Surah Zumar ayat 3 Tafsir Quran 39:3

﴿أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ﴾
[ الزمر: 3]

39:3 Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion. And those who take protectors besides Him [say], "We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position." Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allah does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.

Surely to God belongs pure religion none other than Him being deserving of it. And those who take besides Him the idols as patrons and they are the disbelievers of Mecca — they say ‘We only worship them so that they may bring us near to God’ zulfā a verbal noun with the sense of taqrīban ‘for the sake of nearness’. God will indeed judge between them and the Muslims concerning that about which they differ of religion and so admit the believers into Paradise and the disbelievers into the Fire. Truly God does not guide one who is a liar attributing a child to Him a disbeliever worshipping other than God.

Is it not in conformity with what is natural, right and just that dedication of the heart of ones purpose should be solemnly and exclusively to serve Allahs purpose! And those who take tutelary guardians besides Him and brew falsehood and think falsehood adduce mediation as a reason: we only worship them, they say, so that they intercede on our behalf and bring us close to Him. He shall judge between them in Day of Judgement on matters with which they were at variance. Indeed, Allah does not guide the one who gives himself up to lying and whose heart is barren of truth and gratitude

Which was revealed in Makkah The Virtues of Surat Az-Zumar An-Nasa'i recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to fast until we would say, `He does not want to break fast,' and he would not fast until we would say, `He does not want to fast.' And he used to recite Bani Isra'il Al-Isra' and Az-Zumar every night." بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Order for Tawhid and the Refutation of Shirk Allah tells us that the revelation of this Book, which is the magnificent Qur'an, is from Him, and is truth in which there is no doubt whatsoever.
This is like the Ayat: وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ - عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ - بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِىٍّ مُّبِينٍ ( And truly, this is a revelation from the Lord of the creatures, which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril ) has brought down upon your heart that you may be ( one ) of the warners, in the plain Arabic language.) ( 26:192-195 ) إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِالذِّكْرِ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُ لَكِتَـبٌ عَزِيزٌ - لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ ( And verily, it is a mighty Book.
Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is ) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) ( 40: 41,42 ) And Allah says here: تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَـبِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ ( The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the Almighty, ) meaning, the Almighty, All-Powerful. الْحَكِيمُ ( the All-Wise. ) meaning, in all that He says, does, legislates and decrees. إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصاً لَّهُ الدِّينِ ( Verily, We have sent down the Book to you in truth.
So, worship Allah by doing religious deeds sincerely for Him only. ) means, so worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and call mankind to that, and teach them that it is not right to worship anyone or anything except Him Alone, and He has no partner, equal or rival.
Allah says: أَلاَ لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ ( Surely, the religion is for Allah only. ) meaning, He will not accept any deed unless it is done purely and sincerely for Him Alone, with no partner or associate.
Then Allah tells us that the idolators say: مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ( We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah. ) meaning what motivates them to worship them is the fact that they made their idols in the image of the angels -- or so they claim -- and when they worship those images it is like worshipping the angels, so that they will intercede with Allah for them to help and give them provision and other worldly needs.
As far as the resurrection is concerned, they denied it and did not believe in it.
Qatadah, As-Suddi and Malik said, narrating from Zayd bin Aslam and Ibn Zayd: إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ( only that they may bring us near to Allah.
) means, "So that they may intercede for us and bring us closer to Him." During Jahiliyyah, they used to recite the following for their Talbiyah when they performed Hajj; "At Your service, You have no partner except the partner You have; he and all that he owns belong to You." This pretentious argument which the idolators of all times, ancient and modern, used as evidence is what the Messengers, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them all, came to refute and forbid, and to call people to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate.
This is something that the idolators themselves invented; Allah did not give them permission for it, nor does He approve of it; indeed, He hates it and forbids it. وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ ( And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming ): "Worship Allah, and avoid Taghut.") ( 16:36 ) وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ( And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying ): "None has the right to be worshipped but I ( Allah ), so worship Me.") ( 21:25 ) And Allah tells us that the angels in the heavens, those who are close to Him and others, are all servants who submit humbly to Allah.
They do not intercede with Him except by His leave for the one with whom He is pleased.
They are not like the princes and ministers of their ( the idolators' ) kings who intercede with them without their permission for both those whom the kings like and those whom they hate. فَلاَ تَضْرِبُواْ لِلَّهِ الاٌّمْثَالَ ( So put not forward similitudes for Allah ) ( 16:74 ).
Exalted be Allah far above that. إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ ( Verily, Allah will judge between them ) means, on the Day of Resurrection, فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ( concerning that wherein they differ. ) means, He will judge between His creation on the Day of Resurrection and will reward or punish each person according to his deeds. وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَـئِكَةِ أَهَـؤُلاَءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ - قَالُواْ سُبْحَـنَكَ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِن دُونِهِمْ بَلْ كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ أَكْـثَرُهُم بِهِم مُّؤْمِنُونَ ( And (remember ) the Day when He will gather them all together, then He will say to the angels: "Was it you that these people used to worship" They ( the angels ) will say: "Glorified be You! You are our Wali ( Lord ) instead of them.
Nay, but they used to worship the Jinn; most of them were believers in them.") ( 34:40-41 ) إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَـذِبٌ كَـفَّارٌ ( Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever. ) means, He will not show true guidance to one who deliberately tells lies about Allah and whose heart rejects the signs and proof of Allah.
Then Allah states that He does not have any offspring, as the ignorant idolators claim the angels to be, and as the stubborn Jews and Christians claim `Uzayr and `Isa to be.
Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, says: لَّوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَداً لاَّصْطَفَى مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ( Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring ), He could have chosen whom He willed out of those whom He created.) meaning, the matter would not have been as they claim.
This is a conditional sentence which does not imply that this happened or that it is permitted; indeed, it is impossible.
The aim is only to point out the ignorance of their claims.
It is like the Ayat: لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْواً لاَّتَّخَذْنَـهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَـعِلِينَ ( Had We intended to take a pastime, We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that ).) ( 21:17 ) قُلْ إِن كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْعَـبِدِينَ ( Say: "If the Most Gracious had a son, then I am the first of worshippers." ) ( 43:81 ) All of these Ayat are conditional, and it is permissible to form a conditional sentence referring to something that is impossible if it serves the purposes of the speaker. سُبْحَـنَهُ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ ( But glory be to Him! He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible. ) means, exalted and sanctified be He above the idea that He could have any offspring, for He is the One, the Only, the Unique, the Self-Sufficient Master to Whom everything is enslaved and is in need of.
He is the One Who is independent of all else, Who has subjugated all things and they submit humbly to Him.
Blessed and exalted be He far above what the wrongdoers and deniers say.

