إِن تَدْعُوهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُوا۟ دُعَآءَكُمْ وَلَوْ سَمِعُوا۟ مَا ٱسْتَجَابُوا۟ لَكُمْ ۖ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يَكْفُرُونَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ ۚ وَلَا يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ 14
Translations
If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association. And none can inform you like [one] Aware [of all matters].
Transliteration
In tadAAoohum la yasmaAAoo duAAaakum wa law samiAAoo ma istajaboo lakum wa yawma alqiyamati yakfuroona bishirkikum wa la yunabbio-oka mithlu khabir
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refutes the polytheists' practice of invoking idols and false deities, clarifying that these objects cannot hear their calls, and even if they could, they would not respond. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that on the Day of Judgment, these false deities will disown the association made with them, rendering all worship directed to them futile. The closing phrase 'And none can inform you like the One who is All-Aware' (Allah) underscores that only Allah possesses complete knowledge and is worthy of worship.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during the early period of Islamic preaching, this ayah addresses the prevalent Meccan practice of idol worship and intercession through false gods. It is part of Surah Fatir's broader theme of tawhid (monotheism) and refutation of shirk (polytheism), specifically targeting the spiritual bankruptcy of idolatry by demonstrating the helplessness of these invented deities.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The supplication made by anyone of you will be granted if he does not get impatient and says: I have prayed but my prayer has not been granted.' This illustrates the contrast between calling upon the Living God versus lifeless idols. Additionally, the hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah about the futility of seeking help from the dead is thematically related.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that devotion to anything other than Allah is spiritually empty and will ultimately lead to disappointment in this life and disavowal in the afterlife. Believers should place their trust and supplication exclusively with Allah, the All-Knowing, whose response is guaranteed for those who call upon Him with sincerity.
Related Ayahs
مَا ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُۥ مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ ۚ إِذًا لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَـٰهٍۭ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
Allāh has not taken any son, nor has there ever been with Him any deity. [If there had been], then each deity would have taken what it created, and some of them would have [sought to] overcome others. Exalted is Allāh above what they describe [concerning Him].
لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۖ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ ءَابَآئِكُمُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death. [He is] your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ ۖ فَٱدْعُوهُمْ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Indeed, those you [polytheists] call upon besides Allāh are servants [i.e., creations] like you. So call upon them and let them respond to you, if you should be truthful.
وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖ بَل لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُۥ قَـٰنِتُونَ
They say, "Allāh has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him,