سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 6
وَمَن جَـٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَـٰهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿6﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And whosoever strives, he strives only for himself. Verily, Allâh stands not in need of any of the ‘Âlamîn (mankind, jinn, and all that exists).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
جَـٰهَدَ
jāhada
strives
فَإِنَّمَا
fa-innamā
then only
يُجَـٰهِدُ
yujāhidu
he strives
لِنَفْسِهِۦٓ ۚ
linafsihi
for himself
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَغَنِىٌّ
laghaniyyun
(is) Free from need
عَنِ
ʿani
of
ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
l-ʿālamīna
the worlds
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
And whoever strives, he only strives for his own benefit [6]. Surely, Allah is Independent of all the worlds [7].
[6]
The Different Fronts and Types of Jihad:
Jihad means a person's utmost effort made for the implementation and elevation of Islam. Then, the types of this jihad are also numerous, and the fronts are also numerous. By types is meant, for example, jihad by the tongue—explaining and advising one another, or preaching through speeches; and jihad by the pen—that is, spreading Islamic teachings and writing responses to objections and attacks made against Islam; and then after that, collective jihad or jihad by the sword, or fighting in the way of Allah. And the very first front of jihad is a person's own self. Then after that, one's close relatives, then after that, the entire society. And the final front is fighting in the way of Allah, that is, to fight those disbelievers who have stood as obstacles in the path of Islam or are bent on destroying Islam. If jihad is done against the self, then the one who does jihad will achieve his own moral and spiritual reform; if collective jihad is done within one's society, then the entire society will be cleansed of indecencies and oppression; and if jihad by the sword is done, then Muslims will gain political benefits from it. Whatever type of jihad is done, in the end, its benefit will reach the very person who does jihad.
[7]
The Ability to Perform Jihad is Also Allah's Favor:
That is, if the one who performs jihad does not do jihad, it will not harm Allah in the least, and if he does jihad, even then it cannot benefit Allah in any way. And such is the independence of Allah that He says, "O My servants! If all of you, jinn and mankind, were to become like the most pious person among you, that would not increase My kingdom in the least; and O My servants! If all of you, jinn and mankind, were to become like the most disobedient and wicked person among you, that would not decrease My kingdom in the least." [مسلم۔ کتاب البروالصلہ۔ باب تحریم الظلم]
Then this should also be remembered, that if a person does any work for the elevation of Islam, he should never think that he is doing a favor to Allah; rather, he should be grateful and thankful to Allah, Who granted him the ability to perform jihad, in which, from every aspect, his own benefit lies. Understand this with the example that if a government officer appoints a person as his subordinate employee, then the employee should be grateful to that officer. How could it be that the employee starts saying that by becoming an employee, he has done a favor to the officer?
[6]
The Different Fronts and Types of Jihad:
Jihad means a person's utmost effort made for the implementation and elevation of Islam. Then, the types of this jihad are also numerous, and the fronts are also numerous. By types is meant, for example, jihad by the tongue—explaining and advising one another, or preaching through speeches; and jihad by the pen—that is, spreading Islamic teachings and writing responses to objections and attacks made against Islam; and then after that, collective jihad or jihad by the sword, or fighting in the way of Allah. And the very first front of jihad is a person's own self. Then after that, one's close relatives, then after that, the entire society. And the final front is fighting in the way of Allah, that is, to fight those disbelievers who have stood as obstacles in the path of Islam or are bent on destroying Islam. If jihad is done against the self, then the one who does jihad will achieve his own moral and spiritual reform; if collective jihad is done within one's society, then the entire society will be cleansed of indecencies and oppression; and if jihad by the sword is done, then Muslims will gain political benefits from it. Whatever type of jihad is done, in the end, its benefit will reach the very person who does jihad.
[7]
The Ability to Perform Jihad is Also Allah's Favor:
That is, if the one who performs jihad does not do jihad, it will not harm Allah in the least, and if he does jihad, even then it cannot benefit Allah in any way. And such is the independence of Allah that He says, "O My servants! If all of you, jinn and mankind, were to become like the most pious person among you, that would not increase My kingdom in the least; and O My servants! If all of you, jinn and mankind, were to become like the most disobedient and wicked person among you, that would not decrease My kingdom in the least." [مسلم۔ کتاب البروالصلہ۔ باب تحریم الظلم]
Then this should also be remembered, that if a person does any work for the elevation of Islam, he should never think that he is doing a favor to Allah; rather, he should be grateful and thankful to Allah, Who granted him the ability to perform jihad, in which, from every aspect, his own benefit lies. Understand this with the example that if a government officer appoints a person as his subordinate employee, then the employee should be grateful to that officer. How could it be that the employee starts saying that by becoming an employee, he has done a favor to the officer?