(39:3) Lo, religion is exclusively devoted to Allah. *4 Your religion is entirely consecrated to Him. As for those who have taken others than Allah for their guardians, (they say): 'We worship them only that they may bring us nearer to Allah.' *5 Allah will judge between them concerning what they differ about. *6 Verily Allah does not guide anyone who is given to sheer lying, is an utter unbeliever. *7

Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion. meaning

*4) This is an actual fact and reality, which has been presented as an argument for the above demand.
It means: " You should worship Allah, making din exclusively His, for it is only Allah's right that He should be obeyed and worshipped sincerely and exclusively. " In other words, there is no one else who may deserve to be worshipped so that he also should be served and worshipped besides Allah and his commands and laws also obeyed.
If a person serves another, apart from Allah, sincerely and exclusively, he does wrong.
Likewise, if he combines the worship of another with his worship of Allah, this also is against the truth.
The best commentary of this verse is the Hadith which Ibn Marduyah has related from Yazid ar-Raqashi.
He says: A person asked the Holy Prophet: " We give away our wealth so that we become well-known.
Shall we get a reward for this? " The Holy Prophet replied: No.
He asked: " What, if one has the intention both of Allah's reward and of reputation in the world? " The Holy Prophet replied: `Allah does not accept any deed unless it is performed exclusively for His sake." After this he recited this same verse.

