And yet they worship besides God what cannot bring them gain or do them harm. The unbeliever has always been an auxiliary against his Lord.
And they worship such, other than Allah, which neither benefit nor hurt them; and the disbeliever helps the devil instead of his Lord.
And they serve, apart from God, what neither profits them nor hurts them; and the unbeliever is ever a partisan against his Lord.
And yet, some people worship, instead of God, things that can neither benefit them nor harm them: thus, he who denies the truth does indeed turn his back on his Sustainer!
And yet they worship, besides Allah, that which can neither benefit them nor hurt them; and the infidel is ever an aider of the devil against his Lord.
And they (disbelievers, polytheists, etc.) worship besides Allah, that which can neither profit them nor harm them, and the disbeliever is ever a helper (of the Satan) against his Lord.
And yet, instead of God, they serve what neither profits them nor harms them. The disbeliever has always turned his back on his Lord.
Yet they worship, instead of Allah, those who can neither benefit them nor harm them: more than this, the disbeliever has become a helper of every rebel against his Lord.
And they worship besides Allah, that which can neither profit them nor harm them; and the disbeliever is ever a helper against his Lord.
Yet they worship instead of Allah that which can neither benefit them nor hurt them. The disbeliever was ever a partisan against his Lord.
They worship besides Allah that which neither brings them any benefit nor causes them any harm, and the faithless one is ever an abettor against his Lord.
Yet they (the unbelievers) worship, other than Allah, that which can neither benefit nor harm them. Surely, the unbeliever is ever a partisan against his Lord.
But they worship rather than Allah that which does not benefit them or harm them, and the disbeliever is ever, against his Lord, an assistant [to Satan].
They worship besides God things that can neither benefit nor harm them. The unbelievers are defiant against their Lord.
And they serve besides Allah that which neither profits them nor causes them harm; and the unbeliever is a partisan against his Lord.
WayaAAbudoona min dooni All<u>a</u>hi m<u>a</u> l<u>a</u> yanfaAAuhum wal<u>a</u> ya<u>d</u>urruhum wak<u>a</u>na alk<u>a</u>firu AAal<u>a</u> rabbihi <i><u>th</u></i>aheer<u>a</u><b>n</b>
Yet they worship besides God that which can neither benefit them nor harm them. One who denies the truth is a helper [of evil] against his Lord.
Yet do they worship, besides Allah, things that can neither profit them nor harm them: and the Misbeliever is a helper (of Evil), against his own Lord!
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَكَانَ ٱلْكَافِرُ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ ظَهِيرًا
Yet instead of Allah, the disbelievers worship idols that can neither benefit them, if they follow them, nor harm them, if they go against them. The disbeliever has always followed Satan in that which angers Allah, may He be glorified.
Yet instead of Allah, the disbelievers worship idols that can neither benefit them, if they follow them, nor harm them, if they go against them. The disbeliever has always followed Satan in that which angers Allah, may He be glorified.
<h2 class="title">The Ignorance of the Idolators</h2><p>Allah tells us how ignorant the idolators are; instead of worshipping Allah, they worship idols which do not possess the power either to harm or benefit. They do this with no evidence or proof; the only thing that led them to do this was their own whims and desires. So they take these idols as protectors and fight for their sake, and they oppose Allah and His Messenger and the believers for their sake. Similarly Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَانَ الْكَـفِرُ عَلَى رَبِّهِ ظَهِيراً</div><p>(and the disbeliever is ever a helper against his Lord.) meaning, he is a supporter of Shaytan against the party of Allah, but the party of Allah are the ones who will prevail, as Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً لَّعَلَّهُمْ يُنصَرُونَ - لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ مٌّحْضَرُونَ </div><p>(And they have taken besides Allah gods, hoping that they might be helped. They cannot help them, but they will be brought forward as a troop against those who worshipped them.) (36:74-75) meaning, the gods which they worshipped instead of Allah cannot help them. These ignorant people are troops for the idols and are ready to fight for their sake and protect their sanctuaries, but in the end the victory will be for Allah and His Messenger and the believers, in this world and the Hereafter.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَانَ الْكَـفِرُ عَلَى رَبِّهِ ظَهِيراً</div><p>(and the disbeliever is ever a helper against his Lord. ) Mujahid said: "He supports and helps the Shaytan in disobedience towards Allah.</p><h2 class="title">The Messenger brings Glad Tidings and Warnings</h2><p>Then Allah tells His Messenger:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـكَ إِلاَّ مُبَشِّراً وَنَذِيراً </div><p>(And We have sent you only as a bearer of good news and a warner.) meaning, a bringer of good news to the believers, a warner to the disbelievers; bringing good news of Paradise to those who obey Allah, and bringing warnings of a dreadful punishment for those who go against the commandments of Allah.