Tafsir & Commentary
Sheba (سبإ) · Meccan
قُلْ أَرُونِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَلْحَقْتُم بِهِۦ شُرَكَآءَ ۖ كَلَّا ۚ بَلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ27
34:27
Translation — Sahih International
Say, "Show me those whom you have attached to Him as partners. No! Rather, He [alone] is Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
Transliteration
Qul aruuni alladhina alhaaqtum bihi shurakaa, kalla, bal huwa Allahu al-Azizu al-Hakimu
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to challenge the polytheists to present those partners they associate with Allah, emphasizing the absurdity of their claim. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain this as a rhetorical challenge designed to expose the irrationality of shirk (associating partners with Allah), since no one can actually produce evidence for these false deities. The ayah concludes by affirming that Allah alone is the Mighty (Al-Aziz) and the Wise (Al-Hakim), possessing all power and perfect knowledge.
Revelation Context (Asbab al-Nuzul)
This ayah appears in Surat Saba, a Meccan surah revealed during the period of intense opposition to the Prophet's message. The surah addresses the polytheistic practices of the Quraysh and other Arab tribes. This particular ayah is part of a broader Meccan theme refuting idolatry by challenging the logical foundation of shirk, a central concern of early Islamic preaching.
Related Hadiths
The Hadith Qudsi: 'I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone else's sake in addition to Mine will have that action rejected by Me and will be counted amongst the polytheists' (Sahih Muslim 2985). This emphasizes the theme of absolute monotheism central to this ayah.
Themes
Key Lessons
This ayah teaches believers to approach the challenge of polytheism with rational argumentation rather than mere assertion, and to remember that true power and wisdom belong to Allah alone. For contemporary Muslims, it encourages reliance on sound reasoning when conveying Islam's message of monotheism.