*5) The disbelievers of Makkah said, and the polytheists the world over generally say the same, "We do not worship other beings regarding them as our creators: the Creator is only Allah, and He alone is the real Deity; but He is too high for us to have access to Him.
Therefore, we make these saintly beings a means to convey our prayers and our petitions to Allah.
"
*6) One should understand it well that unity and concord is possible only through Tauhid: there can be no unity through shirk.
The polytheists the world over have never agreed as to which beings are the definite means of access to Allah.
Some people have taken some particular gods and goddesses as the means, but even among them there is no agreement on alI the gods and goddesses; some others have taken the moon, the sun, Mars, Jupiter, etc.
as the means, and they also are not agreed as to which of them holds what rank and which is the real means of approach to Allah; some others have taken the dead saints as the means, but they also differ widely about them: one believes in one saint and another in another.
The reason is that the belief about these different beings is neither based on any knowledge, nor has Allah ever sent down a list telling that such and such persons are His special favourites; therefore, they only should be made the means to have access to Him.
This is a creed which has spread among the people only on occount of superstitions and whims and blind imitation of the elders.
Hence the differences.

*7) Here, Allah has used two words for these people, kazib ( liar ) and kaffar ( denier ).
They have been called kazib because they have falsely invented this creed by themselves, and then they spread falsehood among others.
As for kaffar.
it has two meanings: ( 1 ) A stubborn disbeliever, i.e..
the people who insist on their false creed even after the doctrine of Tauhid has come before them; and ( 2 ) ungrateful for blessings, i.e.
they arc receiving all kinds of blessings from Allah, but are thanking those other beings about whom they have assumed that these blessings are reaching them through their agency and influence.

 

