سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ 40
Translations
Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.
Transliteration
Salhum ayyuhum bi-dhālik za'īm
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet to ask the polytheists who among them would take responsibility and guarantee that the idols they worship possess any share in divine authority or creation. This ayah is part of a rhetorical challenge emphasizing the absurdity of shirk (associating partners with Allah), as none of them can claim guardianship over such false claims. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this serves to expose the logical inconsistency of polytheism and the inability of idols to possess any divine attributes.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the latter portion of Surah Al-Qalam, which addresses the disbelief of the Meccan polytheists and their rejection of the Quran. The surah's context involves refuting idol-worship and emphasizing Allah's absolute uniqueness and power, making this ayah part of a sustained argument against associating partners with Allah.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, the principle relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet emphasized that 'Whoever dies without associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise,' reinforcing the theme of strict monotheism presented in this verse.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers to reflect on the logical inconsistency of worshipping anything besides Allah and to recognize that only Allah possesses true authority and guardianship. For modern readers, it encourages critical thinking about one's beliefs and removing any false objects of devotion from the heart.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا ۖ فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
Say, "He is the Most Merciful; we have believed in Him, and upon Him we have relied. And you will [come to] know who it is that is in clear error."
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَقُولُوا۟ لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنكُمْ وَأَنتُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], "Do not worship except Allāh; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakāh." Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing.
۞ وَٱذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُۥ بِٱلْأَحْقَافِ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ ٱلنُّذُرُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦٓ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
And mention, [O Muḥammad], the brother of ʿAad, when he warned his people in [the region of] al-Aḥqāf - and warners had already passed on before him and after him - [saying], "Do not worship except Allāh. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a terrible day."
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and to Him belongs [all] praise in the Hereafter. And He is the Wise, the Aware.