وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ نَصِيبًا مِّمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ ۗ تَٱللَّهِ لَتُسْـَٔلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنتُمْ تَفْتَرُونَ 56
Translations
And they assign to what they do not know [i.e., false deities] a portion of that which We have provided them. By Allāh, you will surely be questioned about what you used to invent.
Transliteration
Wa yaj'alūna limā lā ya'lamūn nasībam mimmā razaqnāhum, talláhi latús'alunna 'ammā kuntum taftarūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns the pagan practice of dedicating a portion of Allah's provisions to their idols and false deities, despite having no knowledge or justification for doing so. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that the Quraysh would set aside portions of livestock and crops for their idols as offerings, exemplifying blind adherence to inherited customs. The ayah concludes with a solemn oath (talláhi) that the disbelievers will be questioned on the Day of Judgment about these fabrications and false attributions to Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah An-Nahl, which extensively critiques Arabian pagan practices and idolatry. The broader context addresses how pagans falsely divided Allah's blessings between Him and their idols, making unlawful innovations in religion without divine authority—a recurring theme throughout this surah's discussion of Meccan polytheism.
Related Hadiths
The practice referenced relates to Hadith in Sahih Bukhari (Book 65, Hadith 4720) where the Prophet ﷺ condemned the division of livestock for idols. Additionally, a thematically related hadith in Sahih Muslim addresses innovations (bid'ah) in religion as a form of fabrication against Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a warning against following practices without knowledge or divine guidance, and reminds us that all our deeds—especially those involving false beliefs—will be accounted for before Allah, encouraging believers to base their faith and practices on clear evidence and divine revelation rather than mere tradition.