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
بَدِيعُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ تَكُن لَّهُۥ صَـٰحِبَةٌ ۖ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
[He is] Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He does not have a companion [i.e., wife] and He created all things? And He is, of all things, Knowing.
وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًا يَـٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ قَدِ ٱسْتَكْثَرْتُم مِّنَ ٱلْإِنسِ ۖ وَقَالَ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُم مِّنَ ٱلْإِنسِ رَبَّنَا ٱسْتَمْتَعَ بَعْضُنَا بِبَعْضٍ وَبَلَغْنَآ أَجَلَنَا ٱلَّذِىٓ أَجَّلْتَ لَنَا ۚ قَالَ ٱلنَّارُ مَثْوَىٰكُمْ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], the Day when He will gather them together [and say], "O company of jinn, you have [misled] many of mankind." And their allies among mankind will say, "Our Lord, some of us made use of others, and we have [now] reached our term which You appointed for us." He will say, "The Fire is your residence, wherein you will abide eternally, except for what Allāh wills. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing."
فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا ذُكِرَ ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِن كُنتُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِهِۦ مُؤْمِنِينَ
So eat of that [meat] upon which the name of Allāh has been mentioned, if you are believers in His verses [i.e., revealed law].
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَـٰٓئِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم ۚ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.