فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ 74
Translations
So do not assert similarities to Allāh. Indeed, Allāh knows and you do not know.
Transliteration
Falā taḍribū lillāhi al-amthāl. Inna Allāha yaʿlamu wa antum lā taʿlamūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits Muslims from making likenesses or comparisons (amthāl) for Allah, as such comparisons diminish His transcendent nature and incomparability. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this addresses the pagan practice of comparing Allah to idols and created things, while emphasizing that Allah's knowledge is absolute and unlimited, whereas human knowledge is finite and deficient. Al-Qurtubi notes this serves as a foundational principle against anthropomorphism and false theological reasoning about the Divine.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nahl, a Meccan surah addressing idolatry and polytheistic practices of pre-Islamic Arabia. The broader context (16:73-75) discusses how pagans attribute partners to Allah and make false comparisons between Allah and His creation, particularly regarding idols. This ayah directly refutes such theological errors by affirming Allah's unique attributes and superiority over all creation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said: 'Nothing is like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing' (Surah Ash-Shura 42:11), which echoes this principle of Allah's incomparability. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet warned against discussing the nature of Allah in ways that lead to confusion and false comparisons.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should refrain from making inadequate comparisons or descriptions of Allah based on limited human understanding, recognizing that our knowledge is incomplete while Allah's is infinite. This teaches intellectual humility and the importance of receiving guidance from revelation rather than relying solely on reason when approaching theological matters.
Related Ayahs
وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْذَنُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ
And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect from every nation a witness [i.e., their prophet]. Then it will not be permitted to the disbelievers [to apologize or make excuses], nor will they be asked to appease [Allāh].
ٱلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ ۙ يَقُولُونَ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
The ones whom the angels take in death, [being] good and pure; [the angels] will say, "Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do."
وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُسِرُّونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ
And Allāh knows what you conceal and what you declare.
وَإِذَا رَءَا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ
And when those who wronged see the punishment, it will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.