Himself, He followed it with the attribute {The Praiseworthy (Al-Hamid)}.

This addition of Al-Hamid corresponds to your neediness. Your poverty in relation to Him is set against His attributes of Self-Sufficiency and His blessings upon you, which necessitate gratitude because He is Praiseworthy. Thus, you are not merely needy, and Allah is not merely like you in poverty. Rather, He is absolutely Self-Sufficient. Furthermore, because you are needy and turn to Him, He does not leave your needs unmet; He has fulfilled your needs in this world. If you believe, He will fulfill your needs in the Hereafter. Therefore, He is Praiseworthy.

{If He wills, He can remove you and bring forth a new creation.} (35:16)