Surah Zukhruf ayat 86 Tafsir Quran 43:86

﴿وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَن شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾
[ الزخرف: 86]

43:86 And those they invoke besides Him do not possess [power of] intercession; but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.

And those whom they the disbelievers call on those whom they worship besides Him that is besides God have no power of intercession for anyone except those who bear witness to the truth that is those who say ‘there is no god except God’ with full knowledge in their hearts of what they have testified to with their tongues — such are Jesus Ezra and the angels who will intercede for believers.

Nor shall those to whom they -the infidels- pay reverence and veneration besides Him have the function of intercession; a privilege confined only to those who had asserted the Uniqueness and Oneness of Allah and bore witness to this truth

Say: "If the Most Gracious had a son, then I am the first of the worshippers.
( 81 )Glorified is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne! Exalted be He from all that they ascribe ( to Him )( 82 )So leave them ( alone ) to speak nonsense and play until they meet the Day of theirs which they have been promised ( 83 )It is He Who is the only God in the heaven and the only God on the earth.
And He is the All-Wise, the All-Knower ( 84 )And Blessed be He to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, and with Whom is the knowledge of the Hour, and to Whom you ( all ) will be returned ( 85 )And those whom they invoke instead of Him have no power of intercession – except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly, and they know ( 86 )And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: "Allah." How then are they turned away ( 87 )And his saying: "O my Lord! Verily, these are a people who believe not! ( 88 )So turn away from them, and say: Salam ( peace! ) But they will come to know ( 89 ) Allah has no Offspring Allah says: قُلْ ( Say ) – 'O Muhammad' – إِنْ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْعَابِدِينَ ( If the Most Gracious had a son, then I am the first of the worshippers. ) meaning, 'if this were so, then I would worship Him on that basis, because I am one of His servants; I obey all that He commands me and I am not too arrogant or proud to worship Him.' This conditional phrase does not mean that what is described could happen nor that is possible as Allah says: لَوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا لَاصْطَفَىٰ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ سُبْحَانَهُ ۖ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ ( Had Allah willed to take a son, He could have chosen whom He willed out of those whom He created.
But glory be to Him! He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible. )( 39:4 ).
Allah says here: سُبْحَانَ رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ( Glorified is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne! Exalted be He from all that they ascribe (to Him ).) meaning, exalted and sanctified and glorified be the Creator of all things far above having any offspring, for He is Unique, One and Eternally Self-Sufficient.
There is none equal to Him or like Him, and He does not have any offspring. فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا ( So leave them (alone ) to speak nonsense) means, in their ignorance and misguidance, وَيَلْعَبُوا ( and play ) in their world, حَتَّىٰ يُلَاقُوا يَوْمَهُمُ الَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ ( until they meet the Day of theirs which they have been promised. ) which is the Day of Resurrection, i.e., then they will come to know what their end and destination will be on that Day. The Uniqueness of the Lord وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاءِ إِلَٰهٌ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَٰهٌ ۚ ( It is He Who is the only God in the heaven and the only God on the earth. ) means, He is the God of those who are in the heavens and the God of those who are on earth; all of them worship Him and are humbled before Him. وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ ( And He is the All-Wise, the All-Knower. ) This Ayah is like the Ayah: وَهُوَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّكُمْ وَجَهْرَكُمْ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُونَ ( And He is Allah in the heavens and on the earth; He knows what you conceal and what you reveal, and He knows what you earn. )( 6:3 ) which means, He is the One who is called Allah in the heavens and on the earth. وَتَبَارَكَ الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ( And Blessed be He to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, ) means, He is their Creator and Sovereign, the One Who is controlling them with none to resist or oppose His rule.
Blessed and exalted be He far above the notion of His having a child.
He is eternally free of all faults and shortcomings, because He is the Lord, the Exalted, the Almighty, the Sovereign of all things, Who is in control of all affairs. وَعِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ ( and with Whom is the knowledge of the Hour, ) means, no one knows when it will happen except Him. وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ( and to Whom you (all ) will be returned.) means, and each person will be requited for his deeds; if they are good, then he will be rewarded, and if they are bad, then he will be punished. The Idols have no Power of Intercession وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ ( And those whom they invoke instead of Him have no power ) means, the idols and false gods. الشَّفَاعَةَ ( of intercession ) means, they are not able to intercede for them. إِلَّا مَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ( except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly, and they know. ) This means, but the one who bears witness to the truth has knowledge and insight, so his intercession with Allah will avail, by His leave. The Idolators admit that Allah Alone is the Creator وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ ( And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: "Allah." How then are they turned away? ) means, 'if you ask these idolators who associate others in worship with Allah,' مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ( who created them, they will surely say: "Allah." ) means, they will admit that He Alone is the Creator of all things and He has no partner in that.
Yet despite that they still worship others alongside Him who have nothing and are able to do nothing.
This is the utmost foolishness and stupidity.
Allah says: فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ ( How then are they turned away? ) The Prophet's Complaint to Allah وَقِيلِهِ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ( And his saying: "O my Lord! Verily, these are a people who believe not!" ) means, Muhammad ﷺ said this; he complained to his Lord about his people who did not believe in him, and said, 'O Lord, these people do not believe.' This is like the Ayah: وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا ( And the Messenger will say: "O my Lord! Verily, my people deserted this Qur'an." )( 25:30 ).
This is the view of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid and Qatadah, and this is how Ibn Jarir interpreted it.
Al-Bukhari said: "'Abdullah – meaning Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him – recited ( Ayah 88 of Az-Zukhruf ): ( وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ ياربِّ ) ( And the Messenger will say: "O my Lord!" ) Mujahid said concerning the Ayah: وَقِيلِهِ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ( And his saying: "O my Lord! Verily, these are a people who believe not!" ) "Allah is stating what Muhammad said." Qatadah said, "These are the words of your Prophet ﷺ, when he complained about his people to his Lord." فَاصْفَحْ عَنْهُمْ ( So turn away from them, ) means, from the idolators. وَقُلْ سَلَامٌ ( and say Salam (peace! )) means, 'do not respond to them in the same evil manner in which they address you; but try to soften their hearts and forgive them in word and deed.' فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ ( But they will come to know. ) This is a warning from Allah for them.
His punishment, which cannot be warded off, struck them, and His religion and His word was supreme.
Subsequently Jihad and striving were prescribed until the people entered the religion of Allah in crowds, and Islam spread throughout the east and the west. And Allah knows best.
This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Az-Zukhruf.

(43:86) Those whom they call upon, instead of Allah have no power of intercession, except such that testify to the truth based on knowledge. *68

And those they invoke besides Him do meaning

*68) This sentence has several meanings:
( 1 ) Those whom the people have made their deities in the world, will not at all be their intercessors before Allah.
Those of them who were wicked, will themselves be presented as culprits there.
However, those who had borne witness to the Truth by virtue of knowledge ( and not unconsciously ) will certainly be able to intercede for others.

( 2 ) Those who will be permitted to intercede, will be able to do so only for those who had testified to the Truth consciously ( and not heedlessly ).
They will neither intercede of their own will, nor will have the permission to intercede for anyone who had gone and been led astray from the Truth in the world, or had been affirming the faith in Allah as the only Deity unconsciously as well as serving other deities at the same tithe
( 3 ) If a person says that those whom he has made gods necessarily possess the powers of intercession, and they wield such an influence with Allah that they can have anyone they like forgiven, irrespective of his beliefs and deeds, is totally wrong.
No one enjoys such a position with Allah.
If the one who claims that another has such powers of intercession, can testify to the truth of this matter by virtue of knowledge, one should have the courage to say so.
But if one is not in a position to bear such a testimony, and one is certainly not, it would be sheer folly to invent such a creed on the basis of mere hearsay, or conjecture, and risk one's life hereafter relying only on an imaginary support.

Incidentally, this verse also gives two important principles: First, it shows that bearing a testimony to the truth without knowledge may be reliable in the world, but it is not so before Allah.
In the world, whoever affirms the Faith verbally will be regarded as a Muslim and treated as such unless he openly commits an act expressly contradictory to belief.
But as before Allah only such a one will be counted as a Muslim, who has uttered L8 ilaha ill-Allah consciously, with full understanding of what he is denying and what he is affirming according to his best knowledge.

Secondly, it gives this principle of the law of cvidence that knowledge is a pre-requisite of bearing the cvidence.
If the bearer of an evidencc has no knowledge of the event to which he is bearing evidence, his evidencc is meaningless.
The same is borne out by a decision given by the Holy Prophet.
He said to a witness: " If you saw what happened with your own eyes as you are seeing the sun, then you may bear the witness, otherwise not. " ( Ahkam al-Qur an by al Jassas ).

 

