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
وَمَا ظَنُّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ
And what will be the supposition of those who invent falsehood about Allāh on the Day of Resurrection? Indeed, Allāh is the possessor of bounty for the people, but most of them are not grateful.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَظَلَمُوا۟ لَمْ يَكُنِ ٱللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ طَرِيقًا
Indeed, those who disbelieve and commit wrong [or injustice] - never will Allāh forgive them, nor will He guide them to a path,
وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَٱدَّٰرَْٰٔتُمْ فِيهَا ۖ وَٱللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
And [recall] when you slew a man and disputed over it, but Allāh was to bring out that which you were concealing.
فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا ۚ فَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمْ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَىٰهُمْ
Then do they await except that the Hour should come upon them unexpectedly? But already there have come [some of] its indications. Then how [i.e., what good] to them, when it has come, will be their remembrance?