يَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُۥ وَمَا لَا يَنفَعُهُۥ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلضَّلَـٰلُ ٱلْبَعِيدُ 12
Translations
He invokes instead of Allāh that which neither harms him nor benefits him. That is what is the extreme error.
Transliteration
Yad'u min duni-Allahi ma la yadurruhu wa ma la yanfa'uh. Dhalika huwa ad-dalalu al-ba'id.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns the practice of invoking and worshipping besides Allah entities that can neither harm nor benefit the caller, describing such actions as extreme misguidance (ad-dalal al-ba'id). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as a direct refutation of idolatry and polytheism, emphasizing the logical absurdity of seeking help from powerless beings when only Allah possesses all power and knowledge. The ayah underscores that worship and supplication should be directed solely to Allah, the Only One capable of responding to needs.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Hajj (a Medinan chapter), which discusses the pilgrimage and various aspects of Islamic theology. The broader context of Ayah 12 addresses the folly of those who associate partners with Allah in worship. This reflects the Quranic theme of confronting polytheistic practices prevalent in pre-Islamic Arabia and among some contemporaries of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Related Hadiths
The Hadith Qudsi: 'I am as my servant thinks I am, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a better gathering' (Sahih Bukhari 7405). Also relevant is the Hadith: 'The best supplication is the supplication on the day of Arafah, and the best that I and the prophets before me have said is: There is nothing like unto Him' (Tirmidhi 3585).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to examine the rationality of their spiritual choices and to recognize that true reliance must be placed only on Allah, who alone possesses the power to benefit or harm. It serves as a reminder that sincere devotion requires directing all supplication, hope, and trust toward the One True God alone, rejecting any intermediaries or false deities that lack any actual power or benefit.