قُلْ إِنِّى نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ قُل لَّآ أَتَّبِعُ أَهْوَآءَكُمْ ۙ قَدْ ضَلَلْتُ إِذًا وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ 56
Translations
Say, "Indeed, I have been forbidden to worship those you invoke besides Allāh." Say, "I will not follow your desires, for I would then have gone astray, and I would not be of the [rightly] guided."
Transliteration
Qul inni nuhiitu an a'buda alladhina tad'uun min duni Allah. Qul la attabi'u ahwaa'akum qad dalaltu idhan wa ma ana mina almuhtadin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to declare that he has been forbidden by Allah to worship those whom the disbelievers call upon besides Allah, and he refuses to follow their desires and whims. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that this is a clear rejection of polytheism and an affirmation that following falsehood would constitute being astray and not among the rightly guided. Al-Tabari notes this ayah serves as a firm proclamation of monotheism (tawhid) and the Prophet's unwavering commitment to the straight path despite pressure from the Meccan polytheists.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-An'am (a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of Da'wah) and addresses the ongoing conflict between the Prophet and the Meccan polytheists who rejected his message of monotheism. The ayah reflects the historical context of Mecca where the people engaged in idolatry and pressured the Prophet to compromise his message, while he remained steadfast in his refusal to follow their desires and false worship.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet said, 'The best of speech is the Book of Allah (Quran), and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad' - reinforcing the principle of adhering to divine guidance over human desires. Also relevant is the hadith in Jami' at-Tirmidhi regarding standing firm on the truth despite opposition from the majority.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that adhering to the truth requires courage to reject societal pressures and personal desires that contradict Allah's guidance, and that true guidance lies exclusively in following the divine message rather than the whims of those around us. It serves as a timeless reminder that the pursuit of truth may isolate one from society, but it is the path to salvation.