سُوْرَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 3
أَلَا لِلَّهِ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْخَالِصُ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَـٰذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ ﴿3﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Surely the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allâh only. And those who take Auliyâ’ (protectors, helpers, lords, gods) besides Him (say): "We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allâh." Verily Allâh will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Truly, Allâh guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَا
alā
Unquestionably
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
for Allah
ٱلدِّينُ
l-dīnu
(is) the religion
ٱلْخَالِصُ ۚ
l-khāliṣu
the pure
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
And those who
ٱتَّخَذُوا۟
ittakhadhū
take
مِن
min
besides Him
دُونِهِۦٓ
dūnihi
besides Him
أَوْلِيَآءَ
awliyāa
protectors
مَا
mā
Not
نَعْبُدُهُمْ
naʿbuduhum
we worship them
إِلَّا
illā
except
لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ
liyuqarribūnā
that they may bring us near
إِلَى
ilā
to
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
زُلْفَىٰٓ
zul'fā
(in) nearness
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يَحْكُمُ
yaḥkumu
will judge
بَيْنَهُمْ
baynahum
between them
فِى
fī
in
مَا
mā
what
هُمْ
hum
they
فِيهِ
fīhi
[in it]
يَخْتَلِفُونَ ۗ
yakhtalifūna
differ
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَا
lā
(does) not
يَهْدِى
yahdī
guide
مَنْ
man
(one) who
هُوَ
huwa
[he]
كَـٰذِبٌۭ
kādhibun
(is) a liar
كَفَّارٌۭ
kaffārun
and a disbeliever
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 3) ➊ { اَلَا لِلّٰهِ الدِّيْنُ الْخَالِصُ … :} That is, the real truth is that pure worship and obedience is the exclusive right of Allah Almighty, but the polytheists who consider other beings besides Allah as their supporters and helpers generally say that we do not worship them considering them as creators and owners; we consider Allah Almighty alone as the Creator, Owner, and true Deity. However, His Being is very exalted, we cannot reach Him directly, so we make these beings a means and call upon them and seek help from them so that they may get our needs and prayers fulfilled by Allah Almighty. Many people give the example that a ladder is necessary to reach the roof.
➋ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ … :} Those who call upon and worship only Allah are united upon one Deity, but those who call upon other beings besides Him do not agree upon any one being; some call upon one, others upon another, because no one has any proof for this, nor has Allah Almighty informed that such and such being has authority over a certain matter, or that it can have such and such things done by Allah Almighty. The polytheists worship them merely on the basis of conjecture, and each, according to his own assumption, keeps calling upon some giver, helper, remover of difficulties, or fulfiller of needs. Since this claim of the polytheists is utterly baseless and futile, Allah Almighty, instead of refuting it, has said that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah Almighty will decide the truth between the believing monotheists and these polytheists, and among the various groups of polytheists regarding their mutual differences.
➌ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِيْ مَنْ هُوَ كٰذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ :} Allah Almighty has used two words for the polytheists: one is {’’ كٰذِبٌ ‘‘} and the other is {’’ كَفَّارٌ ‘‘}. {’’ كٰذِبٌ ‘‘} because there is no greater lie than claiming that there exists any being whose worship or invocation brings one closer to Allah Almighty, and {’’ كَفَّارٌ ‘‘} (very ungrateful) because Allah Almighty Himself hears and accepts the supplication of every person, yet how ungrateful are those who, being unthankful for this blessing, instead call upon powerless beings and worship them, and for this, present examples like the ladder, etc. He says, "I am near," and they say that intermediaries are necessary to reach Him.
➋ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ … :} Those who call upon and worship only Allah are united upon one Deity, but those who call upon other beings besides Him do not agree upon any one being; some call upon one, others upon another, because no one has any proof for this, nor has Allah Almighty informed that such and such being has authority over a certain matter, or that it can have such and such things done by Allah Almighty. The polytheists worship them merely on the basis of conjecture, and each, according to his own assumption, keeps calling upon some giver, helper, remover of difficulties, or fulfiller of needs. Since this claim of the polytheists is utterly baseless and futile, Allah Almighty, instead of refuting it, has said that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah Almighty will decide the truth between the believing monotheists and these polytheists, and among the various groups of polytheists regarding their mutual differences.
➌ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِيْ مَنْ هُوَ كٰذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ :} Allah Almighty has used two words for the polytheists: one is {’’ كٰذِبٌ ‘‘} and the other is {’’ كَفَّارٌ ‘‘}. {’’ كٰذِبٌ ‘‘} because there is no greater lie than claiming that there exists any being whose worship or invocation brings one closer to Allah Almighty, and {’’ كَفَّارٌ ‘‘} (very ungrateful) because Allah Almighty Himself hears and accepts the supplication of every person, yet how ungrateful are those who, being unthankful for this blessing, instead call upon powerless beings and worship them, and for this, present examples like the ladder, etc. He says, "I am near," and they say that intermediaries are necessary to reach Him.
