وَقِيلَ ٱدۡعُواْ شُرَكَآءَكُمۡ فَدَعَوۡهُمۡ فَلَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمۡ وَرَأَوُاْ ٱلۡعَذَابَۚ لَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ يَهۡتَدُونَ
And it will be said, "Invoke your 'partners,'" and they will invoke them; but they will not respond to them, and they will see the punishment. If only they had followed guidance!
إِنَّمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡثَٰنٗا وَتَخۡلُقُونَ إِفۡكًاۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمۡلِكُونَ لَكُمۡ رِزۡقٗا فَٱبۡتَغُواْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرِّزۡقَ وَٱعۡبُدُوهُ وَٱشۡكُرُواْ لَهُۥٓۖ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ
You only worship, besides AllŒh, idols, and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those you worship besides AllŒh do not possess for you [the power of] provision. So seek from AllŒh provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be returned."
وَقَالَ إِنَّمَا ٱتَّخَذۡتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡثَٰنٗا مَّوَدَّةَ بَيۡنِكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ ثُمَّ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ يَكۡفُرُ بَعۡضُكُم بِبَعۡضٖ وَيَلۡعَنُ بَعۡضُكُم بَعۡضٗا وَمَأۡوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَ
And [Abraham] said, "You have only taken, other than AllŒh, idols as [a bond of] affection among you in worldly life. Then on the Day of Resurrection you will deny one another and curse one another, and your refuge will be the Fire, and you will not have any helpers."
قُلۡ كَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكُمۡ شَهِيدٗاۖ يَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ وَكَفَرُواْ بِٱللَّهِ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ
Say, "Sufficient is AllŒh between me and you as Witness. He knows what is in the heavens and earth. And they who have believed in falsehood and disbelieved in AllŒh – it is those who are the losers."
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَأَنَّ مَا يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ ٱلۡبَٰطِلُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡكَبِيرُ
That is because AllŒh is the True Reality, and that what they call upon[1] other than Him is falsehood, and because AllŒh is the Most High, the Grand.
1- In worship.
قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمۡلِكُونَ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٖ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَلَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا لَهُمۡ فِيهِمَا مِن شِرۡكٖ وَمَا لَهُۥ مِنۡهُم مِّن ظَهِيرٖ
Say, [O Muúammad], "Invoke those you claim [as deities] besides AllŒh." They do not possess an atom's weight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth, and they do not have therein any partnership [with Him], nor is there for Him from among them any assistant.
قُلۡ جَآءَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَمَا يُبۡدِئُ ٱلۡبَٰطِلُ وَمَا يُعِيدُ
Say, "The truth has come, and falsehood can neither begin [anything] nor repeat [it]."[1]
1- This expression alludes to complete inability, meaning that falsehood was abolished.
إِن تَدۡعُوهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُواْ دُعَآءَكُمۡ وَلَوۡ سَمِعُواْ مَا ٱسۡتَجَابُواْ لَكُمۡۖ وَيَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ يَكۡفُرُونَ بِشِرۡكِكُمۡۚ وَلَا يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثۡلُ خَبِيرٖ
If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association.[1] And none can inform you like [one] Aware [of all matters].
1- Of them with AllŒh or your worship of them.
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ شُرَكَآءَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شِرۡكٞ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَمۡ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمۡ كِتَٰبٗا فَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَتٖ مِّنۡهُۚ بَلۡ إِن يَعِدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ بَعۡضُهُم بَعۡضًا إِلَّا غُرُورًا
Say, "Have you considered[1] your 'partners' whom you invoke besides AllŒh? Show me what they have created from the earth, or have they partnership [with Him] in the heavens? Or have We given them a book so they are [standing] on evidence therefrom? [No], rather, the wrongdoers do not promise each other except delusion."[2]
1- Understood to mean "Tell me about..."
2- By telling their followers that the so-called deities will intercede for them with AllŒh.
وَمَالِيَ لَآ أَعۡبُدُ ٱلَّذِي فَطَرَنِي وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ
And why should I not worship He who created me and to whom you will be returned?
ءَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةً إِن يُرِدۡنِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ بِضُرّٖ لَّا تُغۡنِ عَنِّي شَفَٰعَتُهُمۡ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يُنقِذُونِ
Should I take other than Him [false] deities [while], if the Most Merciful intends for me some adversity, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me?
إِنِّيٓ إِذٗا لَّفِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٍ
Indeed, I would then be in manifest error.
وَٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةٗ لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ
But they have taken besides AllŒh [false] deities that perhaps they would be helped.
لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ نَصۡرَهُمۡ وَهُمۡ لَهُمۡ جُندٞ مُّحۡضَرُونَ
They are not able to help them, and they [themselves] are for them soldiers in attendance.[1]
1- Maintaining and protecting their "gods." Another interpretation is that they (i.e., the gods) will be soldiers set against them in Hellfire.
