وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ مَا يَكْرَهُونَ وَتَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُهُمُ ٱلْكَذِبَ أَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّارَ وَأَنَّهُم مُّفْرَطُونَ 62
Translations
And they attribute to Allāh that which they dislike [i.e., daughters], and their tongues assert the lie that they will have the best [from Him]. Assuredly, they will have the Fire, and they will be [therein] neglected.
Transliteration
Wa yaj'alūna lillāhi mā yakrahūn wa taṣifu alsinātuhumu al-kadhiba anna lahum al-ḥusnā. Lā jarama anna lahum al-nār wa annahum mufrraṭūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns the polytheists for attributing to Allah what they themselves despise while falsely claiming through their tongues that they will receive goodness from Him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note this refers to their practice of dedicating the worst livestock and produce to idols while reserving the best for themselves, yet claiming Allah will reward them. The ayah concludes with a stern warning that such hypocrisy and transgression will inevitably lead them to the Fire.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Nahl's broader condemnation of idolatry and the illogical practices of the pre-Islamic Arabs. The context addresses their contradictory behavior: while they rejected good things for Allah's sake and offered inferior sacrifices to Him, they simultaneously harbored false hope of His favor. This reflects the general Meccan period's confrontation with pagan Arabian practices.
Related Hadiths
The theme relates to Surah Al-Hajj 22:29 regarding the condition of sacrificial animals. Additionally, Hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the prohibition of offering defective sacrifices connects to the implicit criticism in this ayah of offering inferior things to Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah is not deceived by false claims or outward pretenses—sincere devotion requires consistency between belief and action. Modern readers should examine whether their religious practices reflect genuine conviction or merely serve social convention, as Divine reward depends on authentic intention and behavior.
Related Ayahs
وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ ٱلْبَنَـٰتِ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۙ وَلَهُم مَّا يَشْتَهُونَ
And they attribute to Allāh daughters - exalted is He - and for them is what they desire [i.e., sons].
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
And if Allāh were to impose blame on the people for their wrongdoing, He would not have left upon it [i.e., the earth] any creature, but He defers them for a specified term. And when their term has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].
لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ
Assuredly, Allāh knows what they conceal and what they declare. Indeed, He does not like the arrogant.
فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ
So when you recite the Qur’ān, [first] seek refuge in Allāh from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].