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ مَآ أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ</div><p>(Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this...") `for conveying this message and this warning, I do not ask for any reward from your wealth; I am only doing this for the sake of Allah, may He be exalted.'</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ </div><p>(To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight) (81:28).</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ مَن شَآءَ أَن يَتَّخِذَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ سَبِيلاً</div><p>(save that whosoever wills, may take a path to his Lord.) means, a way and a methodology to be followed.</p><p>The Command to the Messenger to put his Trust in Allah, and someof His Qualities</p><p>Then Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَىِّ الَّذِى لاَ يَمُوتُ</div><p>(And put your trust in the Ever Living One Who dies not,) meaning, in all your affairs, put your trust in Allah, the Ever-Living Who never dies, the One Who</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الاٌّوَّلُ وَالاٌّخِرُ وَالظَّـهِرُ وَالْبَـطِنُ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ</div><p>(is the First and the Last, the Most High and the Most Near. And He is the All-Knower of everything) (57:3). The Eternal, Ever-Lasting, Ever-Living, Self-Sufficient One, the Lord and Sovereign of all things, the One to Whom you should always turn. Allah is the One in Whom you should put your trust and to Whom you should turn for refuge, He will be sufficient for you and will be your helper and supporter, and will cause you to prevail. As Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ</div><p>(O Messenger! Proclaim which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will protect you from mankind) (5:67).</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِهِ</div><p>(and glorify His praises,) means, combine praising Him with glorifying Him. Hence the Messenger of Allah used to say:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِك»</div><p>(Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise.) So the Ayah means: be sincere in worshipping Him and putting your trust in Him. This is like the Ayat:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">رَّبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلاً </div><p>(The Lord of the east and the west; there is no God but He. So take Him as a Trustee.) (73:9)</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَاعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ</div><p>(So worship Him and put your trust in Him) (11:123).</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ هُوَ الرَّحْمَـنُ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا</div><p>(Say: "He is the Most Gracious, in Him we believe, and in Him we put our trust.") (67:29)</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَفَى بِهِ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيراً</div><p>(and sufficient is He as the All-Knower of the sins of His servants) means, by His perfect knowledge nothing is hidden from Him nor can anything be hidden from Him, not even a speck of dust's weight.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ</div><p>(Who created the heavens and the earth...) means, He is the Ever-Living Who never dies, He is the Creator, Sustainer and Sovereign of all things, Who by His might and power created the seven heavens with their vast height and width, and the seven earths with their great depths and density.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ</div><p>(in six Days. Then He rose over the Throne.) means, He is running all affairs and He decrees according to the truth, and He is the best of those who decide.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ الرَّحْمَـنُ فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيراً</div><p>(Then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne. The Most Gracious! Ask Him, as He is the All-Knower.) meaning, find out about Him from one who knows most about Him, and follow him and take him as your example. It is known that there is no one who knows more about Allah than His servant and Messenger Muhammad , the absolute leader of the sons of Adam in this world and the Hereafter, who does not speak of his own desire, but conveys revelation revealed to him. What he says is true, and he is the leader whose decision counts; when there is a dispute, people are obliged to refer to him, and whatever is in accordance with his words and deeds is right, and whatever goes against them should be rejected no matter who says or does it. Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ</div><p>((And) if you differ in anything among yourselves...) (4:59).</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِن شَىْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ</div><p>(And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah) (42:10).</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقاً وَعَدْلاً</div><p>(And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice) (6: 115). meaning, He has spoken the truth and is fair and just in His commands and prohibitions. Allah says here:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيراً</div><p>(Ask Him, as He is Al-Knower.)