Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 17

(Ayah 17) ➊ {اِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ اَوْثَانًا:} Three words have been used in the Noble Qur’an for idols: (1) {’’صَنَمٌ‘‘}, its plural is {’’أَصْنَامٌ‘‘}, meaning those idols which are transferable and saleable, whether they are made of brass, iron, silver, wood, or stone, and {’’صِنَاعَةُ الْأَصْنَامِ‘‘} means the art of idol carving, just as the father of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was both an idol carver and an idol seller. (2) {’’نَصَبٌ‘‘}, its plural is {’’أَنْصَابٌ‘‘}, meaning those idols or statues which have been installed for worship, like the idols of the polytheists of Makkah: Lat, Manat, Uzza, and Hubal, etc. (3) {’’ أَوْثَانٌ ‘‘}, this is the plural of {’’وَثَنٌ‘‘}, and wathan is mostly related to places, i.e., shrines, etc., whether or not idols are installed there. Sometimes, at certain specific places, stones, trees (such as pipal, etc.), stars (such as the pole star, etc.), or rivers (such as the Ganges, etc.) are believed to possess divine attributes and their worship is started, and such places are often attributed to some saint, wali, or idol. When Ibrahim (peace be upon him) mentioned {’’ اَوْثَانًا ‘‘}, it refers to the idol houses of his people, in which idols are included by default. (Kilani) Those graves are also included in “awthan” which are worshipped, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اَللّٰهُمَّ لاَ تَجْعَلْ قَبْرِيْ وَثَنًا يُّعْبَدُ، لَعَنَ اللّٰهُ قَوْمًا اتَّخَذُوْا قُبُوْرَ أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ مَسَاجِدَ ] [ مسند أحمد : 246/2، ح : ۷۳۷۶، عن أبي ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ، قال المحقق و إسنادہ قوي۔ الموطأ : 172/1، ح : ۴۱۴ ] “O Allah! Do not make my grave a wathan (idol) to be worshipped. Allah curses those who made the graves of their prophets places of prostration.”

➋ { وَ تَخْلُقُوْنَ اِفْكًا :} That is, you do not create idols, rather you create a heap of lies; you fabricate many stories and tales about these idols and idol houses and attribute them to them. For example, if milk is not offered once a month at a certain shrine, the animals fall ill or die, or the consequence of disrespecting or insulting a certain shrine is so dangerous, or by visiting a certain idol house or tomb, sustenance increases. Therefore, when you create these idols, you also create heaps of lies along with them; otherwise, merely making idols does not benefit you in any way. (Kilani)

➌ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ تَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ … :} In this verse and the previous verse, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) presented three arguments to his people for the refutation of shirk: first, that these idols are your own creations, meaning you are the creation of Allah and these are your creations, and the most important attribute of a deity is that He is the Creator, and everything else is His creation, and whatever is created cannot be a deity, and these “deities” are creations within creations, so how did they become deities? The second argument is that you yourselves have to invent stories and tales about the benefit or harm of these idols. If your stories are separated from them, then what remains are just stones or lifeless matter, and such matter cannot be a deity. The third argument is that what sustenance will they give you? You yourselves place offerings and vows before them; if you wish, you can place sustenance before them, if you wish, you can take it away, and if you wish, you can rub it on them. Therefore, do not attribute such false beliefs to them, and if you want to ask for sustenance, ask from Allah, and praise the One whose sustenance you eat, worship Him alone, and be grateful to Him alone. (Kilani) Shah Abdul Qadir writes: “Most people give up faith for the sake of sustenance, so know that no one gives sustenance except Allah, according to His will.” (Mawdhih)

➍ { اِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُوْنَ :} That is, ultimately you have to return to Allah, and your end is in His hands; you do not have to return to these idols, nor is your end in their hands, so you should worship the One who can improve your fate and ask sustenance from Him alone.

