تَدْعُونَنِى لِأَكْفُرَ بِٱللَّهِ وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِۦ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ وَأَنَا۠ أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْغَفَّـٰرِ 42
Translations
You invite me to disbelieve in Allāh and associate with Him that of which I have no knowledge, and I invite you to the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver.
Transliteration
TadAAounnee liyakfura billahi wa-ushrika bihi ma laysa lee bihi AAilmun wa-ana adAAoukum ila alAAazeezi alghaffar
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, the believing servant (historically understood as the man who believed from Pharaoh's family, as detailed in 40:28) rejects the call of Pharaoh and his people to associate partners with Allah and to disbelieve. He firmly refuses to commit shirk (polytheism) without knowledge, emphasizing the intellectual and spiritual absurdity of such a position. Instead, he invites them to Allah, the Mighty (Al-Aziz) and the Forgiving (Al-Ghaffar), presenting the superior alternative to their false gods and offering them redemption through sincere monotheism.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the dialogue between Pharaoh's court and the believing man from Pharaoh's family (mentioned in 40:28). The surah, revealed in Mecca during a period of intense polytheistic opposition to Prophet Muhammad, uses this historical narrative to illustrate the courage of those who stand firm in faith despite pressure from powerful disbelievers. The context emphasizes the contrast between following truth with knowledge versus following falsehood blindly.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever testifies that there is none worthy of worship except Allah alone without partners, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, Allah forbids the Fire for him.' This relates to the ayah's emphasis on pure monotheism and rejection of shirk.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to never compromise their faith to please others, and to reject beliefs or practices without sound knowledge—emphasizing that true faith must be grounded in understanding. It inspires courage to invite others toward Allah with wisdom, presenting Him as both mighty and merciful, regardless of opposition.
Related Ayahs
لَّن يَسْتَنكِفَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لِّلَّهِ وَلَا ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَسْتَنكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعًا
Never would the Messiah disdain to be a servant of Allāh, nor would the angels near [to Him]. And whoever disdains His worship and is arrogant - He will gather them to Himself all together.
إِنَّ فِى ٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَّقُونَ
Indeed, in the alternation of the night and the day and [in] what Allāh has created in the heavens and the earth are signs for a people who fear Allāh.
مَّا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلَا بَعْثُكُمْ إِلَّا كَنَفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ
Your creation and your resurrection will not be but as that of a single soul. Indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Seeing.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِىٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
Do you not see [i.e., know] that Allāh causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term, and that Allāh, of whatever you do, is Aware?