سُوْرَةُ الْفُرْقَانِ
Surah Al-Furqaan (25) — Ayah 43
أَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلًا ﴿43﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) seen him who has taken as his ilâh (god) his own vain desire? Would you then be a Wakîl (a disposer of his affairs or a watcher) over him?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَرَءَيْتَ
ara-ayta
Have you seen
مَنِ
mani
(one) who
ٱتَّخَذَ
ittakhadha
takes
إِلَـٰهَهُۥ
ilāhahu
(as) his god
هَوَىٰهُ
hawāhu
his own desire
أَفَأَنتَ
afa-anta
Then would you
تَكُونُ
takūnu
be
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
over him
وَكِيلًا
wakīlan
a guardian
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 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).
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).
