What does Quran 18:38 mean?

Quran 18:38 (Surah Al-Kahf, Ayah 38) translates to: "But as for me, He is Allah, my Lord, and I do not associate with my Lord anyone."

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 18:38 from?

This ayah is from Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave), the 18th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 15.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 18:38?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih Muslim, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan Abu Dawud.

What tafsir is available for Quran 18:38?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

Ayah 37

قَالَ لَهُۥ صَاحِبُهُۥ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَكَفَ...

18:38Al-Kahf

Q: What topics does Quran 18:38 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Tawhid, Allah, Shirk (Associating Partners with Allah), Faith and Belief, Creation.

Ayah 39

وَلَوْلَآ إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَآءَ...

لَّٰكِنَّا۠ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ رَبِّى وَلَآ أُشْرِكُ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدًۭا

Laakinaa Huwal laahu Rabbee wa laa ushriku bi Rabbeee ahadaa

But as for me, He is Allah, my Lord, and I do not associate with my Lord anyone.

Themes in this ayah

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Oneness of Allah99

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Oneness of Allah

18:38Ayah 1110

11 ayahs in Al-Kahf are strongly about the oneness of Allah. This is one of them.

← Previous on Oneness of Allah18:26Say, "Allah is most knowing of how long they remained. He has [knowledge of] the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth.Next on Oneness of Allah →18:42And his fruits were encompassed [by ruin], so he began to turn his hands about [in dismay] over what he had spent on it,

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 18:38→

But lo lākinnā is actually made up of lākin anā ‘but I … ’ where the hamza vowel has either been transferred onto the nūn of lākin or omitted altogether with the nūn assimilated with the like of it He is huwa this is the pronoun of the subject matter to be stated and is clarified by the sentence that follows it the meaning in other words is ‘But it is that I say that He is’ God my Lord and I do not ascribe any partner to my Lord.

I am the One, One Who does not stand in need of a partner. If anyone does anything in which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him with one whom he associates with Allah.

Sunan Ibn Majah #3940It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:Da'if

“Allah says: ‘I am the Most Self-Sufficient and I have no need for an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone else’s sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me.’”

Sahih Muslim #2699Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported that the polytheists also pronounced (Talbiya) as:Sahih

Here I am at Thy service, there is no associate with Thee. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Woe be upon them, as they also said: But one associate with Thee, you possess mastery over him, but he does not possess mastery (over you). They used to say this and circumambulate the Ka'ba.

Sunan Ibn Majah #3618It was narrated that Asma’ bint ‘Umais said:Hasan

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught me some words to say at times of distress: Allah! Allahu Rabbi la ushriku bihi shay’an (Allah, Allah is my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him).”

Sunan Abu Dawud #1526Narrated Asma' daughter of Umays:Hasan li ghairih

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: May I not teach you phrases which you utter in distress? (These are:) "Allah , Allah is my Lord, I do not associate anything as partner with Him." Abu Dawud said: The narrator Hilal is a client of 'Umar b. 'Abd al-Aziz. The name of Ja'far, a narrator, is 'Abd Allah b. Ja'far.