إِنَّهُمْ لَن يُغْنُوا۟ عَنكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ 19
Translations
Indeed, they will never avail you against Allāh at all. And indeed, the wrongdoers are allies of one another; but Allāh is the protector of the righteous.
Transliteration
Innahum lan yughnoo 'anka mina Allahi shay'an wa inna al-zalimeen ba'duhum awliya'u ba'din wa Allahu waliyyu al-muttaqin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah asserts that those who turn away from Allah's guidance cannot protect the believer from Allah's punishment or plan, emphasizing the futility of relying on transgressors for protection. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the verse teaches that wrongdoers naturally ally with one another in their opposition to truth, whereas Allah alone is the true Guardian (Wali) of the righteous (muttaqin) who fear Him. This contrast underscores the spiritual reality that true protection and support come only from Allah, not from those engaged in injustice.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during a period of intense persecution of early Muslims, this surah addresses the theological foundations of faith when believers faced societal rejection. This particular ayah comes within a section emphasizing monotheistic devotion and warning against following the desires of those who have abandoned Allah's guidance, providing reassurance to the early Muslim community that their reliance should be solely on Allah rather than on their persecutors or those who might betray them.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever takes the wrongdoers as allies has forsaken Allah' (referenced in classical tafsir). Additionally, the hadith 'The best wealth is a good tongue and a grateful heart' (Tirmidhi) relates to the theme of true guardianship and protection coming through righteousness rather than worldly alliances.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should place their complete trust in Allah's protection rather than seeking security through alliances with the unjust or those who oppose divine guidance. This ayah reminds us that piety (taqwa) and conscious devotion to Allah are the true sources of spiritual support and protection in this life and the next.
Related Ayahs
وَبَدَا لَهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتُ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
And the evil consequences of what they did will appear to them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
وَتَرَىٰ كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً ۚ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ تُدْعَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ كِتَـٰبِهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And you will see every nation kneeling [from fear]. Every nation will be called to its record [and told], "Today you will be recompensed for what you used to do.
وَخَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And Allāh created the heavens and earth in truth and so that every soul may be recompensed for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَٱلسَّاعَةُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا قُلْتُم مَّا نَدْرِى مَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلَّا ظَنًّا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ
And when it was said, 'Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth and the Hour [is coming] - no doubt about it,' you said, 'We know not what is the Hour. We assume only assumption, and we are not convinced.'"