Surah An-Nahl — Verse 35

Word Meanings:

• Ashrakoo (أَشْرَكُوا): Those who associated partners with Allah in worship.
• Law shaa'a Allah (لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ): If Allah had willed — a conditional phrase they used as a false pretext.
• Ma 'abadna (مَا عَبَدْنَا): We would not have worshipped.
• Min doonihi (مِن دُونِهِ): Besides Him, other than Him.
• Haramna (حَرَّمْنَا): We would not have made unlawful (referring to the pagan practices of declaring certain cattle as sacred, such as the *bahirah*, *sa'ibah*, *wasilah*, and *hami*).
• Al-Balagh al-Mubeen (الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِين): The clear, unequivocal delivery of the message.

Explanation of the Verse:

The polytheists of Makkah, when confronted with the truth of monotheism and the prohibition of their unlawful practices, resorted to a deceptive argument rooted in divine decree. They claimed: "If Allah had willed that we worship Him alone, we would never have worshipped anything besides Him — neither we nor our forefathers — and we would never have declared anything unlawful that He did not prohibit." In essence, they tried to justify their shirk (polytheism) and their superstitious innovations by attributing them to Allah's will, as if His eternal decree had predetermined their misguidance and thereby excused them.

This is a profoundly flawed argument, and the Quran refutes it by pointing out that this was not a novel excuse — the nations before them, who rejected their prophets, had employed the very same hollow reasoning. The truth is that Allah granted human beings free will, intellect, and the capacity to choose. He sent messengers to guide them, clarified the path of right and wrong, and gave them the power to obey or disobey. The divine decree does not negate human responsibility; rather, it operates within the framework of Allah's perfect knowledge of what each soul will choose.

The verse concludes with a powerful statement: the messengers are not responsible for forcing people to believe; their duty is merely to deliver the message with utmost clarity. They have fulfilled their mission, conveyed the truth, and left humanity with no excuse. The polytheists' reliance on "fate" as a shield against accountability is nothing but a hollow pretext — for Allah has made the truth evident, and every soul will reap what it has earned.

A Da'wah Reflection:

This verse carries a timeless lesson for every seeker of truth. How often do we hear people excuse their wrongdoings by saying, "If Allah had wanted, this would not have happened"? Yet Allah has honored us with reason, choice, and the guidance of His messengers. He does not force anyone into belief or disbelief — He shows the way and lets us walk it with our own feet. The beauty of Islam is that it holds every soul accountable with justice, while His mercy is vast for those who turn back to Him. Let us not hide behind excuses, but rather embrace the gift of choice Allah has given us, and use it to worship Him alone, shedding every false practice that contradicts His pure guidance. The messengers have delivered; now the choice is ours — and what a glorious choice it is to submit to the One who created us!