Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 165

(Ayah 165) ➊ After presenting the proofs of Allah’s oneness, this verse now explains that despite such clear and evident proofs, there are people in the world who set up equals (partners and rivals) with Allah. The governance of the universe, fulfilling the needs of creation, removing difficulties, hearing prayers, being aware of all unseen and present things—these are special attributes of Allah, yet these people attribute these qualities to their fabricated deities, and even love them with a love that should be reserved only for Allah, whereas the believers love Allah much more than them. By “equals” is meant those deceased elders whose idols they made and called upon and worshipped, as mentioned in Surah Nuh regarding Wadd, Suwa’, Yaghuth, Ya’uq, and Nasr, about whom Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said that these were righteous people of their nation, and when they died, their people made idols of them. Later, these idols were also made in Arabia. [ بخاری، التفسیر، باب : « ودا ولا سواعا ولا یغوث و یعوق» : ۴۹۲۰ ] Thus, idol worship is in reality the worship of elders. When, on the command of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), after the conquest of Makkah, the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) removed the idols from the Ka’bah, among them were also images of Ibrahim and Isma’il (peace be upon them) with divining arrows in their hands. [ بخاری، المغازی، باب أین رکز النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم … : ۴۲۸۸ ]
{”اَنْدَادًا“} includes everything that takes hold of a person’s heart and occupies the position that is the right of Allah alone. Idolaters would make images of these personalities and worship them. Grave-worshippers build structures over the graves of these personalities and worship them, considering them owners of benefit and harm, and in times of distress, they call upon them for help. This was especially common among the Jews and Christians, which is why the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade making graves solid and instructed Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to level every raised grave. [ مسلم، الجنائز، باب الأمر بتسویۃ القبر : ۹۶۹، ۹۷۰ ] There are some who, through the concept of the “Shaykh,” fix the image of a mortal human in their hearts and love him with a love that is the exclusive right of Allah, and then this love so dominates them that they give the Shaykh’s command precedence over the command of Allah and His Messenger, whereas the creation has no right to be equated with Allah. For further explanation of “equals,” see verse (22) of this Surah.
➋ Among Muslims, there are also many unfortunate ones who use this verse—which forbids loving anyone with a love like that of Allah—for the purpose of reciting it as a charm or writing it as an amulet to ensnare a boy or girl in their love. This is the same Jewish trait mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah (78, 102). Clearly, it is Satan who sets them on this path, and if the Qur’an is read or written for the very thing it forbids, what can be gained except a curse?
➌ {وَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلّٰهِ:} That is, the believers give precedence to the love of Allah and His pleasure over the love and pleasure of others. No one’s love can attain such a position in their hearts that they would not sacrifice it for the love and pleasure of Allah. For details, see Surah At-Tawbah (24).
➍ {الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْۤا:} This refers to those who commit shirk and the disbelievers, as Allah has said: « اِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيْمٌ» [لقمان : ۱۳ ] “Indeed, shirk is surely a great injustice.” The proof is that they will never come out of the Fire, and those who will never come out of the Fire are either polytheists or disbelievers. See Surah An-Nisa (48, 116) and Surah Al-A’raf (50), whereas it is the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah that the believers will eventually come out of Hell.
➎ {وَ لَوْ يَرَى:} “If only they could see that time”—meaning, if only they could see that scene in this world.

165. 1. Despite the aforementioned proofs, there are such people who, leaving Allah aside, make others partners with Him and love them in the same way as one should love Allah. This was not only the case at the time of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ, but the manifestations of shirk are still common today. In fact, even among those who claim to follow Islam, this disease has taken root. They have not only made others besides Allah, and saints and custodians of shrines, their refuge and the direction of their needs, but their love for them is even greater than for Allah. And the preaching of tawheed is as bitter for them as it was for the polytheists of Makkah, the depiction of which Allah has drawn in this verse (وَاِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ اشْمَاَزَّتْ قُلُوْبُ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بالْاٰخِرَةِ ۚ وَاِذَا ذُكِرَ الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖٓ اِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُوْنَ) 39:45. However, in contrast to the polytheists, the people of faith love Allah the most. Because when the polytheists are trapped in the sea, they forget their deities and call only upon Allah there. In summary, the polytheists, in severe distress, call only upon the One Allah for help.

165. (Despite these signs) there are some people who take others as equals to Allah [203], loving them as they should love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah [204]. If only the wrongdoers could see—when they behold the punishment—that all power belongs to Allah alone, and that Allah is severe in punishment.

[203]
Polytheistic Acts and the Condemnation of Shirk:

That is, they set up their deities as rivals to Allah in His exclusive attributes, and in the rights that should be due to Allah alone as the Creator, Owner, and Sustainer, they associate others with Him. For example, in matters such as ruling over the chain of causes, fulfilling needs, removing difficulties, responding to pleas, listening to prayers, granting children, being aware of everything seen and unseen, considering someone else as the source of law, and setting the boundaries of what is lawful and unlawful. In all these matters, they set up various prophets, saints, angels, jinn, and gods and goddesses as rivals and partners to Allah. Love is a matter of the heart, and it is the source of all actions and deeds; even in this, they give preference to their self-made deities.
[204] Because their love for Allah is constant and enduring. They rely and trust upon Allah in every situation, whereas sometimes, in times of hardship and distress, the love of the polytheists for their deities even fades away.