وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱجْتَنَبُوا۟ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ أَن يَعْبُدُوهَا وَأَنَابُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ لَهُمُ ٱلْبُشْرَىٰ ۚ فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ 17
Translations
But those who have avoided ṭāghūt, lest they worship it, and turned back to Allāh - for them are good tidings. So give good tidings to My servants
Transliteration
Wa alladhina ijtanaboo at-taghoot an ya'budooha wa anaaboo ilallah lahum ul-bushra, fa bashshir 'ibadi
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who abstain from worshipping idols and false deities (taghoot) and turn back in repentance to Allah, for them is the glad tidings (of Paradise and divine mercy). Ibn Kathir explains that avoiding taghoot encompasses rejecting all forms of false worship, whether idols, tyrants, or desires that lead away from Allah's guidance. Al-Tabari emphasizes that this rejection must be accompanied by sincere turning (inabah) to Allah, making it an active commitment rather than mere avoidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Az-Zumar, a Meccan chapter revealed during the early period of Islam when Muslims faced intense pressure to abandon monotheism and return to idolatry. The surah addresses the fundamental Islamic principle of tawheed (monotheism) and encourages believers to reject polytheistic practices. The context reflects the struggle of early Muslims who rejected cultural and societal pressure to participate in idol worship.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever says there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and disbelieves in what is worshipped besides Allah, his wealth and blood are protected' (Sahih Muslim). Additionally, 'The strongest word is 'There is no deity except Allah' (la ilaha illallah)' reinforces the theme of rejecting taghoot through monotheistic declaration.
Themes
Key Lesson
True faith requires both negation of false worship and affirmation of Allah's oneness through sincere repentance and devotion. For believers today, this means consciously rejecting anything—whether material, social, or ideological—that competes with absolute loyalty to Allah, and consistently directing one's heart back to Him.
Related Ayahs
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 -
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ يُكَوِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ عَلَى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ ٱلنَّهَارَ عَلَى ٱلَّيْلِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۗ أَلَا هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفَّـٰرُ
He created the heavens and earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. Unquestionably, He is the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver.
لَـٰكِنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ غُرَفٌ مِّن فَوْقِهَا غُرَفٌ مَّبْنِيَّةٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ لَا يُخْلِفُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ
But those who have feared their Lord - for them are chambers, above them chambers built high, beneath which rivers flow. [This is] the promise of Allāh. Allāh does not fail in [His] promise.
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
And it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allāh, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers.