قُلْ أَفَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ تَأْمُرُوٓنِّىٓ أَعْبُدُ أَيُّهَا ٱلْجَـٰهِلُونَ 64
Translations
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Is it other than Allāh that you order me to worship, O ignorant ones?"
Transliteration
Qul afa-ghayra Allahi ta'murunni a'buda ayyuha al-jahilun
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to ask the idolaters whether they are ordering him to worship anyone other than Allah, despite knowing the absurdity and ignorance of such a command. This ayah powerfully refutes polytheism by presenting it as inherently foolish and contradictory to monotheistic belief. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that the rhetorical question here contains both rebuke and invitation to reflection, highlighting the irrationality of associating partners with Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader Meccan context where the Prophet faced constant pressure from the Quraysh to compromise his message of pure monotheism (tawhid). Within Surah Az-Zumar, which emphasizes Allah's sovereignty and the futility of polytheism, this verse directly addresses the pagans' demands that he worship their idols, positioning such requests as incompatible with reason and faith.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet said: 'I have been commanded to worship Allah alone and not to associate anything with Him' relates to this ayah's central theme of exclusive devotion to Allah. Additionally, the hadith in Tirmidhi regarding the first revelation emphasizes that the Prophet's mission was centered on pure tawhid.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to firmly reject any compromise on the principle of monotheism and to recognize that polytheism contradicts both reason and divine guidance. For modern readers, it emphasizes maintaining unwavering conviction in Allah's oneness regardless of social pressure, and understanding that faith is founded on rationality, not blind following.