Surah Ya-Sin 36:22
سُورَةُ يسٓ · Meccan · Verse 22 of 83
وَمَا لِىَ لَآ أَعْبُدُ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
Translation
Why should I not worship the One who created me? It is to Him that you will be returned.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'And why should I not worship the One who originated me, and to whom you will be returned?' al-Razi catches the brilliance of the phrasing: he does not say 'why should I worship Him?' but 'what is with me that I should not?', as if disbelief were the thing that needs an excuse, and belief the obvious default. Worshipping your own Maker requires no justification; refusing to would need a reason he cannot find. Ask yourself: I usually assume faith is what bears the burden of proof, and doubt is the natural resting state. This believer flips it, turning to the One who made me is the sane, self-evident thing; it is turning away that would need explaining. What excuse am I really running on?
Grounded in classical tafsir: al-Razi, al-Biqa'i, al-Saadi.
Wording
The believing man, rushing from the city's outskirts, passionately calls his people to the truth. In Surah Ya-Sin, verse 22, he articulates his profound conviction not by directly rebuking them, but through a deeply personal and reflective question: "And why should I not worship the One who created me, and to Him you will all be returned?" (وَمَا لِيَ لآ أَعْبُدُ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ). This choice of wording is rich with subtle wisdom.
A Gentle Challenge
The man begins with "وما لي لا أعبد" (And why should I not worship?). This rhetorical question, meaning "there is nothing to prevent me from worshipping," is presented as a personal reflection. However, as scholars like al-Zamakhshari and Ibn Ashur explain, it is a clever and gentle way of speaking to his people. Instead of asking "Why don't *you* worship?", he frames it as his own rationale, indirectly challenging them to consider the same logic for themselves. Imam al-Razi notes that by stating he finds no impediment, the man subtly implies that the issue lies not with the object of worship, but with those who refuse to worship. This approach makes his advice less confrontational and more inviting.
The Source of Existence
The object of his worship is "الذي فطرني" (the One who created me). The word *fatarani* (فطرني) emphasizes Allah's unique role as the originator and inventor of creation. It means He brought him into existence in a unique, unpatterned way. Al-Razi highlights that this is the fundamental "reason for worshipping": the Creator is the ultimate Master and Benefactor, deserving of all honor, glorification, and gratitude from His creation. The man chooses this specific relationship, his own creation, as the most direct and undeniable reason for his worship.
The Inevitable Return
The verse concludes with "وإليه ترجعون" (and to Him you will all be returned). The shift to the plural "you" (ترجعون) here is significant. As al-Zamakhshari and Ibn Ashur point out, it explicitly reveals that the man's initial personal reflection was, in fact, an indirect address to his people. This phrase adds the element of accountability. Al-Razi explains that the return to Allah should inspire both fear and hope: fear of divine recompense for disobedience, and hope for reward for obedience. While the man himself may worship from a higher motive of pure submission, he appeals to his people's understanding of consequences, urging them to consider their ultimate destination and the One who holds sway over it.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Ya-Sin 36:22 is discussed in 7 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Ya-Sin 36:22 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.