Ghafir · Ayah 20

وَٱللَّهُ يَقْضِى بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَقْضُونَ بِشَىْءٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ 20

Translations

And Allāh judges with truth, while those they invoke besides Him judge not with anything. Indeed, Allāh - He is the Hearing, the Seeing.

Transliteration

Wa-allahu yaqdi bi-al-haqq wa-alladhina yad'una min dunahu la yaqduна bi-shay'in inna allaha huwa al-samiu al-basir

Tafsir (Explanation)

This ayah establishes that Allah alone judges with absolute truth and justice, while the deities worshipped besides Him possess no such authority or capability. Ibn Kathir notes this serves as a refutation of polytheism, emphasizing that only Allah's judgment is infallible and complete. The concluding attributes—al-Samiu (The All-Hearing) and al-Basir (The All-Seeing)—underscore that Allah's perfect knowledge encompasses all affairs, making His judgment absolutely just.

Revelation Context

This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Ghafir, which addresses the fundamental Islamic doctrine of tawhid (monotheism) against the backdrop of Meccan polytheism. The surah as a whole refutes idolatry and emphasizes Allah's sole authority over judgment and decree, responding to the pagans' reliance on their false gods for intercession and guidance.

Related Hadiths

Related thematically to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most complete of the believers in faith are those with the best character,' emphasizing that true judgment and authority belong only to Allah who knows hearts. Also related to Hadith Qudsi in Sahih Bukhari: 'My mercy precedes My wrath,' illustrating Allah's just judgment.

Themes

Monotheism (Tawhid) - Allah's exclusive authorityDivine Justice and True JudgmentRefutation of Polytheism and IdolatryDivine Attributes: All-Hearing and All-SeeingImpotence of False Deities

Key Lesson

True judgment and authority belong exclusively to Allah, whose knowledge and justice are absolute; believers should abandon reliance on false powers and place complete trust in Allah's judgment. This teaches that seeking justice or guidance from anything other than Allah's revelation is futile and represents a departure from monotheism.

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Related Ayahs

40:83Ghafir

فَلَمَّا جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَرِحُوا۟ بِمَا عِندَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ

And when their messengers came to them with clear proofs, they [merely] rejoiced in what they had of knowledge, but they were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.

40:66Ghafir

۞ قُلْ إِنِّى نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَمَّا جَآءَنِىَ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ مِن رَّبِّى وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been forbidden to worship those you call upon besides Allāh once the clear proofs have come to me from my Lord, and I have been commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds."

40:47Ghafir

وَإِذْ يَتَحَآجُّونَ فِى ٱلنَّارِ فَيَقُولُ ٱلضُّعَفَـٰٓؤُا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا نَصِيبًا مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ

And [mention] when they will argue within the Fire, and the weak will say to those who had been arrogant, "Indeed, we were [only] your followers, so will you relieve us of a share of the Fire?"

40:29Ghafir

يَـٰقَوْمِ لَكُمُ ٱلْمُلْكُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ظَـٰهِرِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَمَن يَنصُرُنَا مِنۢ بَأْسِ ٱللَّهِ إِن جَآءَنَا ۚ قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ مَآ أُرِيكُمْ إِلَّا مَآ أَرَىٰ وَمَآ أَهْدِيكُمْ إِلَّا سَبِيلَ ٱلرَّشَادِ

O my people, sovereignty is yours today, [your being] dominant in the land. But who would protect us from the punishment of Allāh if it came to us?" Pharaoh said, "I do not show you except what I see, and I do not guide you except to the way of right conduct."