فَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُعَذَّبِينَ 213
Translations
So do not invoke with Allāh another deity and [thus] be among the punished.
Transliteration
Fala tad'u ma'a Allahi ilahan akhara fatakuna mina al-mu'aththabin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is a direct prohibition against associating partners with Allah (shirk) and a stern warning of divine punishment for those who commit this grave sin. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this command addresses all humanity, particularly polytheists, asserting that invoking or worshipping any deity alongside Allah will result in severe torment. The ayah underscores the absolute monotheism (tawhid) that is the foundation of Islamic faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ash-Shu'ara, a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of Prophet Muhammad's mission when polytheism was rampant in Arabia. The surah addresses the disbelievers' rejection of the Prophet and their persistence in idolatry, making this verse a timely warning against shirk and encouragement toward strict monotheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah (shirk)' (Sahih Bukhari 6871). Additionally, 'Whoever dies while associating partners with Allah will enter the Fire' (Sahih Muslim 93).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that sincere devotion to Allah alone is non-negotiable and central to salvation; any compromise with shirk—whether in belief, worship, or obedience—severs one's connection to divine mercy and invites divine wrath. For modern Muslims, it emphasizes guarding against subtle forms of shirk such as placing excessive trust in created beings, wealth, or status above reliance on Allah.
Related Ayahs
ضَرَبَ لَكُم مَّثَلًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ هَل لَّكُم مِّن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُم مِّن شُرَكَآءَ فِى مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ فَأَنتُمْ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌ تَخَافُونَهُمْ كَخِيفَتِكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
He presents to you an example from yourselves. Do you have among those whom your right hands possess [i.e., slaves] any partners in what We have provided for you so that you are equal therein [and] would fear them as your fear of one another [within a partnership]? Thus do We detail the verses for a people who use reason.
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُو۟لِىٓ أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَـٰثَ وَرُبَـٰعَ ۚ يَزِيدُ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Creator of the heavens and the earth, [who] made the angels messengers having wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.
۞ قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَندَادًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds."
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْيَاكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَكَفُورٌ
And He is the one who gave you life; then He causes you to die and then will [again] give you life. Indeed, mankind is ungrateful.