مَّا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ وَلَا لِـَٔابَآئِهِمْ ۚ كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ ۚ إِن يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبًا 5
Translations
They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths; they speak not except a lie.
Transliteration
Maa lahum bihi min 'ilmin wa laa li-aabaa'ihim. Kaburat kalimatun takhrujo min afwahihim. In yaqooluna illa kathiba.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes the polytheists who ascribe partners to Allah without any knowledge, neither do they possess evidence from their forefathers. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the phrase 'kaburat kalimatan' (a grave word has come forth) emphasizes the severity of this false statement as it issues from their mouths. The ayah concludes that they are merely uttering lies, highlighting the baseless nature of shirk and idolatry.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Kahf within the context of refuting polytheistic beliefs and affirming Islamic monotheism. It directly addresses the pagan Arabs of Mecca who claimed associates with Allah, particularly regarding their worship of idols. The broader narrative critiques those who follow their ancestors' practices without rational foundation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most false speech is poetry,' and emphasized that claims about the divine must be based on knowledge. This relates to Surah Al-Kahf 18:5 in condemning unfounded religious assertions. (Related to themes in various hadith collections regarding false claims in matters of belief)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that religious beliefs must be grounded in authentic knowledge from revelation, not mere tradition or conjecture. It serves as a reminder to critically examine inherited practices and ensure our spiritual convictions are based on truth rather than empty claims.
Related Ayahs
مَا ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُۥ مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ ۚ إِذًا لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَـٰهٍۭ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
Allāh has not taken any son, nor has there ever been with Him any deity. [If there had been], then each deity would have taken what it created, and some of them would have [sought to] overcome others. Exalted is Allāh above what they describe [concerning Him].
لَقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَقَالَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
They have certainly disbelieved who say, "Allāh is the Messiah, the son of Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O Children of Israel, worship Allāh, my Lord and your Lord." Indeed, he who associates others with Allāh - Allāh has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
أَلَآ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَمَا يَتَّبِعُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ
Unquestionably, to Allāh belongs whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth. And those who invoke other than Allāh do not [actually] follow [His] "partners." They follow not except assumption, and they are not but misjudging.
سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ ٱلْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe.