قُلْ هَلْ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يَهْدِى لِلْحَقِّ ۗ أَفَمَن يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَن يُتَّبَعَ أَمَّن لَّا يَهِدِّىٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُهْدَىٰ ۖ فَمَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ 35
Translations
Say, "Are there of your 'partners' any who guides to the truth?" Say, "Allāh guides to the truth. So is He who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed or he who guides not unless he is guided? Then what is [wrong] with you - how do you judge?"
Transliteration
Qul hal min shurakaa'ikum man yahdee ilal-haqq. Qulillahu yahdee lilhaqq. Afaman yahdee ilal-haqq ahaqqu an yuttaba'a amman la yahdee illa an yuhdaa. Fama lakum kayfa tahkumun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a logical argument challenging the polytheists' worship of idols and false deities, asking whether any of their partners (in worship) can guide toward truth as Allah does. The rhetorical question emphasizes that only Allah possesses absolute guidance, and those who cannot guide themselves (the idols) are unworthy of being followed. Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note this passage exposes the irrationality of polytheism by contrasting the guidance of the All-Knowing Creator with the helplessness of created objects.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during the early preaching phase, this ayah responds to Meccan polytheists' insistence on following their ancestral idols and false deities alongside Allah. The surah's broader context addresses the foolishness of associating partners with Allah and their rejection of the Prophet's monotheistic message, using logical reasoning to appeal to their intellect.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2906). Also relevant is the hadith: 'Whoever seeks guidance from other than Allah, Allah will lead them astray' (Sunan Ibn Majah 221).
Themes
Key Lesson
True guidance comes exclusively from Allah, and it is irrational to follow created beings or false gods who possess no power or knowledge. Believers should critically examine their beliefs using reason and recognize that blind adherence to falsehood—whether inherited customs or modern ideologies—contradicts divine wisdom and human intellect.
Related Ayahs
كَذَٰلِكَ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ فِىٓ أُمَّةٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهَآ أُمَمٌ لِّتَتْلُوَا۟ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۚ قُلْ هُوَ رَبِّى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ مَتَابِ
Thus have We sent you to a community before which [other] communities have passed on so you might recite to them that which We revealed to you, while they disbelieve in the Most Merciful. Say, "He is my Lord; there is no deity except Him. Upon Him I rely, and to Him is my return."
قُلْ إِنَّنِى هَدَىٰنِى رَبِّىٓ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Say, "Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path - a correct religion - the way of Abraham, inclining toward truth. And he was not among those who associated others with Allāh."
وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
And thus do We [explain in] detail the verses, and perhaps they will return.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ هُم بِهِۦ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it - they are believers in it.