سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 22
قُلِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِن شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْهُم مِّن ظَهِيرٍ ﴿22﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say: (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to polytheists, pagans) "Call upon those whom you assert (to be associate gods) besides Allâh, they possess not even an atom’s (or a small ant’s) weight either in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor there is for Him any supporter from among them.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱدْعُوا۟
id'ʿū
Call upon
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those whom
زَعَمْتُم
zaʿamtum
you claim
مِّن
min
besides
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ ۖ
l-lahi
Allah
لَا
lā
Not
يَمْلِكُونَ
yamlikūna
they possess
مِثْقَالَ
mith'qāla
(the) weight
ذَرَّةٍۢ
dharratin
(of) an atom
فِى
fī
in
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَلَا
walā
and not
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
وَمَا
wamā
and not
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
فِيهِمَا
fīhimā
in both of them
مِن
min
any
شِرْكٍۢ
shir'kin
partnership
وَمَا
wamā
and not
لَهُۥ
lahu
for Him
مِنْهُم
min'hum
from them
مِّن
min
any
ظَهِيرٍۢ
ẓahīrin
supporter
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 22) ➊ { قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِيْنَ زَعَمْتُمْ … :} The surah begins with the statement that whatever is in the heavens and the earth belongs only to Allah, and He alone is worthy of praise in this world and the Hereafter. Along with this, it is mentioned that the disbelievers deny the Hereafter, even though it will certainly come. After this, as an example of those who believe in the Hereafter and those who deny it, and their good and bad outcomes, the stories of Dawud and Sulaiman (peace be upon them) and the people of Saba are mentioned. After the mention of the Hereafter, from here the discussion of Tawheed begins again, with which the surah had started.
➋ { لَا يَمْلِكُوْنَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ …:} That is, Allah gives to whomever He wills, like Dawud and Sulaiman (peace be upon them), and destroys whomever He wills, like the people of Saba, because He is the owner of everything in the heavens and the earth. Now call upon your fabricated deities; can they help you in any way? No, never, because they can only help if they possess something, but they do not even own a speck in the heavens or the earth. See Surah Fatir (13), Al-Mu’minun (88, 89), An-Nahl (73), Yunus (106), and Surah Al-Jinn (21, 22).
➌ {وَ مَا لَهُمْ فِيْهِمَا مِنْ شِرْكٍ :} This is a refutation of the idea that, even if they are not complete owners, they must have some share in ownership and authority. See Surah Fatir (40) and Surah Al-Ahqaf (4).
➍ { وَ مَا لَهٗ مِنْهُمْ مِّنْ ظَهِيْرٍ :} Nor is any one of them a helper of Allah, from whom Allah has ever taken help, or now takes help. See Surah Bani Isra’il (111) and Surah Al-Kahf (51).
➋ { لَا يَمْلِكُوْنَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ …:} That is, Allah gives to whomever He wills, like Dawud and Sulaiman (peace be upon them), and destroys whomever He wills, like the people of Saba, because He is the owner of everything in the heavens and the earth. Now call upon your fabricated deities; can they help you in any way? No, never, because they can only help if they possess something, but they do not even own a speck in the heavens or the earth. See Surah Fatir (13), Al-Mu’minun (88, 89), An-Nahl (73), Yunus (106), and Surah Al-Jinn (21, 22).
➌ {وَ مَا لَهُمْ فِيْهِمَا مِنْ شِرْكٍ :} This is a refutation of the idea that, even if they are not complete owners, they must have some share in ownership and authority. See Surah Fatir (40) and Surah Al-Ahqaf (4).
➍ { وَ مَا لَهٗ مِنْهُمْ مِّنْ ظَهِيْرٍ :} Nor is any one of them a helper of Allah, from whom Allah has ever taken help, or now takes help. See Surah Bani Isra’il (111) and Surah Al-Kahf (51).
