لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ 58
Translations
Of it, [from those] besides Allāh, there is no remover.
Transliteration
Laysa laha min doonil-lahi kashifah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that no one has the power to avert or reveal Allah's divine decree except Allah Himself. The word 'kashifah' (one who uncovers/removes) refers to the calamities and trials that Allah sends, indicating that neither angels nor any created being can intercede to change Allah's will without His permission. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize this as a declaration of Allah's absolute sovereignty and the futility of seeking help from anyone other than Him.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Najm, a Meccan surah that addresses the polytheists' false beliefs and idolatry. The broader context of the surah establishes Allah's oneness and condemns the worship of idols and false deities. This particular ayah reinforces the theme that only Allah possesses divine attributes and power, refuting the Meccan belief that their idols could intercede or avert harm.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Know that if the entire nation were to gather to benefit you with something, they could not benefit you except with what Allah has decreed for you, and if they were to gather to harm you with something, they could not harm you except with what Allah has decreed for you.' This reinforces the exclusive power of Allah over all affairs.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to place complete trust in Allah alone and to abandon the false belief that created beings possess independent power to help or harm. It encourages absolute reliance on Allah's wisdom and decree, understanding that true security comes only through sincere submission to His will.
Related Ayahs
وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا
And that it is He who causes death and gives life
وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ نُحْىِۦ وَنُمِيتُ وَنَحْنُ ٱلْوَٰرِثُونَ
And indeed, it is We who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritor.
رَّبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًا
[From] the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Most Merciful. They possess not from Him [authority for] speech.
قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ جَمِيعًا ۖ لَّهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
Say, "To Allāh belongs [the right to allow] intercession entirely. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned."