Surah Ahqaf ayat 5 Tafsir Quran 46:5

﴿وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَن دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ﴾
[ الأحقاف: 5]

46:5 And who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocation, are unaware.

And who is man here is interrogative but meant rhetorically as a negation in other words ‘no one is’ further astray than him who invokes him who worships besides God that is to say other than Him such as would not respond to him even until the Day of Resurrection — these are the idols who never answer those who worship them in anything that they ask for — and who are heedless of their supplication? their worship because they are inanimates that possess no faculty of comprehension.

And who can err and stray from the path of righteousness more than he who invokes besides Allah a creature, spiritual, animate or inanimate who shall never respond to him till the Day of Judgement, nor are such creatures aware of their invocation

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Qur'an is a Revelation from Allah and the Universe is His True Creation Allah informs that He has revealed the Book to His servant and Messenger Muhammad -- may Allah's blessings be upon him until the Day of Judgement.
Allah then describes Himself as being of unimaginable glory, possessing ultimate wisdom in His statements and actions.
Allah then says, مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ ( We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except in truth, ) meaning, not in idle play and falsehood. وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى ( and for a specified term. ) meaning, for a fixed and specified duration that will not increase or decrease.
Allah continues, وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ عَمَّآ أُنذِرُواْ مُعْرِضُونَ ( But those who disbelieve, turn away from that of which they are warned. ) Meaning, the disbelievers are distracted from what is intended for them.
Allah has indeed revealed to them a Book and sent to them a Messenger.
Yet, they obstinately turn away from all of that.
Therefore, they will soon realize the consequence of their behavior. Refuting the Idolators Allah then says, قُلْ ( Say ) meaning, to these idolators who worship others besides Allah. أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقُواْ مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ ( Think you about all that you invoke besides Allah Show me what they have created of the earth ) ( 46:4 ) meaning, `show me the place that they have independently created from the earth.' أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ ( Or have they a share in the heavens ) which means that they are not partners in anything in the heavens, nor on earth.
They do not own even the thin membrane covering a date's pit.
The dominion and control only belong to Allah, Exalted is He.
`How then would you worship others or join them as partners with Him Who guided you to that Who called you to that Did He command you to do it, or is it something that you suggested yourselves' Thus, He says, ائْتُونِى بِكِتَـبٍ مِّن قَبْلِ هَـذَآ ( Bring me a scripture prior to this ) meaning, `bring a book from among the Books of Allah that have been revealed to the Prophets, that commands you to worship these idols.' أَوْ أَثَـرَةٍ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ ( or some trace of knowledge, ) meaning, `some clear evidence justifying this way you have chosen.' إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ ( if you are truthful! ) meaning, `you have absolutely no evidence for that -- neither textual ( from revelation ) nor rational.' For this reason, some recited it; ( أَوْ أَثَرَةٍ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ) "or something inherited from knowledge" meaning, `or true knowledge that you have inherited from anyone before you.' This is similar to Mujahid's statement when he said, أَوْ أَثَـرَةٍ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ ( or some trace of knowledge. ) "Or anyone who has inherited any knowledge." Allah then says, وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لاَّ يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ وَهُمْ عَن دُعَآئِهِمْ غَـفِلُونَ ( And who is more astray than those who invokes besides Allah others who will not answer them until the Day of Resurrection, and who are unaware of their invocations to them ) meaning, no one is more misguided than those who invoke idols instead of Allah, asking them for things that they cannot give -- until the Day of Judgment.
They ( the idols ) are unaware of what he asks, they can neither hear, see, or act.
This is because they are inanimate, senseless stones.
Allah then says, وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـفِرِينَ ( And when mankind are gathered, they will become their enemies and will deny their worship. ) This is similar to Allah's saying: وَاتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ ءالِهَةً لِّيَكُونُواْ لَهُمْ عِزّاً كَلاَّ سَيَكْفُرُونَ بِعِبَـدَتِهِمْ وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضِدّاً ( They have taken gods beside Allah, that they might give them dignity.
No! They will deny their worship of them, and will be opponents to them. ) ( 19:81, 82 ) meaning, they will betray them when they need them the most.
( Ibrahim ) Al-Khalil, peace be upon him, said: إِنَّمَا اتَّخَذْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْثَـناً مَّوَدَّةَ بَيْنِكُمْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُمْ بِبَعْضٍ وَيَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً وَمَأْوَاكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِّن نَّـصِرِينَ ( You have taken only idols besides Allah! The love between you is only in the life of this world.
On the Day of Resurrection, you shall disown each other and curse each other, and your abode will be the Fire, and you shall have no helpers. )( 29:25 )

(46:5) Who is farther strayed from the Right Path than he who calls upon others than Allah that cannot answer his call till the Day of Resurrection, *5 the while they are not even conscious that callers are calling upon them? *6

And who is more astray than he meaning

*5) " Cannot answer him ": Cannot answer the supplications of any one.
That is, these gods do not possess the powers by virtue of which they could give decisions on the prayers and petitions of their devotees.
( For further explanation, see E.N.
33 of Az-Zumar ).
" Till the Day of Resurrection " means that as long as the world lasts they will get no answer to their supplications and prayers from their deities, but when Resurrection will have taken place, the deities will turn hostile to their worshippers themselves, as becomes explicit from the next verse.

