The Quran

Preface

قُل أَغَيرَ اللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فاطِرِ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ وَهُوَ يُطعِمُ وَلا يُطعَمُ ۗ قُل إِنّي أُمِرتُ أَن أَكونَ أَوَّلَ مَن أَسلَمَ ۖ وَلا تَكونَنَّ مِنَ المُشرِكينَ

Yusuf Ali

Say: “Shall I take for my protector any other than God, the Maker of the heavens and the earth? And He it is that feedeth but is not fed.”¹ Say: “Nay! but I am commanded to be the first of those who bow to God (in Islam), and be not thou of the company of those who join gods with God.”

Feedeth but is not fed: true both literally and figuratively. To God we owe the satisfaction of all needs, but He is independent of all needs, (Cf. 7:19 and 5:66 and notes).