سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 17
إِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَـٰنًا وَتَخْلُقُونَ إِفْكًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا فَٱبْتَغُوا۟ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرِّزْقَ وَٱعْبُدُوهُ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥٓ ۖ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"You worship besides Allâh only idols, and you only invent falsehood. Verily, those whom you worship besides Allâh have no power to give you provision: so seek your provision from Allâh (Alone), and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him. To Him (Alone) you will be brought back.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
تَعْبُدُونَ
taʿbudūna
you worship
مِن
min
besides
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
أَوْثَـٰنًۭا
awthānan
idols
وَتَخْلُقُونَ
watakhluqūna
and you create
إِفْكًا ۚ
if'kan
falsehood
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those whom
تَعْبُدُونَ
taʿbudūna
you worship
مِن
min
besides
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَمْلِكُونَ
yamlikūna
possess
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
رِزْقًۭا
riz'qan
any provision
فَٱبْتَغُوا۟
fa-ib'taghū
So seek
عِندَ
ʿinda
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
ٱلرِّزْقَ
l-riz'qa
the provision
وَٱعْبُدُوهُ
wa-uʿ'budūhu
and worship Him
وَٱشْكُرُوا۟
wa-ush'kurū
and be grateful
لَهُۥٓ ۖ
lahu
to Him
إِلَيْهِ
ilayhi
To Him
تُرْجَعُونَ
tur'jaʿūna
you will be returned
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.
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?
17-2. 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?