*6) That is, " they do not even hear the supplications of the supplicants, neither through their own ears nor through any other means.
" This thing can be elaborated like this: The being whom the polytheists the world over have been invoking are divided into three categories: ( 1 ) Lifeless and inanimate creation; ( 2 ) the pious men who have passed away; and ( 3 ) the wicked men who had themselves gone astray, and who misled others and passed away.
As for the first category of the deities they will naturally remain unaware of the supplications of their worshippers.
As for the deities of the second kind, who were favourites with their God, there arc two reasons of their remaining unaware: ( a ) They are in the presence of AIIah in a state where human voices cannot reach them directly; and ( b ) even Allah and His angels do not inform them that the people whom they had been teaching to invoke Allah alone in the world, were invoking them instead, for no information could cause them a greater shock than this, and Allah does not at alI like to vex the souls of His righteous servants.
Now if we consider the case of the third kind of the deities, we shall sec that there are two reasons also of their remaining unaware: ( a ) That they have been placed in confinement as the accused, and no voice from the world can reach them; and ( b ) that even Allah and His angels do not convey to them the news that their mission is flourishing in the world, and the people have set them up as deities, for this news would be a happy news for them, and Allah does not like to make the wicked people happy.

In this connection, one should also understand that Allah conveys to His righteous servants the greetings of peace and prayers of mercy from the people of the world, for these things arc a source of joy and pleasure for them; likewise, He informs the culprits of the curses, censures and condemnations of the people of the world, as the disbelievers killed in the Battle of Badr were made to hear the curse of the Holy Prophet according to a Hadith, for it is a cause of anguish for them.
But anything which might cause distress to the righteous people and joy to the culprits is not conveyed to them.
This explanation makes the truth about the,.
question of hearing by the dead plain and easy to understand.

 

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Qur'an is a Revelation from Allah and the Universe is His True Creation Allah informs that He has revealed the Book to His servant and Messenger Muhammad -- may Allah's blessings be upon him until the Day of Judgement.
Allah then describes Himself as being of unimaginable glory, possessing ultimate wisdom in His statements and actions.
Allah then says, مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ ( We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except in truth, ) meaning, not in idle play and falsehood. وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى ( and for a specified term. ) meaning, for a fixed and specified duration that will not increase or decrease.
Allah continues, وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ عَمَّآ أُنذِرُواْ مُعْرِضُونَ ( But those who disbelieve, turn away from that of which they are warned. ) Meaning, the disbelievers are distracted from what is intended for them.
Allah has indeed revealed to them a Book and sent to them a Messenger.
Yet, they obstinately turn away from all of that.
Therefore, they will soon realize the consequence of their behavior. Refuting the Idolators Allah then says, قُلْ ( Say ) meaning, to these idolators who worship others besides Allah. أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقُواْ مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ ( Think you about all that you invoke besides Allah Show me what they have created of the earth ) ( 46:4 ) meaning, `show me the place that they have independently created from the earth.' أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ ( Or have they a share in the heavens ) which means that they are not partners in anything in the heavens, nor on earth.
They do not own even the thin membrane covering a date's pit.
The dominion and control only belong to Allah, Exalted is He.
`How then would you worship others or join them as partners with Him Who guided you to that Who called you to that Did He command you to do it, or is it something that you suggested yourselves' Thus, He says, ائْتُونِى بِكِتَـبٍ مِّن قَبْلِ هَـذَآ ( Bring me a scripture prior to this ) meaning, `bring a book from among the Books of Allah that have been revealed to the Prophets, that commands you to worship these idols.' أَوْ أَثَـرَةٍ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ ( or some trace of knowledge, ) meaning, `some clear evidence justifying this way you have chosen.' إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ ( if you are truthful! ) meaning, `you have absolutely no evidence for that -- neither textual ( from revelation ) nor rational.' For this reason, some recited it; ( أَوْ أَثَرَةٍ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ) "or something inherited from knowledge" meaning, `or true knowledge that you have inherited from anyone before you.' This is similar to Mujahid's statement when he said, أَوْ أَثَـرَةٍ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ ( or some trace of knowledge. ) "Or anyone who has inherited any knowledge." Allah then says, وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لاَّ يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ وَهُمْ عَن دُعَآئِهِمْ غَـفِلُونَ ( And who is more astray than those who invokes besides Allah others who will not answer them until the Day of Resurrection, and who are unaware of their invocations to them ) meaning, no one is more misguided than those who invoke idols instead of Allah, asking them for things that they cannot give -- until the Day of Judgment.
They ( the idols ) are unaware of what he asks, they can neither hear, see, or act.
This is because they are inanimate, senseless stones.
Allah then says, وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـفِرِينَ ( And when mankind are gathered, they will become their enemies and will deny their worship. ) This is similar to Allah's saying: وَاتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ ءالِهَةً لِّيَكُونُواْ لَهُمْ عِزّاً كَلاَّ سَيَكْفُرُونَ بِعِبَـدَتِهِمْ وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضِدّاً ( They have taken gods beside Allah, that they might give them dignity.
No! They will deny their worship of them, and will be opponents to them. ) ( 19:81, 82 ) meaning, they will betray them when they need them the most.
( Ibrahim ) Al-Khalil, peace be upon him, said: إِنَّمَا اتَّخَذْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْثَـناً مَّوَدَّةَ بَيْنِكُمْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُمْ بِبَعْضٍ وَيَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً وَمَأْوَاكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِّن نَّـصِرِينَ ( You have taken only idols besides Allah! The love between you is only in the life of this world.
On the Day of Resurrection, you shall disown each other and curse each other, and your abode will be the Fire, and you shall have no helpers. )( 29:25 )

( And who is further astray ) from the Truth and guidance ( than those who, instead of Allah ) i.e. the disbeliever, ( pray unto ) worship ( such as hear not their prayer ) such as respond not to his supplication ( until the Day of Resurrection ) i.e. the idols, ( and are unconscious of their prayer ) and are unaware of the prayers of those who worship them,

And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them?

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