وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ سُلْطَـٰنًا وَمَا لَيْسَ لَهُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۗ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ 71
Translations
And they worship besides Allāh that for which He has not sent down authority and that of which they have no knowledge. And there will not be for the wrongdoers any helper.
Transliteration
Wa ya'budūna min dūnillāhi mā lam yunazzil bihi sulṭānan wa mā laysa lahum bihi 'ilm, wa mā lilẓẓālimīna min nāṣīr
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns the practice of worshipping idols and false deities without any divine authority or knowledge. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the ayah emphasizes that polytheists worship beings and objects that Allah has not sanctioned with any proof (sulṭān), and they do so without knowledge ('ilm), making their worship baseless and irrational. The concluding statement "there is no helper for the wrongdoers" serves as a solemn warning that those who persist in shirk (polytheism) will face divine retribution with no one to aid them.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Hajj, which addresses various aspects of the pilgrimage and monotheism. The broader context of the surah deals with refuting polytheistic practices and establishing the oneness of Allah. This particular ayah reflects the Medinan period's continued engagement with idolaters and those who had adopted false beliefs, highlighting the irrationality of polytheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever dies while associating partners with Allah will enter the Fire.' (Sahih Bukhari 1477). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah in worship.' (Sahih Bukhari 2654)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that true worship must be based on divine guidance (Revelation) and sound knowledge, not mere conjecture, custom, or blind following of ancestors. For contemporary Muslims, it serves as a reminder to scrutinize their beliefs and practices against the Quran and Sunnah, ensuring they worship Allah alone with understanding and sincerity.
Related Ayahs
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَسْجُدُ لَهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ وَٱلنُّجُومُ وَٱلْجِبَالُ وَٱلشَّجَرُ وَٱلدَّوَآبُّ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۗ وَمَن يُهِنِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن مُّكْرِمٍ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۩
Do you not see [i.e., know] that to Allāh prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people? But upon many the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allāh humiliates - for him there is no bestower of honor. Indeed, Allāh does what He wills.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلْنَـٰهُ لِلنَّاسِ سَوَآءً ٱلْعَـٰكِفُ فِيهِ وَٱلْبَادِ ۚ وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍۭ بِظُلْمٍ نُّذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
Indeed, those who have disbelieved and avert [people] from the way of Allāh and [from] al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, which We made for the people - equal are the resident therein and one from outside - and [also] whoever intends [a deed] therein of deviation [in religion] by wrongdoing - We will make him taste of a painful punishment.
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
Say, "O people, I am only to you a clear warner."
لِّكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا هُمْ نَاسِكُوهُ ۖ فَلَا يُنَـٰزِعُنَّكَ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ ۚ وَٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ هُدًى مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
For every [religious] community We have appointed rites which they perform. So, [O Muḥammad], let them [i.e., the disbelievers] not contend with you over the matter but invite [them] to your Lord. Indeed, you are upon straight guidance.