سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ

Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 73

The Bee · Meccan · Juz 14 · Page 275

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وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ﴿73﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

And they worship others besides Allâh - such as do not and cannot own any provision for them from the heavens or the earth.

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

وَيَعْبُدُونَ wayaʿbudūna And they worship
مِن min other than
دُونِ dūni other than
ٱللَّهِ l-lahi Allah
مَا mā which
لَا lā not
يَمْلِكُ yamliku possesses
لَهُمْ lahum for them
رِزْقًۭا riz'qan any provision
مِّنَ mina from
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ l-samāwāti the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ wal-arḍi and the earth
شَيْـًۭٔا shayan [anything]
وَلَا walā and not
يَسْتَطِيعُونَ yastaṭīʿūna they are able

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah73) ➊ In {وَ يَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ … : ’’ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘}, every idol, shrine, sanctuary, living and dead saint—in short, everything they worship and call upon—has been included, and for all of them, the word {’’ مَا ‘‘} has been used, which is generally used for those things that do not possess intellect. In {’’ رِزْقًا ‘‘ }, the tanween is for tankeer, meaning that they do not possess even the slightest ownership of any provision. Similarly, {’’ شَيْـًٔا ‘‘} is indefinite, meaning that they have no share whatsoever in the ownership of any provision, that is, observe the ignorance of these polytheists: they worship and call upon those deities who do not possess any ownership of any kind of provision from the heavens or the earth, nor do they have the power to send down rain from the sky, nor the ability to make anything grow from the earth, nor the ability to create anything, nor the ability to preserve what grows, so how did they become deities?
➋ { وَ لَا يَسْتَطِيْعُوْنَ :} This refutes the false assumption that, indeed, the true Owner is Allah Almighty, but these helpers have the power to obtain from Him. They can make Allah grant whatever they wish, as one person said:
The saints have received power from Allah,
They can bring back an arrow that has left the bow from the path.
"Saints have been given such power by Allah that they can bring back an arrow that has already left the bow." Allah Almighty has said that they do not possess any power in any way, neither to give anything themselves, nor to compel Allah Almighty by their love, power, or coercion to grant anything, rather, they do not even know that anyone is calling upon them. (See Ahqaf: 5, 6) The refutation of this belief is also made in clear words in Surah Yunus (18) and Surah Zumar (3). {’’ وَ لَا يَسْتَطِيْعُوْنَ ‘‘} also includes that they do not even have the power to acquire such authority, rather, they are utterly helpless before the command of Allah Almighty.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

73. 1. That is, apart from Allah, they also worship such people who have no power over anything.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

73. And those whom they worship besides Allah do not possess any power to provide them with sustenance from the heavens and the earth, nor can they ever do so [72].

Their deities are neither capable of sending down rain, nor of producing grain and fruit-bearing trees from the earth, nor can they tell what treasures are present within the earth and at which locations they are found. They neither have power over these matters today, nor will they ever have such power in the future. That is, the means for your life and the survival of your species are provided only by Allah, yet you associate others with Him in His worship. How unjust is this!
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