17-1. Awthan is the plural of wathan. Just as asnam is the plural of sanam. Both mean idols. Some say that sanam refers to images made of gold, silver, brass, and stone, while wathan refers to images as well as shrines made of lime, stone, etc. The meaning of tuḥalliquna ifka is takdhibuna kidhba, as is clear from the translation in the text. Another meaning is ta‘malunaha wa tanḥitunaha lil-ifk, that is, you make and carve them for a false purpose. Both meanings are Sahih in terms of the concept. That is, the idols you worship besides Allah are made of stone, which can neither hear nor see, can neither harm nor benefit. You have invented them from your own minds; you have no evidence for their truthfulness. You have carved these idols with your own hands, and when they take on a particular shape and form, you think that divine powers have come into them, and by attaching your hopes to them, you consider them to be fulfillers of needs and removers of difficulties.

17-2. That is, when idols do not possess any of the means or resources of your sustenance, cannot send down rain, cannot make trees grow in the earth, cannot provide the heat of the sun, nor can they give you those abilities which, when put to use, allow you to benefit from these things of nature, then you should seek sustenance only from Allah, worship Him alone, and be grateful to Him alone.

17-3. That is, when after dying and being resurrected you have to return to Him, and be presented in His court, then why do you bow your head in need at the doors of others, leaving His door? Why do you worship others instead? And why do you consider others to be fulfillers of needs and removers of difficulties?

17. What you worship besides Allah are nothing but [26] idols, and you invent falsehood [27]. Those whom you worship besides Allah do not have the power to provide you with sustenance [28]. So seek provision from Allah, worship Him, and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be returned [29].

[26]
Words Used in the Quran for Idols:

Three words have been used in the Quran for idols.
(1) Sanam (plural: Asnam) refers to those idols which are movable and saleable, whether they are made of brass, iron, silver, wood, or stone. "Sina'at al-Asnam" means the art of idol carving, just as the father of Prophet Ibrahimؑ, Azar, was both an idol carver and an idol seller.
(2) Nusub refers to those idols or statues which have been installed at a place for worship. For example, the idols of the polytheists of Makkah: Lat, Manat, Uzza, Hubal, etc.
(3) Awthan (plural of Wathan). Wathan is mostly related to places, i.e., shrines, etc., whether or not idols are installed there. Sometimes, at certain specific places, people begin to worship stones, trees, stars, or rivers, believing them to possess divine attributes. Such places are often associated with a saint, a wali, or an idol. When Prophet Ibrahimؑ mentioned "awthana," he meant the idol houses of his people, in which idols were included by default.

[27]
Why Is It Necessary to Fabricate False Stories for Shrines?

That is, you do not merely create idols, but you also fabricate bundles of lies. And you invent many stories and tales about these idols and shrines and attribute them to them. For example, if milk is not offered at a certain shrine once a month, the cattle fall ill or die; or the consequences of disrespecting or insulting a certain shrine are extremely dangerous; or visiting a certain idol house or tomb brings abundance in sustenance. Therefore, when you create these idols, you also fabricate bundles of lies along with them. Otherwise, merely making idols does not benefit you in any way.

[28] In this verse and the previous one, Prophet Ibrahimؑ presented three arguments before his people to refute polytheism. First, these idols are your own creations. In other words, you are the creation of Allah, and these are your creations. The most important attribute of a deity is that He is the Creator; everything else is His creation, and whatever is created cannot be a deity. And these idols are creations within creations—how can they become deities? The second argument is that you yourselves have to invent stories and tales about the benefit or harm of these idols. If your stories and tales are separated from them, what remains are just stones or lifeless materials, and such materials cannot be deities. The third argument is: what sustenance will these give you? You yourselves place offerings and vows before them. If you wish, you can place sustenance before them; if you wish, you can take it away; if you wish, you can smear it on them. Therefore, do not attribute such false beliefs to them. And if you want to ask for sustenance, ask from Allah, and sing the praises of the One whose sustenance you eat. Worship Him alone and be grateful to Him alone.

[29] That is, ultimately you have to return to Allah, and your end is in His hands. You do not have to return to these idols, nor is your end in their hands. Therefore, you should worship the One who can improve your final outcome, and ask sustenance from Him alone.