سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ
Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 117
وَمَن يَدْعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ لَا بُرْهَـٰنَ لَهُۥ بِهِۦ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ ﴿117﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allâh, any other ilâh (god), of whom he has no proof; then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kâfirûn (the disbelievers in Allâh and in the Oneness of Allâh, polytheists, pagans, idolaters) will not be successful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يَدْعُ
yadʿu
invokes
مَعَ
maʿa
with
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
إِلَـٰهًا
ilāhan
god
ءَاخَرَ
ākhara
other
لَا
lā
no
بُرْهَـٰنَ
bur'hāna
proof
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
بِهِۦ
bihi
in it
فَإِنَّمَا
fa-innamā
Then only
حِسَابُهُۥ
ḥisābuhu
his account
عِندَ
ʿinda
(is) with
رَبِّهِۦٓ ۚ
rabbihi
his Lord
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, [he]
لَا
lā
not
يُفْلِحُ
yuf'liḥu
will succeed
ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
l-kāfirūna
the disbelievers
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.
(Ayah 117) ➊ { وَ مَنْ يَّدْعُ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَ … :} "Whoever calls upon another deity along with Allah"—after this, the phrase "for which he has no proof" does not mean that it is permissible to call upon another deity for which someone has proof. Rather, this is a parenthetical statement, the purpose of which is to draw attention to the fact that there is absolutely no proof—neither rational nor textual—for calling upon anyone besides Allah. (See Ahqaf: 4) This is just like saying: Whoever wrongs someone, for which he has no right, will face retribution. This does not mean that there is any wrongdoing for which someone has a right; rather, the purpose is to state the evil of wrongdoing—that no one has the right to do wrong.
➋ Razi has written under this verse that it is understood from this that acting upon proof after reflection is the truth, and blind following (accepting something without proof) is falsehood.
➌ {فَاِنَّمَا حِسَابُهٗ عِنْدَ رَبِّهٖ :} That is, this crime is so great that no one can account for its punishment, nor estimate it. Its reckoning is only with his Lord, and He alone knows its punishment. People have only been told this much: that I will never forgive this crime under any circumstances; as for any other sin, I will forgive whom I will. (See Nisa: 48, 116) And in this, there is also comfort for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that your duty is to convey the message; taking account is Our responsibility, as He said: « فَاِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلٰغُ وَ عَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ» [ الرعد : ۴۰ ] "So upon you is only to convey, and upon Us is the reckoning."
➍ After { اِنَّهٗ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْكٰفِرُوْنَ : ’’إِنَّ‘‘}, the pronoun { ’’هٗ‘‘} does not refer back to any previous word; it is called a pronoun of the affair. It is used to firmly instill a point. Therefore, it has been translated as "Indeed, the reality is that." "The disbelievers will not succeed" means that those who call upon anyone besides Allah are disbelievers, and disbelievers will not succeed.
➎ The surah began with mention of those who are successful, and it ends with mention of those who will not succeed.
➋ Razi has written under this verse that it is understood from this that acting upon proof after reflection is the truth, and blind following (accepting something without proof) is falsehood.
➌ {فَاِنَّمَا حِسَابُهٗ عِنْدَ رَبِّهٖ :} That is, this crime is so great that no one can account for its punishment, nor estimate it. Its reckoning is only with his Lord, and He alone knows its punishment. People have only been told this much: that I will never forgive this crime under any circumstances; as for any other sin, I will forgive whom I will. (See Nisa: 48, 116) And in this, there is also comfort for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that your duty is to convey the message; taking account is Our responsibility, as He said: « فَاِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلٰغُ وَ عَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ» [ الرعد : ۴۰ ] "So upon you is only to convey, and upon Us is the reckoning."
➍ After { اِنَّهٗ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْكٰفِرُوْنَ : ’’إِنَّ‘‘}, the pronoun { ’’هٗ‘‘} does not refer back to any previous word; it is called a pronoun of the affair. It is used to firmly instill a point. Therefore, it has been translated as "Indeed, the reality is that." "The disbelievers will not succeed" means that those who call upon anyone besides Allah are disbelievers, and disbelievers will not succeed.
➎ The surah began with mention of those who are successful, and it ends with mention of those who will not succeed.