Which was revealed in Makkah The Virtues of Surat Az-Zumar An-Nasa'i recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to fast until we would say, `He does not want to break fast,' and he would not fast until we would say, `He does not want to fast.' And he used to recite Bani Isra'il Al-Isra' and Az-Zumar every night." بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Order for Tawhid and the Refutation of Shirk Allah tells us that the revelation of this Book, which is the magnificent Qur'an, is from Him, and is truth in which there is no doubt whatsoever.
This is like the Ayat: وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ - عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ - بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِىٍّ مُّبِينٍ ( And truly, this is a revelation from the Lord of the creatures, which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril ) has brought down upon your heart that you may be ( one ) of the warners, in the plain Arabic language.) ( 26:192-195 ) إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِالذِّكْرِ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُ لَكِتَـبٌ عَزِيزٌ - لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ ( And verily, it is a mighty Book.
Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is ) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) ( 40: 41,42 ) And Allah says here: تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَـبِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ ( The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the Almighty, ) meaning, the Almighty, All-Powerful. الْحَكِيمُ ( the All-Wise. ) meaning, in all that He says, does, legislates and decrees. إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصاً لَّهُ الدِّينِ ( Verily, We have sent down the Book to you in truth.
So, worship Allah by doing religious deeds sincerely for Him only. ) means, so worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and call mankind to that, and teach them that it is not right to worship anyone or anything except Him Alone, and He has no partner, equal or rival.
Allah says: أَلاَ لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ ( Surely, the religion is for Allah only. ) meaning, He will not accept any deed unless it is done purely and sincerely for Him Alone, with no partner or associate.
Then Allah tells us that the idolators say: مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ( We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah. ) meaning what motivates them to worship them is the fact that they made their idols in the image of the angels -- or so they claim -- and when they worship those images it is like worshipping the angels, so that they will intercede with Allah for them to help and give them provision and other worldly needs.
As far as the resurrection is concerned, they denied it and did not believe in it.
Qatadah, As-Suddi and Malik said, narrating from Zayd bin Aslam and Ibn Zayd: إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ( only that they may bring us near to Allah.
) means, "So that they may intercede for us and bring us closer to Him." During Jahiliyyah, they used to recite the following for their Talbiyah when they performed Hajj; "At Your service, You have no partner except the partner You have; he and all that he owns belong to You." This pretentious argument which the idolators of all times, ancient and modern, used as evidence is what the Messengers, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them all, came to refute and forbid, and to call people to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate.
This is something that the idolators themselves invented; Allah did not give them permission for it, nor does He approve of it; indeed, He hates it and forbids it. وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ ( And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming ): "Worship Allah, and avoid Taghut.") ( 16:36 ) وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ( And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying ): "None has the right to be worshipped but I ( Allah ), so worship Me.") ( 21:25 ) And Allah tells us that the angels in the heavens, those who are close to Him and others, are all servants who submit humbly to Allah.
They do not intercede with Him except by His leave for the one with whom He is pleased.
They are not like the princes and ministers of their ( the idolators' ) kings who intercede with them without their permission for both those whom the kings like and those whom they hate. فَلاَ تَضْرِبُواْ لِلَّهِ الاٌّمْثَالَ ( So put not forward similitudes for Allah ) ( 16:74 ).
Exalted be Allah far above that. إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ ( Verily, Allah will judge between them ) means, on the Day of Resurrection, فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ( concerning that wherein they differ. ) means, He will judge between His creation on the Day of Resurrection and will reward or punish each person according to his deeds. وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَـئِكَةِ أَهَـؤُلاَءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ - قَالُواْ سُبْحَـنَكَ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِن دُونِهِمْ بَلْ كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ أَكْـثَرُهُم بِهِم مُّؤْمِنُونَ ( And (remember ) the Day when He will gather them all together, then He will say to the angels: "Was it you that these people used to worship" They ( the angels ) will say: "Glorified be You! You are our Wali ( Lord ) instead of them.
Nay, but they used to worship the Jinn; most of them were believers in them.") ( 34:40-41 ) إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَـذِبٌ كَـفَّارٌ ( Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever. ) means, He will not show true guidance to one who deliberately tells lies about Allah and whose heart rejects the signs and proof of Allah.
Then Allah states that He does not have any offspring, as the ignorant idolators claim the angels to be, and as the stubborn Jews and Christians claim `Uzayr and `Isa to be.
Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, says: لَّوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَداً لاَّصْطَفَى مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ( Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring ), He could have chosen whom He willed out of those whom He created.) meaning, the matter would not have been as they claim.
This is a conditional sentence which does not imply that this happened or that it is permitted; indeed, it is impossible.
The aim is only to point out the ignorance of their claims.
It is like the Ayat: لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْواً لاَّتَّخَذْنَـهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَـعِلِينَ ( Had We intended to take a pastime, We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that ).) ( 21:17 ) قُلْ إِن كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْعَـبِدِينَ ( Say: "If the Most Gracious had a son, then I am the first of worshippers." ) ( 43:81 ) All of these Ayat are conditional, and it is permissible to form a conditional sentence referring to something that is impossible if it serves the purposes of the speaker. سُبْحَـنَهُ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ ( But glory be to Him! He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible. ) means, exalted and sanctified be He above the idea that He could have any offspring, for He is the One, the Only, the Unique, the Self-Sufficient Master to Whom everything is enslaved and is in need of.
He is the One Who is independent of all else, Who has subjugated all things and they submit humbly to Him.
Blessed and exalted be He far above what the wrongdoers and deniers say.

( Surely Pure religion is ) sincerity in religion is enjoined upon people ( for Allah only. And those who choose ) and those who worship ( protecting friends ) deities: al-Lat, al-’Uzza and Manat ( beside Him ) beside Allah, i.e. the disbelievers of Mecca ( (say ): We worship them only that they may bring us near unto Allah) near to Allah in rank and intercession. ( Lo! Allah will judge between them ) and the believers on the Day of Judgement ( concerning that wherein ) in the matter of religion ( they differ ) they contravene. ( Lo! Allah guideth not ) to his religion ( him who is a liar ) about Allah, ( an ingrate ) and disbelieves in Allah; the reference here is to the Jews, Christians, the Banu Malih, the Magians and the Arab idolaters.

Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allah only. And those who take Auliya' (protectors and helpers) besides Him (say): "We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah." Verily, Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever.

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