And His statement: “So seek provision from Allah, worship Him alone, and give thanks to Him, for to Him you will be returned.” (Al-‘Ankabut 29:17)
seek: request it.
worship Him: devote the whole of worship purely to Him. This is an instance of coupling the general with the specific, for seeking provision from Allah is itself an act of worship.
thank Him: acknowledge His favor, carry out the obedience He deserves, and abstain from disobedience.
to Him: to none but Him.
you will be returned: on the Day of Resurrection, when He will recompense everyone for what he has done.
Overall meaning of the verse: Allah commands His servants to seek sustenance from Him alone—not from idols or statues—to single Him out in worship, to recognize His favors, to use those favors in obedience to Him, and to shun sin. He then informs them that the final return is to Him, whereupon He will reward each person according to his deeds; therefore the servant must prepare for that meeting.
Relevance of the verse to this chapter: It establishes the obligation of singling out Allah in supplication and worship, and it refutes the polytheists who worship anyone besides Him.
Points derived from the verse:
- The obligation to supplicate Allah alone and to seek provision from Him.
- The obligation to single out Allah in every type of worship.
- The obligation to thank Allah for His blessings.
- Affirmation of resurrection and recompense.
- There is no conflict between seeking a livelihood, earning, and worshipping Allah; Islam brings goodness in both religious and worldly matters.