۞ 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
ذَٰلِكَ مِمَّآ أَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ ۗ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتُلْقَىٰ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومًا مَّدْحُورًا
That is from what your Lord has revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], of wisdom. And, [O mankind], do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity, lest you be thrown into Hell, blamed and banished.
سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَزْوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Exalted is He who created all pairs - from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.
وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا۟ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَن نَّدْعُوَا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَـٰهًا ۖ لَّقَدْ قُلْنَآ إِذًا شَطَطًا
And We bound [i.e., made firm] their hearts when they stood up and said, "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Never will we invoke besides Him any deity. We would have certainly spoken, then, an excessive transgression.
وَجَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ ٱلْجِنَّ وَخَلَقَهُمْ ۖ وَخَرَقُوا۟ لَهُۥ بَنِينَ وَبَنَـٰتٍۭ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
But they have attributed to Allāh partners - the jinn, while He has created them - and have fabricated for Him sons and daughters without knowledge. Exalted is He and high above what they describe.