سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ ۚ قُلْ فَأَنَّىٰ تُسْحَرُونَ 89
Translations
They will say, "[All belongs] to Allāh." Say, "Then how are you deluded?"
Transliteration
Sayaqooloon lillaah. Qul fa-anna tusharoon.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents the response to the previous question about who created the heavens and earth—the disbelievers will inevitably admit that Allah alone is the Creator. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is then commanded to challenge them with a striking rhetorical question: 'Then how are you being bewitched (or deceived)?' meaning how can they acknowledge Allah's dominion over creation yet turn away from worshipping Him alone? Ibn Kathir notes this demonstrates the internal contradiction in the disbelievers' logic—they recognize divine truth but persist in polytheism and rebellion through satanic deception.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the context of Surah Al-Mu'minun's opening discussion of the characteristics of true believers and the refutation of polytheism. The broader passage (23:84-89) uses a series of rhetorical questions to expose the logical inconsistency of those who acknowledge Allah as the sole Creator while simultaneously associating partners with Him in worship. This reflects the Meccan period's focus on establishing Tawhid (monotheism).
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, the theme relates to Sahih Muslim's hadith where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Every child is born upon the natural disposition (fitrah), but his parents make him Jewish, Christian, or Zoroastrian'—illustrating how people are led astray from natural recognition of Allah's oneness.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to recognize the contradiction between acknowledging truth intellectually while rejecting it practically—a spiritual lesson that encourages sincere introspection about whether our beliefs align with our actions, and how societal pressures and desires can blind us to clear truth.
Related Ayahs
فَإِنَّهُمْ عَدُوٌّ لِّىٓ إِلَّا رَبَّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Indeed, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds,
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلَّذِى ذَرَأَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
Say, "It is He who has multiplied you throughout the earth, and to Him you will be gathered."
ذَٰلِكَ مِمَّآ أَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ ۗ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتُلْقَىٰ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومًا مَّدْحُورًا
That is from what your Lord has revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], of wisdom. And, [O mankind], do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity, lest you be thrown into Hell, blamed and banished.
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَـٰهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً ۗ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَـٰدِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَـٰبٍ مُّنِيرٍ
Do you not see that Allāh has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allāh without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].