سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 88
وَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ ۘ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُۥ ۚ لَهُ ٱلْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿88﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And invoke not any other ilâh (god) along with Allâh: Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Everything will perish save His Face. His is the Decision, and to Him you (all) shall be returned.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَدْعُ
tadʿu
invoke
مَعَ
maʿa
with
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
إِلَـٰهًا
ilāhan
god
ءَاخَرَ ۘ
ākhara
other
لَآ
lā
(There is) no
إِلَـٰهَ
ilāha
god
إِلَّا
illā
except
هُوَ ۚ
huwa
Him
كُلُّ
kullu
Every
شَىْءٍ
shayin
thing
هَالِكٌ
hālikun
(will be) destroyed
إِلَّا
illā
except
وَجْهَهُۥ ۚ
wajhahu
His Face
لَهُ
lahu
To Him
ٱلْحُكْمُ
l-ḥuk'mu
(is) the Decision
وَإِلَيْهِ
wa-ilayhi
and to Him
تُرْجَعُونَ
tur'jaʿūna
you will be returned
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 88) ➊ { وَ لَا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَ:} This is the fifth command: do not call upon any other deity with Allah. These five commands are for every human being, but by addressing you, firstly, it is meant to emphasize these commands for you, and secondly, although it is being recited to you, in reality, all other people are being warned. Because you (peace be upon you) were already acting upon these commands, and after Allah chose you for prophethood, there was no possibility of shirk from you, as this same point has been stated in a very stern tone elsewhere: «{ قُلْ اَفَغَيْرَ اللّٰهِ تَاْمُرُوْٓنِّيْۤ اَعْبُدُ اَيُّهَا الْجٰهِلُوْنَ (64) وَ لَقَدْ اُوْحِيَ اِلَيْكَ وَ اِلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَىِٕنْ اَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَ لَتَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْخٰسِرِيْنَ }» [ الزمر : ۶۴، ۶۵ ] "Say, then do you command me concerning other than Allah that I should worship them, O ignorant ones! And indeed, certainly, it has been revealed to you and to those before you that if you associate partners (with Allah), surely your deeds will become worthless and you will surely be among the losers." The purpose is that if there is no concession in this matter even for a prophet, then how could there be for anyone else.
➋ { لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ :} This is the sentence that is the summary of the call of Islam. Most surahs of the Noble Quran begin with the rejection of shirk and the call to tawheed, and also end with it. Here, three proofs for this claim have been stated.
➌ { كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ اِلَّا وَجْهَهٗ :} This is the first proof that none but Allah is worthy of worship, because He alone is everlasting, abiding, and the Ever-Living, Sustainer. All others must die; all are perishable. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say: [ أَعُوْذُ بِعِزَّتِكَ الَّذِيْ لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الَّذِيْ لاَ يَمُوْتُ، وَالْجِنُّ وَالْإِنْسُ يَمُوْتُوْنَ ] [ بخاري، التوحید، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «و ھو العزیز الحکیم … » : ۷۳۸۳ ] "I seek refuge in Your honor; You are the One besides whom there is no deity worthy of worship, and You never die, while the jinn and mankind die." Allah Almighty has said elsewhere: «{ كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ (26) وَّ يَبْقٰى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلٰلِ وَ الْاِكْرَامِ}» [ الرحمٰن : ۲۶، ۲۷ ] "Everyone upon it (the earth) will perish, and the Face of your Lord, full of majesty and honor, will remain." And it is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ أَصْدَقُ كَلِمَةٍ قَالَهَا الشَّاعِرُ كَلِمَةُ لَبِيْدٍ : أَلاَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مَا خَلاَ اللّٰهَ بَاطِلٌ ] [بخاري، مناقب الأنصار، باب أیام الجاہلیۃ : ۳۸۴۱ ] "The truest statement ever spoken by a poet is the saying of Labid: Behold! Everything except Allah is false."
➍ { لَهُ الْحُكْمُ :} This is the second proof of Allah Almighty being the only deity: that in the universe, only His command prevails; no one else has the authority of {’’ كُنْ‘‘}.
➎ { وَ اِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُوْنَ :} This is the third proof of tawheed: that all people must return to Him and be presented before Him. All others themselves will be presented, so how could they become deities?
➋ { لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ :} This is the sentence that is the summary of the call of Islam. Most surahs of the Noble Quran begin with the rejection of shirk and the call to tawheed, and also end with it. Here, three proofs for this claim have been stated.
➌ { كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ اِلَّا وَجْهَهٗ :} This is the first proof that none but Allah is worthy of worship, because He alone is everlasting, abiding, and the Ever-Living, Sustainer. All others must die; all are perishable. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say: [ أَعُوْذُ بِعِزَّتِكَ الَّذِيْ لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الَّذِيْ لاَ يَمُوْتُ، وَالْجِنُّ وَالْإِنْسُ يَمُوْتُوْنَ ] [ بخاري، التوحید، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «و ھو العزیز الحکیم … » : ۷۳۸۳ ] "I seek refuge in Your honor; You are the One besides whom there is no deity worthy of worship, and You never die, while the jinn and mankind die." Allah Almighty has said elsewhere: «{ كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ (26) وَّ يَبْقٰى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلٰلِ وَ الْاِكْرَامِ}» [ الرحمٰن : ۲۶، ۲۷ ] "Everyone upon it (the earth) will perish, and the Face of your Lord, full of majesty and honor, will remain." And it is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ أَصْدَقُ كَلِمَةٍ قَالَهَا الشَّاعِرُ كَلِمَةُ لَبِيْدٍ : أَلاَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مَا خَلاَ اللّٰهَ بَاطِلٌ ] [بخاري، مناقب الأنصار، باب أیام الجاہلیۃ : ۳۸۴۱ ] "The truest statement ever spoken by a poet is the saying of Labid: Behold! Everything except Allah is false."
➍ { لَهُ الْحُكْمُ :} This is the second proof of Allah Almighty being the only deity: that in the universe, only His command prevails; no one else has the authority of {’’ كُنْ‘‘}.
➎ { وَ اِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُوْنَ :} This is the third proof of tawheed: that all people must return to Him and be presented before Him. All others themselves will be presented, so how could they become deities?
