سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 194
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ ۖ فَٱدْعُوهُمْ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ﴿194﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, those whom you call upon besides Allâh are slaves like you. So call upon them and let them answer you if you are truthful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those whom
تَدْعُونَ
tadʿūna
you call
مِن
min
from
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
عِبَادٌ
ʿibādun
(are) slaves
أَمْثَالُكُمْ ۖ
amthālukum
like you
فَٱدْعُوهُمْ
fa-id'ʿūhum
So invoke them
فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟
falyastajībū
and let them respond
لَكُمْ
lakum
to you
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you are
صَـٰدِقِينَ
ṣādiqīna
truthful
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 194) {اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ تَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ عِبَادٌ اَمْثَالُكُمْ …:} The idolaters had made idols out of the images of Allah’s prophets and righteous people. For details, see Surah Nuh (23). Allah Almighty says that these deities of yours, whom you call upon in the form of idols, are servants just like you. These words are also evidence that those people did not worship only stones, but rather worshipped and called upon elders in the form of idols, because stones cannot be called servants like you. Whether the elders are in the form of idols or buried in solid graves, the matter is the same: they are servants like you, not deities. That is, according to your belief, even if we accept that they have intellect and understanding, or consider the time when they were alive, at most it can be proven that they are servants like you, not worthy of worship. However, they are not even living beings like you, as in the following verse {’’ اَمْثَالُكُمْ ‘‘} (like you) is also negated. It is said: Call upon them so that they may accept your prayers and fulfill your wishes. This was said to silence the polytheists.
