لَّا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُومًا مَّخْذُولًا 22
Translations
Do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity and [thereby] become censured and forsaken.
Transliteration
La taj'al ma'a Allahi ilahan akhara fataq'ud madhmuman makhdhula
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the avoidance of associating partners with Allah (shirk), warning that doing so results in being condemned and forsaken by Allah. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this is a fundamental principle of tawhid (monotheism), emphasizing that polytheism is the gravest sin and leads to abandonment by Allah in this life and severe punishment in the Hereafter. The words 'madhmuman' (despised/blamed) and 'makhdhula' (forsaken/abandoned) underscore both social disgrace and spiritual desolation that befalls those who commit shirk.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Isra, a Meccan surah that emphasizes core Islamic doctrines. It occurs within a section containing commandments related to monotheism and righteous conduct, following the command to worship Allah alone and preceding instructions on kindness to parents and social ethics. The thematic context emphasizes that tawhid is the foundation upon which all other religious obligations rest.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah (shirk), though He has created you' (Sahih Bukhari 4477). Additionally, 'Whoever meets Allah associating partners with Him will enter the Fire' (Sahih Muslim 93).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere belief in the Oneness of Allah is the cornerstone of a dignified and spiritually fulfilled life, while associating partners with Him leads to both worldly disgrace and divine abandonment. For believers, it serves as a powerful reminder to continuously purify their intentions and ensure that all worship, obedience, and reliance are directed solely to Allah.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلنَّهَارَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ
Say, "Have you considered: if Allāh should make for you the day continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allāh could bring you a night in which you may rest? Then will you not see?"
وَٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَزْوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْفُلْكِ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ مَا تَرْكَبُونَ
And who created the species, all of them, and has made for you of ships and animals those which you mount
سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
Exalted is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.
ضَرَبَ لَكُم مَّثَلًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ هَل لَّكُم مِّن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُم مِّن شُرَكَآءَ فِى مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ فَأَنتُمْ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌ تَخَافُونَهُمْ كَخِيفَتِكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
He presents to you an example from yourselves. Do you have among those whom your right hands possess [i.e., slaves] any partners in what We have provided for you so that you are equal therein [and] would fear them as your fear of one another [within a partnership]? Thus do We detail the verses for a people who use reason.