</p><h2 class="title">Condemnation of the Idolators</h2><p>Then Allah rebukes the idolators who prostrate to idols and rivals instead of Allah:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُواْ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ قَالُواْ وَمَا الرَّحْمَـنُ</div><p>(And when it is said to them: "Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!" They say: "And what is Ar-Rahman") meaning: we do not know Ar-Rahman. They did not like to call Allah by His Name Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), as they objected on the day of (the treaty of) Al-Hudaybiyyah, when the Prophet told the scribe:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«اكْتُبْ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيم»</div><p>(Write: "In the Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful).") They said, "We do not know Ar-Rahman or Ar-Rahim. Write what you used to write: `Bismika Allahumma (in Your Name, O Allah)."' So Allah revealed the words:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلِ ادْعُواْ اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُواْ الرَّحْمَـنَ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُواْ فَلَهُ الاٌّسْمَآءَ الْحُسْنَى</div><p>(Say: "Invoke Allah or invoke Ar-Rahman, by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names) (17:110). meaning, He is Allah and He is the Most Gracious. And in this Ayah, Allah said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُواْ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ قَالُواْ وَمَا الرَّحْمَـنُ</div><p>(And when it is said to them: "Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!" They say: "And what is the Ar-Rahman") meaning: we do not know or approve of this Name.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَنَسْجُدُ لِمَا تَأْمُرُنَا</div><p>(Shall we fall down in prostration to that which you command us) means, "Just because you tell us to"</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَزَادَهُمْ نُفُوراً</div><p>(And it increases in them only aversion.) As for the believers, they worship Allah Who is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, and they attribute divinity to Him Alone and prostrate to Him. The scholars, agree that it is allowed and approved for the reader and the listener to prostrate when he reaches this mention of prostration in Surat Al-Furqan, and Allah knows best.</p>
The Ignorance of the IdolatorsAllah tells us how ignorant the idolators are; instead of worshipping Allah, they worship idols which do not possess the power either to harm or benefit. They do this with no evidence or proof; the only thing that led them to do this was their own whims and desires. So they take these idols as protectors and fight for their sake, and they oppose Allah and His Messenger and the believers for their sake. Similarly Allah says:وَكَانَ الْكَـفِرُ عَلَى رَبِّهِ ظَهِيراً(and the disbeliever is ever a helper against his Lord.) meaning, he is a supporter of Shaytan against the party of Allah, but the party of Allah are the ones who will prevail, as Allah says:وَاتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً لَّعَلَّهُمْ يُنصَرُونَ - لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ مٌّحْضَرُونَ (And they have taken besides Allah gods, hoping that they might be helped. They cannot help them, but they will be brought forward as a troop against those who worshipped them.) (36:74-75) meaning, the gods which they worshipped instead of Allah cannot help them. These ignorant people are troops for the idols and are ready to fight for their sake and protect their sanctuaries, but in the end the victory will be for Allah and His Messenger and the believers, in this world and the Hereafter.وَكَانَ الْكَـفِرُ عَلَى رَبِّهِ ظَهِيراً(and the disbeliever is ever a helper against his Lord. ) Mujahid said: "He supports and helps the Shaytan in disobedience towards Allah.The Messenger brings Glad Tidings and WarningsThen Allah tells His Messenger:وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـكَ إِلاَّ مُبَشِّراً وَنَذِيراً (And We have sent you only as a bearer of good news and a warner.) meaning, a bringer of good news to the believers, a warner to the disbelievers; bringing good news of Paradise to those who obey Allah, and bringing warnings of a dreadful punishment for those who go against the commandments of Allah.قُلْ مَآ أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ(Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this...") `for conveying this message and this warning, I do not ask for any reward from your wealth; I am only doing this for the sake of Allah, may He be exalted.'لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ (To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight) (81:28).إِلاَّ مَن شَآءَ أَن يَتَّخِذَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ سَبِيلاً(save that whosoever wills, may take a path to his Lord.) means, a way and a methodology to be followed.The Command to the Messenger to put his Trust in Allah, and someof His QualitiesThen Allah says:وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَىِّ الَّذِى لاَ يَمُوتُ(And put your trust in the Ever Living One Who dies not,) meaning, in all your affairs, put your trust in Allah, the Ever-Living Who never dies, the One Whoالاٌّوَّلُ وَالاٌّخِرُ وَالظَّـهِرُ وَالْبَـطِنُ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ(is the First and the Last, the Most High and the Most Near. And He is the All-Knower of everything) (57:3). The Eternal, Ever-Lasting, Ever-Living, Self-Sufficient One, the Lord and Sovereign of all things, the One to Whom you should always turn. Allah is the One in Whom you should put your trust and to Whom you should turn for refuge, He will be sufficient for you and will be your helper and supporter, and will cause you to prevail. As Allah says:يَـأَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ(O Messenger! Proclaim which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will protect you from mankind) (5:67).وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِهِ(and glorify His praises,) means, combine praising Him with glorifying Him. Hence the Messenger of Allah used to say:«سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِك»(Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise.) So the Ayah means: be sincere in worshipping Him and putting your trust in Him. This is like the Ayat:رَّبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلاً (The Lord of the east and the west; there is no God but He. So take Him as a Trustee.) (73:9)فَاعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ(So worship Him and put your trust in Him) (11:123).قُلْ هُوَ الرَّحْمَـنُ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا(Say: "He is the Most Gracious, in Him we believe, and in Him we put our trust.") (67:29)وَكَفَى بِهِ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيراً(and sufficient is He as the All-Knower of the sins of His servants) means, by His perfect knowledge nothing is hidden from Him nor can anything be hidden from Him, not even a speck of dust's weight.الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ(Who created the heavens and the earth...) means, He is the Ever-Living Who never dies, He is the Creator, Sustainer and Sovereign of all things, Who by His might and power created the seven heavens with their vast height and width, and the seven earths with their great depths and density.فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ(in six Days. Then He rose over the Throne.) means, He is running all affairs and He decrees according to the truth, and He is the best of those who decide.ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ الرَّحْمَـنُ فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيراً(Then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne. The Most Gracious! Ask Him, as He is the All-Knower.) meaning, find out about Him from one who knows most about Him, and follow him and take him as your example. It is known that there is no one who knows more about Allah than His servant and Messenger Muhammad , the absolute leader of the sons of Adam in this world and the Hereafter, who does not speak of his own desire, but conveys revelation revealed to him. What he says is true, and he is the leader whose decision counts; when there is a dispute, people are obliged to refer to him, and whatever is in accordance with his words and deeds is right, and whatever goes against them should be rejected no matter who says or does it. Allah says:فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ((And) if you differ in anything among yourselves...) (4:59).وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِن شَىْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ(And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah) (42:10).وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقاً وَعَدْلاً(And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice) (6: 115). meaning, He has spoken the truth and is fair and just in His commands and prohibitions. Allah says here:فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيراً(Ask Him, as He is Al-Knower.)Condemnation of the IdolatorsThen Allah rebukes the idolators who prostrate to idols and rivals instead of Allah:وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُواْ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ قَالُواْ وَمَا الرَّحْمَـنُ(And when it is said to them: "Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!" They say: "And what is Ar-Rahman") meaning: we do not know Ar-Rahman. They did not like to call Allah by His Name Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), as they objected on the day of (the treaty of) Al-Hudaybiyyah, when the Prophet told the scribe:«اكْتُبْ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيم»(Write: "In the Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful).") They said, "We do not know Ar-Rahman or Ar-Rahim. Write what you used to write: `Bismika Allahumma (in Your Name, O Allah)."' So Allah revealed the words:قُلِ ادْعُواْ اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُواْ الرَّحْمَـنَ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُواْ فَلَهُ الاٌّسْمَآءَ الْحُسْنَى(Say: "Invoke Allah or invoke Ar-Rahman, by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names) (17:110). meaning, He is Allah and He is the Most Gracious. And in this Ayah, Allah said:وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُواْ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ قَالُواْ وَمَا الرَّحْمَـنُ(And when it is said to them: "Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!" They say: "And what is the Ar-Rahman") meaning: we do not know or approve of this Name.أَنَسْجُدُ لِمَا تَأْمُرُنَا(Shall we fall down in prostration to that which you command us) means, "Just because you tell us to"وَزَادَهُمْ نُفُوراً(And it increases in them only aversion.) As for the believers, they worship Allah Who is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, and they attribute divinity to Him Alone and prostrate to Him. The scholars, agree that it is allowed and approved for the reader and the listener to prostrate when he reaches this mention of prostration in Surat Al-Furqan, and Allah knows best.