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
أَن تَقُولُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ عَلَىٰ طَآئِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَـٰفِلِينَ
[We revealed it] lest you say, "The Scripture was only sent down to two groups before us, but we were of their study unaware,"
وَكَذَّبَ بِهِۦ قَوْمُكَ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ ۚ قُل لَّسْتُ عَلَيْكُم بِوَكِيلٍ
But your people have denied it while it is the truth. Say, "I am not over you a manager [i.e., authority]."
وَمِنَ ٱلْإِبِلِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ ٱلْبَقَرِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۗ قُلْ ءَآلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا ٱشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۖ أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ وَصَّىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا ۚ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا لِّيُضِلَّ ٱلنَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And of the camels, two and of the cattle, two. Say, "Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allāh charged you with this? Then who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allāh to mislead the people by [something] other than knowledge? Indeed, Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people."
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلنُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُوا۟ بِهَا فِى ظُلُمَـٰتِ ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ ۗ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
And it is He who placed for you the stars that you may be guided by them through the darknesses of the land and sea. We have detailed the signs for a people who know.