Surah Az-Zukhruf — Verse 20

Word Meanings:

• Al-Rahman (The Most Merciful): One of Allah’s most beautiful names, emphasizing His boundless mercy.
• Yakhrusoon (They guess/conjecture): They speak without certainty, merely fabricating false claims and lies.

Tafsir (Explanation):

The polytheists of Quraysh, when rebuked for worshipping angels and other beings besides Allah, tried to justify their shirk (associating partners with Allah) by claiming: "If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped them." They argued that since Allah’s will is absolute, their worship of false deities must have been divinely sanctioned—and therefore acceptable.

This is a profoundly flawed argument. Allah, in His infinite wisdom, has established a clear path of guidance for humanity: He sent messengers, revealed scriptures, and gave every person the intellect and free will to choose between truth and falsehood. The claim that divine decree excuses their idolatry is utterly baseless, especially after the warnings of the prophets reached them. Using destiny (qadar) as an excuse for sin is one of the most deceptive tricks of Satan, for Allah’s will encompasses all things, but His command and pleasure are only for righteousness and monotheism.

Allah refutes their claim decisively: they have no knowledge or proof whatsoever to support this assertion. They have no revelation from Allah, no rational evidence, and no sound basis for their words. They are merely guessing, fabricating lies to soothe their consciences and escape accountability.

A Call to Reflection:

Dear reader, this verse teaches us a vital lesson: never use Allah’s decree as an excuse to persist in sin. The path of truth is clear, and the messengers have come with light. When you know the truth, embrace it with sincerity, for Allah’s mercy is vast, and He loves those who turn back to Him. Do not be like those who twist divine will to justify their errors—rather, be among those who say, "We hear and we obey," and find peace in submission to the One True God. Indeed, the greatest success lies in worshipping Allah alone, with a heart full of love, hope, and reverence.