وَٱللَّهُ يَقْضِى بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَقْضُونَ بِشَىْءٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ 20
Translations
And Allāh judges with truth, while those they invoke besides Him judge not with anything. Indeed, Allāh - He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
Transliteration
Wa-allahu yaqdi bi-al-haqq wa-alladhina yad'una min dunahu la yaqduна bi-shay'in inna allaha huwa al-samiu al-basir
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that Allah alone judges with absolute truth and justice, while the deities worshipped besides Him possess no such authority or capability. Ibn Kathir notes this serves as a refutation of polytheism, emphasizing that only Allah's judgment is infallible and complete. The concluding attributes—al-Samiu (The All-Hearing) and al-Basir (The All-Seeing)—underscore that Allah's perfect knowledge encompasses all affairs, making His judgment absolutely just.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Ghafir, which addresses the fundamental Islamic doctrine of tawhid (monotheism) against the backdrop of Meccan polytheism. The surah as a whole refutes idolatry and emphasizes Allah's sole authority over judgment and decree, responding to the pagans' reliance on their false gods for intercession and guidance.
Related Hadiths
Related thematically to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most complete of the believers in faith are those with the best character,' emphasizing that true judgment and authority belong only to Allah who knows hearts. Also related to Hadith Qudsi in Sahih Bukhari: 'My mercy precedes My wrath,' illustrating Allah's just judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
True judgment and authority belong exclusively to Allah, whose knowledge and justice are absolute; believers should abandon reliance on false powers and place complete trust in Allah's judgment. This teaches that seeking justice or guidance from anything other than Allah's revelation is futile and represents a departure from monotheism.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱتَّبِعُونِ أَهْدِكُمْ سَبِيلَ ٱلرَّشَادِ
And he who believed said, "O my people, follow me; I will guide you to the way of right conduct.
وَمَا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْبَصِيرُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَلَا ٱلْمُسِىٓءُ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ
And not equal are the blind and the seeing, nor are those who believe and do righteous deeds and the evildoer. Little do you remember.
إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلْأَشْهَـٰدُ
Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand -
أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوٓا۟ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ قُوَّةً وَءَاثَارًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَمَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ
Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? They were more numerous than themselves and greater in strength and in impression on the land, but they were not availed by what they used to earn.