حُنَفَآءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ ٱلطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِى بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِى مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ 31
Translations
Inclining [only] to Allāh, not associating [anything] with Him. And he who associates with Allāh - it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place.
Transliteration
Hunafaa lillahi ghayra mushrikina bihi wa man yushrik billahi fa-ka-anna ma kharra min al-sama'i fa-takhtafuhu al-tayr aw tahwa bihi al-rih fi makan sahiq
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to be devoted to Allah alone (hanif) without associating partners with Him (shirk), and employs a vivid metaphor to describe the fate of polytheists: they are like someone falling from the sky, snatched by birds or blown by wind to a distant place. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as depicting both the physical and spiritual destruction of those who commit shirk, emphasizing the severity of polytheism. The metaphor illustrates the helplessness and destruction that befalls the mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) in this life and the next.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Hajj (Chapter 22), a Medinan surah primarily addressing the pilgrimage and monotheistic devotion. It follows verses discussing the proper observance of Hajj and reinforces the foundational Islamic principle of Tawhid (divine oneness). The context of the broader surah emphasizes ritual devotion aligned with pure monotheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever dies while associating partners with Allah will enter the Fire.' (Sahih Muslim 93). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari emphasizes that 'The most grievous sin is to associate partners with Allah' (shirk), directly connecting to this ayah's warning.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere devotion to Allah alone (hanifiyyah) is the foundation of faith, while shirk—whether in worship, trust, or allegiance—leads to complete destruction and helplessness. For modern believers, it reinforces the importance of maintaining pure monotheism in all aspects of life and avoiding subtle forms of shirk such as placing trust in creation rather than the Creator.
Related Ayahs
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ هُوَ ٱلْبَـٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُ
That is because Allāh is the True Reality, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allāh is the Most High, the Grand.
وَٱلْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَـٰهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَـٰٓئِرِ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَآفَّ ۖ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْقَانِعَ وَٱلْمُعْتَرَّ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرْنَـٰهَا لَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols [i.e., rites] of Allāh; for you therein is good. So mention the name of Allāh upon them when lined up [for sacrifice]; and when they are [lifeless] on their sides, then eat from them and feed the needy [who does not seek aid] and the beggar. Thus have We subjected them to you that you may be grateful.
أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا۟ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ
Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allāh is competent to give them victory.
ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا۟ تَفَثَهُمْ وَلْيُوفُوا۟ نُذُورَهُمْ وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا۟ بِٱلْبَيْتِ ٱلْعَتِيقِ
Then let them end their untidiness and fulfill their vows and perform ṭawāf around the ancient House."