إِنَّهُمْ لَن يُغْنُوا۟ عَنكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ 19
Translations
Indeed, they will never avail you against Allāh at all. And indeed, the wrongdoers are allies of one another; but Allāh is the protector of the righteous.
Transliteration
Innahum lan yughnoo 'anka mina Allahi shay'an wa inna al-zalimeen ba'duhum awliya'u ba'din wa Allahu waliyyu al-muttaqin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah asserts that those who turn away from Allah's guidance cannot protect the believer from Allah's punishment or plan, emphasizing the futility of relying on transgressors for protection. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the verse teaches that wrongdoers naturally ally with one another in their opposition to truth, whereas Allah alone is the true Guardian (Wali) of the righteous (muttaqin) who fear Him. This contrast underscores the spiritual reality that true protection and support come only from Allah, not from those engaged in injustice.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during a period of intense persecution of early Muslims, this surah addresses the theological foundations of faith when believers faced societal rejection. This particular ayah comes within a section emphasizing monotheistic devotion and warning against following the desires of those who have abandoned Allah's guidance, providing reassurance to the early Muslim community that their reliance should be solely on Allah rather than on their persecutors or those who might betray them.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever takes the wrongdoers as allies has forsaken Allah' (referenced in classical tafsir). Additionally, the hadith 'The best wealth is a good tongue and a grateful heart' (Tirmidhi) relates to the theme of true guardianship and protection coming through righteousness rather than worldly alliances.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should place their complete trust in Allah's protection rather than seeking security through alliances with the unjust or those who oppose divine guidance. This ayah reminds us that piety (taqwa) and conscious devotion to Allah are the true sources of spiritual support and protection in this life and the next.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَىٰ شَرِيعَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ فَٱتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Then We put you, [O Muḥammad], on an ordained way concerning the matter [of religion]; so follow it and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know.
وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن رِّزْقٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَـٰحِ ءَايَـٰتٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
And [in] the alternation of night and day and [in] what Allāh sends down from the sky of provision [i.e., rain] and gives life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and [in His] directing of the winds are signs for a people who reason.
فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَيُدْخِلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ فِى رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
So as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy. That is what is the clear attainment.
وَلَهُ ٱلْكِبْرِيَآءُ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
And to Him belongs [all] grandeur within the heavens and the earth, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.