Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (684)

(3–4) “O mankind, remember Allah’s blessing upon you. Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from heaven and earth? There is no deity worthy of worship except Him. How, then, are you turned away?”

Allah Most High commands all people to remember His blessing upon them. This includes acknowledging it in their hearts, praising Him for it with their tongues, and submitting to Him in obedience through their actions. Remembering His blessings prompts gratitude to Him. He then draws their attention to the fundamental blessings—creation and provision—saying, “Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from heaven and earth?”

Since it is well known that none creates or provides except Allah, it follows that this proves His divinity and His exclusive right to be worshipped. Therefore, He says, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Him. How, then, are you turned away?” That is, how are you turned away from worshipping the Creator and Provider to worshipping creatures who are themselves provided for?

﴿٣ - ٤﴾ ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ هَلْ مِنْ خَالِقٍ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأرْضِ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ فَأَنَّى تُؤْفَكُونَ﴾ . يأمر تعالى، جميع الناس أن يذكروا نعمته عليهم، وهذا شامل لذكرها بالقلب اعترافا، وباللسان ثناء، وبالجوارح انقيادا، فإن ذكر نعمه تعالى داع لشكره، ثم نبههم على أصول النعم، وهي الخلق والرزق، فقال: ﴿هَلْ مِنْ خَالِقٍ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأرْضِ﴾ ولما كان من المعلوم أنه ليس أحد يخلق ويرزق إلا الله، نتج من ذلك، أن كان ذلك دليلا على ألوهيته وعبوديته، ولهذا قال: ﴿لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ فَأَنَّى تُؤْفَكُونَ﴾ أي: تصرفون عن عبادة الخالق الرازق لعبادة المخلوق المرزوق.