أَمَّنْ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى هُوَ جُندٌ لَّكُمْ يَنصُرُكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۚ إِنِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ إِلَّا فِى غُرُورٍ 20
Translations
Or who is it that could be an army for you to aid you other than the Most Merciful? The disbelievers are not but in delusion.
Transliteration
Am-man hādhā al-ladhī huwa jundum lakum yansurukum min dūni ar-Rahmān; in al-kāfirūn illā fī ghurūr
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah poses a rhetorical question challenging the disbelievers: who can be an army or helper to them besides Allah (ar-Rahman)? Ibn Kathir explains that this emphasizes Allah's absolute power and sovereignty—no one can aid or protect them except by His permission. Al-Tabari notes the ayah exposes the futility of relying on false deities or worldly allies, stating that disbelievers exist only in delusion (ghurūr) regarding their strength and security.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Mulk, a Meccan surah primarily concerned with establishing Allah's absolute dominion and the foolishness of polytheism. The context addresses the Meccan polytheists' false sense of security through their idols and alliances, reminding them that only Allah provides true protection and aid.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He will suffice him' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2347). This relates to the theme of reliance on Allah alone rather than false supports. Additionally, the hadith 'Verily, the closest of you to me on the Day of Judgment will be those who are most truthful in speech' (Sunan at-Tirmidhi) connects to the theme of ultimate truth and false deception.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to place absolute trust in Allah alone and recognize that no earthly power or ally can provide genuine help except through Allah's will. Modern readers should reflect on what 'false armies' they rely upon—wealth, status, or worldly connections—and realign their trust toward Allah as the only true source of protection and sustenance.