Surah Ghafir — Verse 20

Word Meanings:

• يَقْضِي بِالْحَقِّ — Judges/decides with absolute truth and justice.
• يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ — Those whom they call upon/invoke besides Him (i.e., false deities, idols).
• لَا يَقْضُونَ بِشَيْءٍ — They cannot judge or decide anything at all.
• السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ — The All-Hearing, The All-Seeing.

Tafsir (Explanation):

Allah, the Exalted, alone possesses the absolute authority to judge and decree between His creation with perfect truth and complete justice. His judgment is never tainted by oppression, error, or partiality — He does not diminish anyone's good deeds nor increase their sins unjustly. Every ruling He makes is based on infinite wisdom and fairness.

As for those false deities and idols that the polytheists worship and invoke besides Allah — they possess absolutely no power to judge, decide, or rule over anything. They are lifeless, helpless, and incapable of bringing benefit or harm, let alone establishing justice or issuing decrees. How then can they be worthy of worship alongside the Creator of the heavens and the earth?

Indeed, Allah alone is the All-Hearing — He hears every word spoken by His servants, whether whispered in secret or declared openly. And He is the All-Seeing — nothing escapes His sight, not even the hidden intentions within hearts or the smallest of deeds. He sees all your actions and knows your innermost thoughts, and He will recompense you fully for all of them — the good with reward and the evil with punishment.

This verse carries a profound lesson for every soul: place your trust and worship solely in the One who truly hears your supplications, sees your struggles, and judges with perfect fairness. The idols of this world — whether stone statues or the fleeting desires of the ego — can never answer you, protect you, or rule your affairs. Only Allah, the All-Hearing and All-Seeing, is worthy of your devotion and reliance. Let this truth liberate your heart from false dependencies and anchor it firmly in the Most Merciful, who never fails those who turn to Him sincerely.