أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ ٱللَّـٰتَ وَٱلْعُزَّىٰ 19
Translations
So have you considered al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā?
Transliteration
Afaraaytumu al-lāta wa-al-ʿuzzā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah questions the polytheists of Mecca about their worship of Al-Lāt and Al-ʿUzzā, two female idols they revered alongside Allah. The rhetorical question is meant to condemn their idolatry and challenge the baselessness of attributing partners to Allah. Ibn Kathir notes this verse was revealed to rebuke the practice of associating these false deities with the Divine, emphasizing that such worship is devoid of any rational or scriptural foundation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Najm, a Meccan chapter that addresses the polytheistic practices of the Quraysh. The immediate context involves the famous incident regarding the 'Satanic Verses,' where the surah opens with the Prophet's vision and then refutes the Quraysh's false beliefs and idolatrous practices. These two idols (Al-Lāt and Al-ʿUzzā) were among the most prominent objects of pre-Islamic Arabian worship.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari reports that the Quraysh worshipped Al-Lāt, Al-ʿUzzā, and Manāt as daughters of Allah—a claim the Quran repeatedly refutes throughout Surah An-Najm. Additionally, in Surah 53:21-23, there are related verses that further elaborate on the irrationality of this belief.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to critically examine their beliefs and practices, questioning whether their spiritual devotions are grounded in divine truth or mere cultural tradition. It reminds us that sincere faith must be based on rational conviction and scriptural evidence, not blind adherence to inherited customs.