Surah Al-Furqaan (25) — Ayah 43

(Ayah 43) ➊ {اَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰهَهٗ هَوٰىهُ :} It is a natural thing that the disbelievers making a mockery of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and remaining steadfast in the worship of their false deities was extremely distressing for you, because you had a strong desire for them to believe. Therefore, Allah Almighty, expressing amazement at their condition, said: “Have you seen the person who has taken his own desire as his god?” Abu Hayyan said: {’’وَالْمَعْنٰي أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ إِلٰهًا إِلَّا هَوَاهُ‘‘} “The meaning is that he has not made anyone except his desire as his god.” Zamakhshari said: “The person who follows only his desire in his religion, and in doing or not doing anything follows only that, then this person is a worshipper of his desire and has made it his god. Therefore, Allah Almighty says that this person, who does not consider anyone except his desire as his god, how can you guide him? Are you responsible for him, or can you force him to accept Islam and say that you must accept Islam in every case, whether you want to or not, when there is no compulsion in religion (in the matter of accepting Islam)? He said: «{ لَاۤ اِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّيْنِ }» [ البقرۃ : ۲۵۶ ] “There is no compulsion in religion.” And He said: «{ وَ مَاۤ اَنْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِجَبَّارٍ }» [قٓ : ۴۵ ] “And you are not a compeller over them.” And He said: «{ لَسْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِمُصَۜيْطِرٍ}» [ الغاشیۃ : ۲۲ ] “So you are by no means a controller over them.” (Al-Kashshaf) And see Surah Al-Jathiyah (23) and Fatir (8).

➋ If a person commits a sin due to the desire of the self and considers himself a sinner before Allah, it cannot be said that he has made his desire his god. Otherwise, every sin would be shirk and every sinner a polytheist, whereas this is not the case, as He said: «{ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ اَنْ يُّشْرَكَ بِهٖ }» [ النساء : ۴۸ ] “Indeed, Allah does not forgive that a partner be associated with Him.” Tabari, with his reliable chain, narrated from Ali bin Abi Talhah from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): “What is meant by this is the disbeliever who, instead of Allah’s guidance and any evidence, makes only his desire his god.”

➌ { اَفَاَنْتَ تَكُوْنُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيْلًا :} That is, you are not responsible for his guidance; your duty is only to convey, as He said: «{فَاِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلٰغُ وَ عَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ }» [ الرعد : ۴۰ ] “So upon you is only the conveyance, and upon Us is the account.” And see Surah Ash-Shura (48).

43-1 That is, whatever his soul found pleasing, he made that his religion and creed. Can you guide such a person, or save him from Allah's punishment? This has been stated in another place as follows: "Is he whose evil deed has been made fair-seeming to him so that he considers it good? So Allah lets go astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. So do not grieve over them." (Fatir) Hazrat Ibn Abbas ؓ says in its explanation: In the time of ignorance, a man would worship a white stone for a period of time, and when he found a better stone, he would leave the first and start worshipping the second stone. (Ibn Kathir) The meaning is that such people, who are so devoid of intellect and understanding and have made their own desires their deity—O Prophet ﷺ, can you set them on the path of guidance? That is, you cannot set them on the path.

43. Have you seen the one who has taken his own desires as his god [55]? Can you then be responsible for guiding such a person?

[55]
Following Desires is Also a Form of Shirk:

Whoever becomes a servant or slave to his own desires instead of Allah, and prefers to follow his own desires over Allah’s commands, the chances of such a person coming to the right path are eliminated, and you are not responsible for bringing such followers of desires to the right path. What immediately comes to mind from the Quranic style of expression is that following one’s desires is also a type of shirk. And following desires is such a common disease that not only disbelievers and polytheists, but almost all believers, Muslims, common people, and elites are afflicted by it. For example, the way of common people is that from among the commands of Shariah, they act upon those which are easy and to their liking, and those which are difficult or burdensome to their nature, they leave aside. Such people are in reality not followers of Shariah, but followers of their own desires. And the way the elites or scholars follow their desires is that they interpret Allah’s verses according to their own inclinations and preferences, sometimes making incorrect deductions and issuing wrong fatwas to amass worldly wealth. Then those who are even more clever wish to become the center of attention among the masses by introducing some innovative belief, and lay the foundation of a new sect, at the root of which is some motive of love for wealth or status. And as for the disbelievers who rise up in opposition to the Prophets, their objective is also that the position they hold in society should not be taken away from them. And as for the polytheists’ following of desires, it is beyond question. Today, if a stone seems good to them, they start worshipping it; tomorrow, if they find a more beautiful stone, they abandon the first and bow before the second. Or if someone narrates a story of a miracle or fulfillment of needs related to the shrine of a saint, they start offering vows and gifts at that shrine. Then, if they are impressed by the circumstances of a greater saint’s shrine, they transfer all their devotions there. In short, just as there are countless types of people, there are also countless types of desires and ways of following them, and how can the Messenger take responsibility for bringing all such people to the right path?