Just think: Who apart from God can show the way to him who deifies his ego into his god, whom God allows to go astray knowingly, and seals his ears and heart, and covers over his eyes with a veil? Why then do you not contemplate?
Just look at him who makes his desire as his God, and Allah has sent him astray despite his having knowledge, and set a seal upon his ears and his heart, and a covering upon his eyes; so who will guide him after Allah? So do you not ponder?
Hast thou seen him who has taken his caprice to be his god, and God has led him astray out of a knowledge, and set a seal upon his hearing and his heart, and laid a covering on his eyes? Who shall guide him after God? What, will you not remember?
HAST THOU ever considered [the kind of man] who makes his own desires his deity, and whom God has [thereupon] let go astray, knowing [that his mind is closed to all guidance], and whose hearing and heart He has sealed, and upon whose sight He has placed a veil? Who, then, could guide him after God [has abandoned him]? Will you not, then, bethink your­selves?
Beholdest thou him who taketh for his god his own vain desire, and Allah hath sent him astray despite his knowledge, and hath sealed up his hearing and his heart, and hath set on his sight a covering? Who will guide him after Allah? Will ye not then be admonished?
Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilah (god), and Allah knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight. Who then will guide him after Allah? Will you not then remember?
Have you considered him who has taken his desire for his god? God has knowingly led him astray, and has sealed his hearing and his heart, and has placed a veil over his vision. Who will guide him after God? Will you not reflect?
Did you ever consider the case of him who took his desire as his god, and then Allah caused him to go astray despite knowledge, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and cast a veil over his sight? Who, after Allah, can direct him to the Right Way? Will you not take heed?
Have you seen him who takes his own lust as his god And Allah, left him astray with knowledge, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight. Who then will guide him after Allah Will you not then remember
Hast thou seen him who maketh his desire his god, and Allah sendeth him astray purposely, and sealeth up his hearing and his heart, and setteth on his sight a covering? Then who will lead him after Allah (hath condemned him)? Will ye not then heed?
Have you seen him who has taken his desire to be his god and whom Allah has led astray knowingly, set a seal upon his hearing and heart, and put a blindfold on his sight? So who will guide him after Allah [has consigned him to error]? Will you not then take admonition?
Have you seen he who took his desire for a god? With knowledge, Allah has led him astray, setting a seal upon his hearing and heart, and has made a veil over his eyes, who then shall guide him after Allah? Will you not then remember!
Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded?
Have you seen the one who has chosen his desires as his lord? God has knowingly caused him to go astray, sealed his ears and heart and veiled his vision. Who besides God can guide him? Will they, then, not take heed?
Have you then considered him who takes his low desire for his god, and Allah has made him err having knowledge and has set a seal upon his ear and his heart and put a covering upon his eye. Who can then guide him after Allah? Will you not then be mindful?
Afaraayta mani ittakha<u>th</u>a il<u>a</u>hahu haw<u>a</u>hu waa<u>d</u>allahu All<u>a</u>hu AAal<u>a</u> AAilmin wakhatama AAal<u>a</u> samAAihi waqalbihi wajaAAala AAal<u>a</u> ba<u>s</u>arihi ghish<u>a</u>watan faman yahdeehi min baAAdi All<u>a</u>hi afal<u>a</u> ta<u>th</u>akkaroon<b>a</b>
[Prophet], consider the one who has taken his own desire as a deity, whom God allows to stray in the face of knowledge, sealing his ears and heart and covering his eyes -- who can guide such a person after God [has abandoned him]? Will you not take heed?
Then seest thou such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has, knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart (and understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who, then, will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn Guidance)? Will ye not then receive admonition?
أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِۦ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَٰوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱللَّهِ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
O Messenger, look at the one who followed his desires and made it like his god he cannot oppose, then Allah led him astray despite his knowledge, because he deserved to be misguided, and Allah sealed his heart so he cannot listen in a manner that benefits, and Allah put a veil on his eyes which stops him from seeing the truth. So who can enable him to the truth after Allah has led him astray? Do you not remember the harm of following desires and the benefit of following Allah’s sacred law?
O Messenger, look at the one who followed his desires and made it like his god he cannot oppose, then Allah led him astray despite his knowledge, because he deserved to be misguided, and Allah sealed his heart so he cannot listen in a manner that benefits, and Allah put a veil on his eyes which stops him from seeing the truth. So who can enable him to the truth after Allah has led him astray? Do you not remember the harm of following desires and the benefit of following Allah’s sacred law?
<p>Commentary</p><p>مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ ("Have you seen him who has taken his desires as his god...45:23) In other words, he who has made his selfish desires his object of worship. Obviously, no unbeliever claims that his desires are his object of worship. Keeping this in view, this verse of the Qur'an indicates that ` worship' actually means ` obedience'. Thus anyone who undertakes to obey someone against the obedience of Allah makes him the object of his worship instead of Allah. There are people who ignore what Allah has declared lawful and unlawful or what He has permitted and what has forbidden. People who do not care what Allah has forbidden and follow their whims and fancies, their desires are their god, in this sense, although they may not have uttered it by word of mouth. The same theme has been versified by an ` Arif:</p><p>سودہ گشت از سجدہ راہ بُتَاں پیشانیم چند برخود تھمت دین مسلمانی نھم</p><p>"My forehead has swollen by prostrating before the statues of beauty, although I claim to profess the religion of Islam."</p><p>In this couplet, the poet has portrayed selfish desires as statues. He who takes his desires as his leader and follows them is as good as their worshipper, that is why they have been described as their deities. Sayyidna Abu ` Umamah narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Of all the deities worshipped under the firmament of the earth, the most detestable one in the sight of Allah is hawa, that is, selfish desires. Sayyidna Shaddad Ibn ` Aws ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺٍ said: "A wise person is he who keeps his desires under control and works for life after death; and sinful is he who runs after his desires and yet expects the best in the Hereafter." Sayyidna Sahl Ibn ` Abdullah Tustari ؓ said: "Your ailment is your selfish desires. And if you oppose them, it will turn into your cure." (All these narratives have been adapted from Qurtubi).</p>
Commentaryمَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ ("Have you seen him who has taken his desires as his god...45:23) In other words, he who has made his selfish desires his object of worship. Obviously, no unbeliever claims that his desires are his object of worship. Keeping this in view, this verse of the Qur'an indicates that ` worship' actually means ` obedience'. Thus anyone who undertakes to obey someone against the obedience of Allah makes him the object of his worship instead of Allah. There are people who ignore what Allah has declared lawful and unlawful or what He has permitted and what has forbidden. People who do not care what Allah has forbidden and follow their whims and fancies, their desires are their god, in this sense, although they may not have uttered it by word of mouth. The same theme has been versified by an ` Arif:سودہ گشت از سجدہ راہ بُتَاں پیشانیم چند برخود تھمت دین مسلمانی نھم"My forehead has swollen by prostrating before the statues of beauty, although I claim to profess the religion of Islam."In this couplet, the poet has portrayed selfish desires as statues. He who takes his desires as his leader and follows them is as good as their worshipper, that is why they have been described as their deities. Sayyidna Abu ` Umamah narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Of all the deities worshipped under the firmament of the earth, the most detestable one in the sight of Allah is hawa, that is, selfish desires. Sayyidna Shaddad Ibn ` Aws ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺٍ said: "A wise person is he who keeps his desires under control and works for life after death; and sinful is he who runs after his desires and yet expects the best in the Hereafter." Sayyidna Sahl Ibn ` Abdullah Tustari ؓ said: "Your ailment is your selfish desires. And if you oppose them, it will turn into your cure." (All these narratives have been adapted from Qurtubi).