أَمْوَٰتٌ غَيْرُ أَحْيَآءٍ ۖ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ 21
Translations
They are [in fact] dead, not alive, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected.
Transliteration
Amwatun ghayru ahya'in wa ma yash'uruna ayyana yub'athun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the idols worshipped by the polytheists, describing them as dead (lacking life and consciousness) rather than alive, and emphasizing that these false gods have no awareness of when the Day of Resurrection will occur. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that this is a decisive refutation of idol worship—these objects cannot perceive, respond, or possess any divine attributes, making their worship fundamentally absurd and spiritually destructive.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Nahl's broader theme of refuting polytheism and proving Allah's oneness. The passage preceding this ayah (16:20) discusses how those who associate partners with Allah invoke lifeless objects, and this ayah deepens the critique by emphasizing the utter powerlessness and unconsciousness of idols, highlighting the irrationality of seeking help from what cannot even comprehend existence.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Hadith Qudsi where Allah emphasizes His uniqueness and condemns the worship of false deities. Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3.34.425) where the Prophet (ﷺ) explained that idols cannot benefit or harm anyone, reinforcing the Quranic message of their complete inefficacy.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must recognize that seeking intercession or aid from anything other than Allah is irrational and futile, as only Allah possesses life, knowledge, and power. This ayah invites critical reflection on our spiritual devotions: are we directing our worship and trust toward the living, all-knowing God, or toward spiritually 'dead' substitutes that cannot respond to our needs?