وَلَا يَأْمُرَكُمْ أَن تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ أَرْبَابًا ۗ أَيَأْمُرُكُم بِٱلْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ 80
Translations
Nor could he order you to take the angels and prophets as lords. Would he order you to disbelief after you had been Muslims?
Transliteration
Wa lā ya'murukum an tattakhidhū al-malā'ikata wa-n-nabiyyīn arbāban. Aya'murukum bi-l-kufri ba'da idh antum muslimūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refutes the notion that any messenger or prophet would command believers to take angels and prophets as lords (gods) besides Allah, as this would constitute kufr (disbelief). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as a direct condemnation of idolatry and the elevation of creation to the status of Creator, emphasizing that true messengers only call people to the exclusive worship of Allah. The rhetorical question 'Would he command you with disbelief after you have become Muslims?' underscores the logical impossibility and contradiction of such a command.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ali 'Imran's discussion of the People of the Book and their deviation from monotheism. It likely addresses historical instances where certain Christian communities and others had elevated prophets and angels to divine status, warning the Muslim community against similar practices. The broader context concerns affirming tawhīd (monotheism) and rejecting all forms of shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim wherein the Prophet (ﷺ) warned against excessive praise: 'Do not praise me as the Christians praised the son of Mary. I am only a servant, so say: Allah's slave and His messenger.' This reinforces that prophets must not be taken as objects of worship.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must guard against the subtle elevation of anyone or anything to divine status, recognizing that all prophets and righteous servants are merely human intermediaries and slaves of Allah. This ayah teaches us to maintain pure monotheism and to be wary of venerating creation in ways that approach worship, a timeless principle applicable to contemporary forms of hero-worship and idolization.
Related Ayahs
۞ إِذْ تُصْعِدُونَ وَلَا تَلْوُۥنَ عَلَىٰٓ أَحَدٍ وَٱلرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ فِىٓ أُخْرَىٰكُمْ فَأَثَـٰبَكُمْ غَمًّۢا بِغَمٍّ لِّكَيْلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا مَآ أَصَـٰبَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
[Remember] when you [fled and] climbed [the mountain] without looking aside at anyone while the Messenger was calling you from behind. So Allāh repaid you with distress upon distress so you would not grieve for that which had escaped you [of victory and spoils of war] or [for] that which had befallen you [of injury and death]. And Allāh is [fully] Aware of what you do.
وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَجِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ
And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allāh and obey me.
قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ ءَايَةٌ فِى فِئَتَيْنِ ٱلْتَقَتَا ۖ فِئَةٌ تُقَـٰتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَأُخْرَىٰ كَافِرَةٌ يَرَوْنَهُم مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْىَ ٱلْعَيْنِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرِ
Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met [in combat at Badr] - one fighting in the cause of Allāh and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allāh supports with His victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision.
هُمْ دَرَجَـٰتٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ
They are [varying] degrees in the sight of Allāh, and Allāh is Seeing of whatever they do.