سُوْرَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 43
أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ شُفَعَآءَ ۚ قُلْ أَوَلَوْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿43﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have they taken (others) as intercessors besides Allâh? Say: "Even if they have power over nothing whatever and have no intelligence?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَمِ
ami
Or
ٱتَّخَذُوا۟
ittakhadhū
have they taken
مِن
min
besides
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
شُفَعَآءَ ۚ
shufaʿāa
intercessors
قُلْ
qul
Say
أَوَلَوْ
awalaw
Even though
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they were
لَا
lā
not
يَمْلِكُونَ
yamlikūna
possessing
شَيْـًۭٔا
shayan
anything
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَعْقِلُونَ
yaʿqilūna
they understand
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 { اَمِ اتَّخَذُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ شُفَعَآءَ :} That is, instead of taking any lesson from the state of death and sleep and understanding that only Allah Almighty is the disposer of every matter, they have made some other deities, whom they consider as intercessors before Allah.
➋ Due to {قُلْ اَوَ لَوْ كَانُوْا لَا يَمْلِكُوْنَ شَيْـًٔا وَّ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ : ’’ كَانُوْا ‘‘}, there is continuity in the negation of {’’ لَا يَمْلِكُوْنَ شَيْـًٔا ‘‘}, therefore it is translated as, "What! Even though they never possess anything nor have any understanding?" That is, will these people still continue to worship them, considering them their intercessors, keep making vows and offerings in their names, and keep using them as a means in their prayers? Obviously, whoever they call upon neither hears them nor understands, because only that which is heard can be understood; rather, they are deceased, not alive, and they themselves do not know when they will be raised. See Surah An-Nahl (20, 21), Fatir (13, 14), and Ahqaf (5, 6).
➋ Due to {قُلْ اَوَ لَوْ كَانُوْا لَا يَمْلِكُوْنَ شَيْـًٔا وَّ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ : ’’ كَانُوْا ‘‘}, there is continuity in the negation of {’’ لَا يَمْلِكُوْنَ شَيْـًٔا ‘‘}, therefore it is translated as, "What! Even though they never possess anything nor have any understanding?" That is, will these people still continue to worship them, considering them their intercessors, keep making vows and offerings in their names, and keep using them as a means in their prayers? Obviously, whoever they call upon neither hears them nor understands, because only that which is heard can be understood; rather, they are deceased, not alive, and they themselves do not know when they will be raised. See Surah An-Nahl (20, 21), Fatir (13, 14), and Ahqaf (5, 6).
