وَلَآ أَنتُمْ عَـٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ 5
Translations
Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship.
Transliteration
wa lā antum ʿābidūna mā aʿbud
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms the complete separation between the worship of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the worship practices of the Meccan disbelievers, declaring that they do not and will not worship what he worships. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain this as a definitive statement of incompatibility between monotheistic worship of Allah alone and the polytheistic idolatry of the Quraysh, emphasizing that there is no common ground in matters of religious conviction and practice.
Revelation Context
This surah was revealed in Mecca during a period of intense conflict between the Prophet and the Quraysh polytheists who rejected his message of tawhid (monotheism). The entire surah serves as a clear declaration of the fundamental ideological divide, with this ayah specifically addressing the mutual rejection of each other's religious practices, establishing that coexistence in belief is impossible.
Related Hadiths
The theme of firm adherence to tawhid is reflected in the hadith: 'Whoever dies while associating partners with Allah will enter the Fire' (Sahih Bukhari 1237). Additionally, the Prophet's stance on religious compromise is evident in his rejection of the Quraysh's proposals to worship their gods for a season, demonstrating the principle established in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that authentic faith requires complete commitment to monotheism without dilution or compromise with false beliefs, and that it is permissible—indeed necessary—to maintain clear boundaries when fundamental religious principles are at stake. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of intellectual and spiritual conviction grounded in truth, rather than seeking superficial harmony at the expense of core beliefs.