Say: "If the Most Gracious had a son, then I am the first of the worshippers.
( 81 )Glorified is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne! Exalted be He from all that they ascribe ( to Him )( 82 )So leave them ( alone ) to speak nonsense and play until they meet the Day of theirs which they have been promised ( 83 )It is He Who is the only God in the heaven and the only God on the earth.
And He is the All-Wise, the All-Knower ( 84 )And Blessed be He to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, and with Whom is the knowledge of the Hour, and to Whom you ( all ) will be returned ( 85 )And those whom they invoke instead of Him have no power of intercession – except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly, and they know ( 86 )And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: "Allah." How then are they turned away ( 87 )And his saying: "O my Lord! Verily, these are a people who believe not! ( 88 )So turn away from them, and say: Salam ( peace! ) But they will come to know ( 89 ) Allah has no Offspring Allah says: قُلْ ( Say ) – 'O Muhammad' – إِنْ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْعَابِدِينَ ( If the Most Gracious had a son, then I am the first of the worshippers. ) meaning, 'if this were so, then I would worship Him on that basis, because I am one of His servants; I obey all that He commands me and I am not too arrogant or proud to worship Him.' This conditional phrase does not mean that what is described could happen nor that is possible as Allah says: لَوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا لَاصْطَفَىٰ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ سُبْحَانَهُ ۖ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ ( Had Allah willed to take a son, He could have chosen whom He willed out of those whom He created.
But glory be to Him! He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible. )( 39:4 ).
Allah says here: سُبْحَانَ رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ( Glorified is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne! Exalted be He from all that they ascribe (to Him ).) meaning, exalted and sanctified and glorified be the Creator of all things far above having any offspring, for He is Unique, One and Eternally Self-Sufficient.
There is none equal to Him or like Him, and He does not have any offspring. فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا ( So leave them (alone ) to speak nonsense) means, in their ignorance and misguidance, وَيَلْعَبُوا ( and play ) in their world, حَتَّىٰ يُلَاقُوا يَوْمَهُمُ الَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ ( until they meet the Day of theirs which they have been promised. ) which is the Day of Resurrection, i.e., then they will come to know what their end and destination will be on that Day. The Uniqueness of the Lord وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاءِ إِلَٰهٌ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَٰهٌ ۚ ( It is He Who is the only God in the heaven and the only God on the earth. ) means, He is the God of those who are in the heavens and the God of those who are on earth; all of them worship Him and are humbled before Him. وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ ( And He is the All-Wise, the All-Knower. ) This Ayah is like the Ayah: وَهُوَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّكُمْ وَجَهْرَكُمْ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُونَ ( And He is Allah in the heavens and on the earth; He knows what you conceal and what you reveal, and He knows what you earn. )( 6:3 ) which means, He is the One who is called Allah in the heavens and on the earth. وَتَبَارَكَ الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ( And Blessed be He to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, ) means, He is their Creator and Sovereign, the One Who is controlling them with none to resist or oppose His rule.
Blessed and exalted be He far above the notion of His having a child.
He is eternally free of all faults and shortcomings, because He is the Lord, the Exalted, the Almighty, the Sovereign of all things, Who is in control of all affairs. وَعِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ ( and with Whom is the knowledge of the Hour, ) means, no one knows when it will happen except Him. وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ( and to Whom you (all ) will be returned.) means, and each person will be requited for his deeds; if they are good, then he will be rewarded, and if they are bad, then he will be punished. The Idols have no Power of Intercession وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ ( And those whom they invoke instead of Him have no power ) means, the idols and false gods. الشَّفَاعَةَ ( of intercession ) means, they are not able to intercede for them. إِلَّا مَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ( except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly, and they know. ) This means, but the one who bears witness to the truth has knowledge and insight, so his intercession with Allah will avail, by His leave. The Idolators admit that Allah Alone is the Creator وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ ( And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: "Allah." How then are they turned away? ) means, 'if you ask these idolators who associate others in worship with Allah,' مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ( who created them, they will surely say: "Allah." ) means, they will admit that He Alone is the Creator of all things and He has no partner in that.
Yet despite that they still worship others alongside Him who have nothing and are able to do nothing.
This is the utmost foolishness and stupidity.
Allah says: فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ ( How then are they turned away? ) The Prophet's Complaint to Allah وَقِيلِهِ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ( And his saying: "O my Lord! Verily, these are a people who believe not!" ) means, Muhammad ﷺ said this; he complained to his Lord about his people who did not believe in him, and said, 'O Lord, these people do not believe.' This is like the Ayah: وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا ( And the Messenger will say: "O my Lord! Verily, my people deserted this Qur'an." )( 25:30 ).
This is the view of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid and Qatadah, and this is how Ibn Jarir interpreted it.
Al-Bukhari said: "'Abdullah – meaning Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him – recited ( Ayah 88 of Az-Zukhruf ): ( وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ ياربِّ ) ( And the Messenger will say: "O my Lord!" ) Mujahid said concerning the Ayah: وَقِيلِهِ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ( And his saying: "O my Lord! Verily, these are a people who believe not!" ) "Allah is stating what Muhammad said." Qatadah said, "These are the words of your Prophet ﷺ, when he complained about his people to his Lord." فَاصْفَحْ عَنْهُمْ ( So turn away from them, ) means, from the idolators. وَقُلْ سَلَامٌ ( and say Salam (peace! )) means, 'do not respond to them in the same evil manner in which they address you; but try to soften their hearts and forgive them in word and deed.' فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ ( But they will come to know. ) This is a warning from Allah for them.
His punishment, which cannot be warded off, struck them, and His religion and His word was supreme.
Subsequently Jihad and striving were prescribed until the people entered the religion of Allah in crowds, and Islam spread throughout the east and the west. And Allah knows best.
This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Az-Zukhruf.

( And those unto whom they cry ) those whom they worship ( instead of Him possess no power of intercession ) He says: the angels have no power to intercede in favour of anybody, ( saving him who beareth witness unto the Truth ) the testification that there is no deity save Allah, sincerely believing in it ( knowingly ) knowing deep in their hearts it is the Truth. This was revealed about the Banu Malih who claimed the angels were the daughters of Allah.

And those whom they invoke instead of Him have no power of intercession; except those who bear witness to the truth (i.e. believed in the Oneness of Allah, and obeyed His Orders), and they know (the facts about the Oneness of Allah).

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