سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْعَامِ
Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 14
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ ۗ قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿14﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "Shall I take as a Walî (Helper, Protector, Lord or God) any other than Allâh, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? And it is He Who feeds but is not fed." Say: "Verily, I am commanded to be the first of those who submit themselves to Allâh (as Muslims)." And be not you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) of the Mushrikûn [polytheists, pagans, idolaters and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh]. (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi)
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
أَغَيْرَ
aghayra
Is it other than
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
أَتَّخِذُ
attakhidhu
I (should) take
وَلِيًّۭا
waliyyan
(as) a protector
فَاطِرِ
fāṭiri
Creator
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
while (it is) He
يُطْعِمُ
yuṭ'ʿimu
Who feeds
وَلَا
walā
and not
يُطْعَمُ ۗ
yuṭ'ʿamu
He is fed
قُلْ
qul
Say
إِنِّىٓ
innī
Indeed I
أُمِرْتُ
umir'tu
[I] am commanded
أَنْ
an
that
أَكُونَ
akūna
I be
أَوَّلَ
awwala
(the) first
مَنْ
man
who
أَسْلَمَ ۖ
aslama
submits (to Allah)
وَلَا
walā
and not
تَكُونَنَّ
takūnanna
be
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
l-mush'rikīna
the polytheists
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 14) ➊ {قُلْ اَغَيْرَ اللّٰهِ اَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا:} The word "Wali" also means friend, as well as owner, helper, deity, and caretaker. Here, its meaning is owner, helper, deity, and caretaker, that is, He is not only the Creator of time and space but also the One who sustains and manages them. He has no need to take anything from anyone; all others are sustained by what He gives and are in every way dependent on Him. With this one sentence, all the deities that the polytheists had set up besides Allah are negated. See also Surah Adh-Dhariyat (56 to 58).
➋ {قُلْ اِنِّيْۤ اُمِرْتُ اَنْ اَكُوْنَ اَوَّلَ مَنْ اَسْلَمَ …:} Because I am His Messenger, and the duty of a Messenger is that before all servants and more than anyone else, he obeys the commands of his Master. And «وَ لَا تَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ» means that if someone falls into shirk, let them be; it is not your responsibility to even entertain such a thought in your mind.
➋ {قُلْ اِنِّيْۤ اُمِرْتُ اَنْ اَكُوْنَ اَوَّلَ مَنْ اَسْلَمَ …:} Because I am His Messenger, and the duty of a Messenger is that before all servants and more than anyone else, he obeys the commands of his Master. And «وَ لَا تَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ» means that if someone falls into shirk, let them be; it is not your responsibility to even entertain such a thought in your mind.
