بَلْ إِيَّاهُ تَدْعُونَ فَيَكْشِفُ مَا تَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِن شَآءَ وَتَنسَوْنَ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ 41
Translations
No, it is Him [alone] you would invoke, and He would remove that for which you invoked Him if He willed, and you would forget what you associate [with Him].
Transliteration
Bal iyyahu tad'un fayakshifu ma tad'un ilayhi in sha'a wa tansawna ma tushrikun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes the polytheists who invoke Allah during times of hardship and distress, yet forget their idols in those moments of need—demonstrating that only Allah possesses the power to remove harm. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse exposes the irrationality of shirk (polytheism): the idolaters implicitly acknowledge Allah's unique power to answer du'a by turning to Him alone in crisis, yet they continue associating partners with Him in normal circumstances. The ayah serves as a powerful argument for monotheism (tawhid), showing that human nature itself testifies to Allah's oneness.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-An'am, a Meccan chapter primarily concerned with refuting polytheism and establishing monotheism. The broader context addresses how polytheists contradict themselves by worshipping idols while instinctively calling upon Allah alone during calamities, demonstrating the futility of associating partners with Allah.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Jami' at-Tirmidhi from Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Prophet ﷺ said, 'When you ask, ask from Allah; when you seek help, seek help from Allah.' This reinforces the teaching that all reliance and supplication belong to Allah alone. Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim about the prayer during times of hardship being answered swiftly.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true belief requires consistency: if we acknowledge Allah's power and sovereignty in moments of crisis by calling upon Him alone, we should maintain that acknowledgment in all circumstances rather than associating partners with Him through other practices. It invites believers to recognize the contradiction within disbelief and to strengthen their monotheistic conviction in both prosperity and adversity.
Related Ayahs
وَأَنذِرْ بِهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ ۙ لَيْسَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ وَلِىٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
And warn by it [i.e., the Qur’ān] those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord - for them besides Him will be no protector and no intercessor - that they might become righteous.
ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
See how they will lie about themselves. And lost from them will be what they used to invent.
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ ۗ قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say, "Is it other than Allāh I should take as a protector, Creator of the heavens and earth, while it is He who feeds and is not fed?" Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to be the first [among you] who submit [to Allāh] and [was commanded], 'Do not ever be of the polytheists."
أَفَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبْتَغِى حَكَمًا وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مُفَصَّلًا ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُۥ مُنَزَّلٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُمْتَرِينَ
[Say], "Then is it other than Allāh I should seek as judge while it is He who has revealed to you the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] explained in detail?" And those to whom We [previously] gave the Scripture know that it is sent down from your Lord in truth, so never be among the doubters.