وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُوا۟ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُوا۟ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـٰفِرِينَ 6
Translations
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.
Transliteration
Wa-idha hushira al-nasu kanu lahum a'da-an wa kanu bi-ibadatihim kafirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when those who were worshipped besides Allah (idols, saints, false deities) will disown their worshippers and deny any association with the worship directed toward them. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that the false objects of worship will become enemies to those who worshipped them, and they will completely reject and deny the acts of worship performed in their names, exposing the futility of shirk (polytheism) on that Day.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ahqaf is a Meccan surah that addresses the polytheists of Mecca and their false religious practices. This ayah appears within a section (46:4-6) that refutes polytheism and highlights the oneness of Allah. The context emphasizes how the Day of Judgment will reveal the absolute falsehood of associating partners with Allah.
Related Hadiths
The theme relates to hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) warned about the deception of false worship: 'The most wretched person is he who has two gods; he is not content with one.' Additionally, Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:28 is directly connected, describing how idols will deny knowledge of their worshippers' devotion.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that worshipping anything besides Allah—whether idols, individuals, or desires—will result in betrayal and abandonment on the Day of Judgment. Believers should ensure their worship is sincere and directed solely to Allah, for only He is worthy of devotion and will never abandon His servants.
Related Ayahs
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلُ فِىٓ أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ
Those are the ones upon whom the word [i.e., decree] has come into effect, [who will be] among nations which had passed on before them of jinn and men. Indeed, they [all] were losers.
قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعًا مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ وَمَآ أَدْرِى مَا يُفْعَلُ بِى وَلَا بِكُمْ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
Say, "I am not something original among the messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am not but a clear warner."
وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ إِحْسَـٰنًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُۥ وَفِصَـٰلُهُۥ ثَلَـٰثُونَ شَهْرًا ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَـٰلِحًا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّى مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ
And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims."
مَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ عَمَّآ أُنذِرُوا۟ مُعْرِضُونَ
We did not create the heavens and earth and what is between them except in truth and [for] a specified term. But those who disbelieve, from that of which they are warned, are turning away.