۞ وَمَن يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّىٓ إِلَـٰهٌ مِّن دُونِهِۦ فَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ 29
Translations
And whoever of them should say, "Indeed, I am a god besides Him" - that one We would recompense with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrongdoers.
Transliteration
Wa man yaqul minhum inni ilahun min dūnihi fa-dhālika najzīhi jahannama, kadhālika najzī al-ẓālimīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns of severe punishment for anyone among the angels or creation who claims divinity besides Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this in the context of the preceding ayahs about angels, emphasizing that even the most honored creatures must submit to Allah's exclusive divinity, and any claim to godhood results in punishment in Hellfire. The ayah establishes a universal principle: all oppressors and those who associate partners with Allah face the same eternal consequence.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Anbiyaa (Meccan period), which discusses the stories of prophets and refutes polytheism. It follows verses about the angels' servitude to Allah and their inability to intercede without His permission, establishing the theme that no creature—regardless of status—can claim divinity. The context serves as a stark warning against shirk (associating partners with Allah).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah' (Sahih Bukhari 2654). Additionally, 'Whoever dies associating partners with Allah enters the Fire' (Sahih Muslim 93), which reinforces the Quranic warning of this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that belief in Allah's exclusive divinity is non-negotiable for salvation; any claim to godhood, whether by humans, spiritual beings, or even through cultural practices, invites divine punishment. Modern readers should reflect on subtle forms of shirk in their lives—such as placing trust in others above Allah or making idols of wealth, status, or desires.
Related Ayahs
يُقَلِّبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرِ
Allāh alternates the night and the day. Indeed in that is a lesson for those who have vision.
إِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَـٰنًا وَتَخْلُقُونَ إِفْكًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا فَٱبْتَغُوا۟ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرِّزْقَ وَٱعْبُدُوهُ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥٓ ۖ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
You only worship, besides Allāh, idols, and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those you worship besides Allāh do not possess for you [the power of] provision. So seek from Allāh provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be returned."
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَـٰهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً ۗ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَـٰدِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَـٰبٍ مُّنِيرٍ
Do you not see that Allāh has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allāh without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].
وَٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً لِّيَكُونُوا۟ لَهُمْ عِزًّا
And they have taken besides Allāh [false] deities that they would be for them [a source of] honor.