تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰٓ 22
Translations
That, then, is an unjust division.
Transliteration
Tilka idhan qismatu deezan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns an unjust and inequitable division, specifically referring to the pagan Arab practice of attributing daughters to Allah while reserving sons for themselves. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Allah's rebuke of their illogical and discriminatory theology, emphasizing that such an allocation would be profoundly unfair and contrary to divine wisdom. The word 'deezan' (unjust/inequitable) underscores the absurdity of this polytheistic claim.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Najm's refutation of pre-Islamic Arabian idolatry, particularly the false doctrine that angels were daughters of Allah. The broader surah addresses pagan misconceptions about the divine realm and establishes the absolute oneness and justice of Allah. This verse directly follows the mention of how Arabs attributed daughters to Allah while keeping sons for themselves.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (Book 65, Hadith 4720) records the Prophet's (peace be upon him) strong condemnation of those who attributed daughters to Allah, describing it as a grave injustice. Additionally, Surah An-Najm's overall theme is supported by hadiths about the Prophet's night journey (Isra and Mi'raj), during which these truths about monotheism were revealed.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah's justice is perfect and incomparable to human concepts of fairness, and that assigning partners to Allah through illogical and inequitable claims contradicts both reason and divine wisdom. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of consistency in belief and the rejection of practices and doctrines that are fundamentally unjust or irrational.
Related Ayahs
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
So on that Day, none will punish [as severely] as His punishment,
قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلُ رَبَّنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَغْوَيْنَآ أَغْوَيْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا غَوَيْنَا ۖ تَبَرَّأْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ۖ مَا كَانُوٓا۟ إِيَّانَا يَعْبُدُونَ
Those upon whom the word will have come into effect will say, "Our Lord, these are the ones we led to error. We led them to error just as we were in error. We declare our disassociation [from them] to You. They did not used to worship [i.e., obey] us."
لَهُم مَّا يَشَآءُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
They will have whatever they desire with their Lord. That is the reward of the doers of good -
إِن تَكْفُرُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ عَنكُمْ ۖ وَلَا يَرْضَىٰ لِعِبَادِهِ ٱلْكُفْرَ ۖ وَإِن تَشْكُرُوا۟ يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۗ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
If you disbelieve - indeed, Allāh is Free from need of you. And He does not approve for His servants disbelief. And if you are grateful, He approves [i.e., likes] it for you; and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you about what you used to do. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.