أَمْ لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌ تَمْنَعُهُم مِّن دُونِنَا ۚ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَا هُم مِّنَّا يُصْحَبُونَ 43
Translations
Or do they have gods to defend them other than Us? They are unable [even] to help themselves, nor can they be protected from Us.
Transliteration
Am lahum aalihah tamanʿuhum min doonina, la yastaṭīʿūn naṣra anfusihim wa lā hum minnā yuṣḥabūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah challenges the polytheists by asking whether they possess gods who can protect them from Allah's punishment, emphasizing that these false deities are powerless to help even themselves, let alone their worshippers. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this is a rhetorical refutation of shirk (polytheism), demonstrating the futility of associating partners with Allah, as only Allah possesses the power to grant protection and provision. The ayah establishes Allah's absolute uniqueness in His ability to benefit or harm, and rejects any notion that false gods could be companions or allies with Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Al-Anbiya, which addresses the Quraysh's polytheistic practices and their rejection of monotheism. It falls within a section refuting the worship of idols and false deities, directly confronting the pagan Arabs' central religious error of ascribing divine attributes to powerless objects and beings.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (6/2675): The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The most complete in faith among believers is the one with the best character.' This relates thematically to rejecting false gods and devoting oneself exclusively to Allah. Also relevant is the hadith in Sunan An-Nasa'i about the Prophet's prohibition of calling upon anyone besides Allah in times of need.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that relying on anything or anyone besides Allah for protection, provision, or guidance is fundamentally futile and illogical. For modern Muslims, this reinforces that true security comes only through exclusive devotion to Allah and turning away from all forms of material and spiritual idolatry.