سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 40
مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَسْمَآءً سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَـٰنٍ ۚ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۚ أَمَرَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿40﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"You do not worship besides Him but only names which you have named (forged) - you and your fathers - for which Allâh has sent down no authority. The command (or the judgement) is for none but Allâh. He has commanded that you worship none but Him (i.e. His Monotheism); that is the (true) straight religion, but most men know not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَا
mā
Not
تَعْبُدُونَ
taʿbudūna
you worship
مِن
min
besides Him
دُونِهِۦٓ
dūnihi
besides Him
إِلَّآ
illā
but
أَسْمَآءًۭ
asmāan
names
سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ
sammaytumūhā
which you have named them
أَنتُمْ
antum
you
وَءَابَآؤُكُم
waābāukum
and your forefathers
مَّآ
mā
not
أَنزَلَ
anzala
(has) sent down
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
بِهَا
bihā
for it
مِن
min
any
سُلْطَـٰنٍ ۚ
sul'ṭānin
authority
إِنِ
ini
Not
ٱلْحُكْمُ
l-ḥuk'mu
(is) the command
إِلَّا
illā
but
لِلَّهِ ۚ
lillahi
for Allah
أَمَرَ
amara
He has commanded
أَلَّا
allā
that not
تَعْبُدُوٓا۟
taʿbudū
you worship
إِلَّآ
illā
but
إِيَّاهُ ۚ
iyyāhu
Him Alone
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
ٱلدِّينُ
l-dīnu
(is) the religion
ٱلْقَيِّمُ
l-qayimu
the right
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
أَكْثَرَ
akthara
most
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
[the] men
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
Those you worship besides Allah are nothing but names you and your forefathers have named, for which Allah has sent down no authority [39]. The command belongs to none but Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him. That is the true religion, but most people do not know.
[39]
Shirk and Blind Following of Forefathers:
Moreover, these other masters or deities that are worshipped have no reality except that some individual invented such polytheistic beliefs and attributed them to a deity or shrine. Then these beliefs were passed down from generation to generation among their descendants, and blind devotion to elders clothed such beliefs in a religious guise. No one bothered to investigate whether there was any evidence for them in any revealed book or not. The majority of people are such that, without any investigation, they continue to associate such beliefs with these deities in blind imitation of their forefathers and offer vows and sacrifices in their names so that they might benefit them in some way. However, all these are matters of ignorance and unawareness. As for those who have taken charge of this business, they continue to receive offerings for free; therefore, they are never willing to abandon these polytheistic practices under any circumstances.
[39]
Shirk and Blind Following of Forefathers:
Moreover, these other masters or deities that are worshipped have no reality except that some individual invented such polytheistic beliefs and attributed them to a deity or shrine. Then these beliefs were passed down from generation to generation among their descendants, and blind devotion to elders clothed such beliefs in a religious guise. No one bothered to investigate whether there was any evidence for them in any revealed book or not. The majority of people are such that, without any investigation, they continue to associate such beliefs with these deities in blind imitation of their forefathers and offer vows and sacrifices in their names so that they might benefit them in some way. However, all these are matters of ignorance and unawareness. As for those who have taken charge of this business, they continue to receive offerings for free; therefore, they are never willing to abandon these polytheistic practices under any circumstances.
