وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَـٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدًا 18
Translations
And [He revealed] that the masjids are for Allāh, so do not invoke with Allāh anyone.
Transliteration
Wa anna al-masajida lillahi fa la tad'u ma'a Allahi ahada
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that all mosques belong exclusively to Allah, and therefore one should not invoke or worship anyone alongside Him within these sacred spaces. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as a prohibition against associating partners with Allah (shirk) in places of worship, reinforcing the concept of absolute monotheism (tawhid). The ayah serves as a reminder that mosques are sanctified for the worship of Allah alone, and any act of invocation directed toward other than Allah violates their sacred purpose.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Jinn is addressed to the jinn who believed in the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This ayah occurs within the context of the jinn's declaration of faith and their commitment to abandoning idolatry. The surrounding verses (72:16-18) emphasize the jinn's testimony that if they had remained steadfast on the straight path, they would have been granted abundance, reinforcing the theme of monotheistic commitment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The most grievous sin is that a slave associates partners with Allah, for Allah has created him and he invokes another alongside Him' (related in various hadith collections). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari emphasizes that mosques are the houses of Allah where only His worship should occur.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must maintain absolute devotion to Allah in all spaces, especially in places of worship, and should vigilantly guard against any form of associating partners with Him. This ayah reminds us that our mosques and houses of worship should be sanctuaries of pure monotheistic devotion, free from any distractions or false invocations.