۞ٱحۡشُرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزۡوَٰجَهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡبُدُونَ
[The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds,[1] and what they used to worship
1- Those similar to them in evil deeds. Another possible meaning is "their wives."
مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَٱهۡدُوهُمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ
Other than AllŒh, and guide them to the path of Hellfire
أَتَدۡعُونَ بَعۡلٗا وَتَذَرُونَ أَحۡسَنَ ٱلۡخَٰلِقِينَ
Do you call upon BaÔl[1] and leave the best of creators –
1- The name of a great idol worshipped by the people and said to mean "lord."
كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحٖ وَٱلۡأَحۡزَابُ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡۖ وَهَمَّتۡ كُلُّ أُمَّةِۭ بِرَسُولِهِمۡ لِيَأۡخُذُوهُۖ وَجَٰدَلُواْ بِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ لِيُدۡحِضُواْ بِهِ ٱلۡحَقَّ فَأَخَذۡتُهُمۡۖ فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ
The people of Noah denied before them and the [disbelieving] factions after them, and every nation intended [a plot] for their messenger to seize him, and they disputed by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth. So I seized them, and how [terrible] was My penalty.
وَٱللَّهُ يَقۡضِي بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَقۡضُونَ بِشَيۡءٍۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ
And AllŒh judges with truth, while those they invoke[1] besides Him judge not with anything. Indeed, AllŒh – He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
1- In worship.
لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّمَا تَدۡعُونَنِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ لَيۡسَ لَهُۥ دَعۡوَةٞ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَلَا فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ مَرَدَّنَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَنَّ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ
Assuredly, that to which you invite me has no [response to a] supplication in this world or in the Hereafter; and indeed, our return is to AllŒh, and indeed, the transgressors will be companions of the Fire.
أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗاۖ فَإِن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يَخۡتِمۡ عَلَىٰ قَلۡبِكَۗ وَيَمۡحُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَٰطِلَ وَيُحِقُّ ٱلۡحَقَّ بِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمُۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
Or do they say, "He has invented about AllŒh a lie"? But if AllŒh willed, He could seal over your heart.[1] And AllŒh eliminates falsehood and establishes the truth by His words. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
1- i.e., He could make you forget the QurÕŒn and deprive you of it.
أَفَرَءَيۡتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٖ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِۦ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَٰوَةٗ فَمَن يَهۡدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱللَّهِۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and AllŒh has sent him astray due to knowledge[1] and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after AllŒh? Then will you not be reminded?
1- This can refer to AllŒh's knowledge of that person and of his preference for his own inclinations or to that person's knowledge of the truth while he refuses it.
قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شِرۡكٞ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِۖ ٱئۡتُونِي بِكِتَٰبٖ مِّن قَبۡلِ هَٰذَآ أَوۡ أَثَٰرَةٖ مِّنۡ عِلۡمٍ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ
Say, [O Muúammad], "Have you considered that which you invoke besides AllŒh? Show me what they have created of the earth; or did they have partnership in [creation of] the heavens? Bring me a scripture [revealed] before this or a [remaining] trace of knowledge, if you should be truthful."
وَمَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدۡعُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسۡتَجِيبُ لَهُۥٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ وَهُمۡ عَن دُعَآئِهِمۡ غَٰفِلُونَ
And who is more astray than he who invokes besides AllŒh those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection [i.e., never], and they, of their invocation, are unaware.
وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمۡ أَعۡدَآءٗ وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمۡ كَٰفِرِينَ
And when the people are gathered [that Day], they [who were invoked] will be enemies to them, and they will be deniers of their worship.
فَلَوۡلَا نَصَرَهُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ قُرۡبَانًا ءَالِهَةَۢۖ بَلۡ ضَلُّواْ عَنۡهُمۡۚ وَذَٰلِكَ إِفۡكُهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡتَرُونَ
Then why did those they took besides AllŒh as deities by which to approach [Him][1] not aid them? But they had strayed [i.e., departed] from them. And that was their falsehood and what they were inventing.
1- According to their claim.
أَفَرَءَيۡتُمُ ٱللَّـٰتَ وَٱلۡعُزَّىٰ
So have you considered al-LŒt and al-ÔUzzŒ?
وَمَنَوٰةَ ٱلثَّالِثَةَ ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰٓ
And ManŒt, the third – the other one?[1]
1- The three names given in this and the previous verse are those of well-known "goddesses" which were worshipped by the pagan Arabs before the spread of IslŒm.
أَلَكُمُ ٱلذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ ٱلۡأُنثَىٰ
Is the male for you and for Him the female?
تِلۡكَ إِذٗا قِسۡمَةٞ ضِيزَىٰٓ
That, then, is an unjust division.[1]
1- According to their own standards.