Tafsir Surah Al-Anbya ayah 23 | Learn Quran Tafsir

Refutation of false gods

Allah denounces those who take other gods instead of Him:

أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا الِهَةً مِّنَ الاَۡرۡضِ هُمۡ يُنشِرُونَ

Or have they taken gods from the earth who raise the dead!

meaning, can they bring the dead back to life and bring them forth from the earth? They cannot do any of that, so how can they make them rivals to Allah and worship them alongside Him!

Then Allah tells us that if there were another god besides Him, the heavens and the earth would be ruined

لَوۡ كَانَ فِيهِمَا الِهَةٌ

Had there been therein gods,

means, in the heavens and the earth,

إِلاَّ اللَّهُ

besides Allah,

لَفَسَدَتَا

then verily, both would have been ruined.

This is like the Ayah:

مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنۡ إِلَـهٍ إِذاً لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَـهٍ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَى بَعۡضٍ سُبۡحَـنَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ

No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god along with Him. Then each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have tried to overcome others!

Glorified be Allah above all that they attribute to Him! (23:91)

And Allah says here:

فَسُبۡحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الۡعَرۡشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ

Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, above all that they associate with Him!

meaning, glorified be He above what they say about Him having offspring or partners;

glorified and exalted and sanctified be He far above all the lies that they fabricate.

لَاا يُسۡأَلُ عَمَّا يَفۡعَلُ وَهُمۡ يُسۡأَلُونَ

He cannot be questioned about what He does, while they will be questioned.

He is the Ruler Whose rule cannot be overturned and none can object to it, because of His might, majesty, pride, knowledge, wisdom, justice and subtlety.

وَهُمۡ يُسۡأَلُونَ

while they will be questioned.

means, He is the One Who will ask His creation about what they did.

This is like the Ayah:

فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسۡـَلَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ

عَمَّا كَانُواۡ يَعۡمَلُونَ

So, by your Lord, We shall certainly call all of them to account. For all that they used to do. (15:92-93)

وَهُوَ يُجۡيِرُ وَلَا يُجَارُ عَلَيۡهِ

And He protects (all), while against Whom there is no protector. (23:88

Allah says:

أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ الِهَةً قُلۡ

Or have they taken for worship gods besides Him Say:(-- O Muhammad --)

هَاتُوا بُرۡهَانَكُمۡ

Bring your proof.

your evidence for what you are saying.

هَذَا ذِكۡرُ مَن مَّعِيَ

This is the Reminder for those with me,

means, the Qur'an.

وَذِكۡرُ مَن قَبۡلِي

بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ الۡحَقَّ فَهُم مُّعۡرِضُونَ

and the Reminder for those before me.

means, the previous Books, unlike what you claim.

Each Book was revealed to each Prophet who was sent with the message that there is no god except Allah, but you idolators do not recognize the truth, so you turn away from it.

Allah says:

وَمَا أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِي إِلَيۡهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنَا فَاعۡبُدُونِ

And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying):There is no God but I, so worship Me.

This is like the Ayat:

وَاسۡيلۡ مَنۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَأ أَجَعَلۡنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحۡمَـنِ ءَالِهَةً يُعۡبَدُونَ

And ask those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you:Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious! (43:45)

وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعۡبُدُواۡ اللَّهَ وَاجۡتَنِبُواۡ الۡطَّـغُوتَ

And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming):Worship Allah, and avoid Taghut (all false deities). (16:36)

Every Prophet who was sent by Allah called people to worship Allah Alone, with no partner or associate. The natural inclination of man (Al-Fitrah) also bears witness to that. The idolators have no proof and their dispute is of no use before their Lord; on them is wrath, and for them will be a severe torment.

Al-Anbya: 23

Ayah

Translation

Tafsir

Al-Anbya: 23