فَلَوْلَا نَصَرَهُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ قُرْبَانًا ءَالِهَةًۢ ۖ بَلْ ضَلُّوا۟ عَنْهُمْ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ إِفْكُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ 28
Translations
Then why did those they took besides Allāh as deities by which to approach [Him] not aid them? But they had strayed [i.e., departed] from them. And that was their falsehood and what they were inventing.
Transliteration
Falawlā nasarahumu alladhīna ittakhadhū min dūni Allāhi qurbānan ālihatah. Bal dallū 'anhum. Wa dhāalika ifkuhum wa mā kānū yaftarūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the futility of polytheism by questioning why the false deities whom the idolaters took as intermediaries (qurbān - means of nearness to Allah) did not help them in times of need. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that this verse demonstrates the powerlessness of idols and the grave error of those who worship them, emphasizing that these deities abandon their worshippers when assistance is needed. The ayah concludes by affirming that such polytheistic beliefs are nothing but fabrication and lies invented by those who reject Allah's oneness.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Ahqaf, a Meccan surah that addresses the polytheists of Mecca and refutes their idolatrous practices. The surah's broader context emphasizes the consequences of rejecting monotheism and the futility of shirk (associating partners with Allah). This specific verse is part of a series of rhetorical arguments demonstrating the impotence of false gods when faced with actual calamity or divine punishment.
Related Hadiths
The theme relates to Surah Al-Hajj 22:73, where Allah states that those who call upon idols besides Him are like one who stretches forth his hand to water to bring it to his mouth, but it reaches him not. This concept is reinforced in various hadiths about the futility of shirk, such as the general principle found in Sahih Bukhari regarding Allah's rejection of deeds performed with shirk.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that reliance on anything or anyone besides Allah is ultimately futile and self-deceptive; true help and sustenance come only from Allah, the All-Powerful. For modern believers, it serves as a warning against placing ultimate trust in material means, wealth, status, or anyone other than Allah, while reminding us to anchor our faith exclusively in His oneness and omnipotence.