وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُوا۟ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُوا۟ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـٰفِرِينَ 6
Translations
And when the people are gathered [that Day], they [who were invoked] will be enemies to them, and they will be deniers of their worship.
Transliteration
Wa-idha hushira al-nasu kanu lahum a'da-an wa kanu bi-ibadatihim kafirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when those who were worshipped besides Allah (idols, saints, false deities) will disown their worshippers and deny any association with the worship directed toward them. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that the false objects of worship will become enemies to those who worshipped them, and they will completely reject and deny the acts of worship performed in their names, exposing the futility of shirk (polytheism) on that Day.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ahqaf is a Meccan surah that addresses the polytheists of Mecca and their false religious practices. This ayah appears within a section (46:4-6) that refutes polytheism and highlights the oneness of Allah. The context emphasizes how the Day of Judgment will reveal the absolute falsehood of associating partners with Allah.
Related Hadiths
The theme relates to hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) warned about the deception of false worship: 'The most wretched person is he who has two gods; he is not content with one.' Additionally, Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:28 is directly connected, describing how idols will deny knowledge of their worshippers' devotion.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that worshipping anything besides Allah—whether idols, individuals, or desires—will result in betrayal and abandonment on the Day of Judgment. Believers should ensure their worship is sincere and directed solely to Allah, for only He is worthy of devotion and will never abandon His servants.
Related Ayahs
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنْهُمْ أَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَنَتَجَاوَزُ عَن سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ فِىٓ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ۖ وَعْدَ ٱلصِّدْقِ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ
Those are the ones from whom We will accept the best of what they did and overlook their misdeeds, [their being] among the companions of Paradise. [That is] the promise of truth which they had been promised.
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰقَوْمَنَآ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا كِتَـٰبًا أُنزِلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ وَإِلَىٰ طَرِيقٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
They said, "O our people, indeed we have heard a [recited] Book revealed after Moses confirming what was before it which guides to the truth and to a straight path.
يَـٰقَوْمَنَآ أَجِيبُوا۟ دَاعِىَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُجِرْكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
O our people, respond to the Caller [i.e., Messenger] of Allāh and believe in him; He [i.e., Allāh] will forgive for you your sins and protect you from a painful punishment.
۞ وَٱذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُۥ بِٱلْأَحْقَافِ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ ٱلنُّذُرُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦٓ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
And mention, [O Muḥammad], the brother of ʿAad, when he warned his people in [the region of] al-Aḥqāf - and warners had already passed on before him and after him - [saying], "Do not worship except Allāh. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a terrible day."