سُوْرَةُ مَرْيَمَ
Surah Maryam (19) — Ayah 42
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْـًٔا ﴿42﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
When he said to his father: "O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِذْ
idh
When
قَالَ
qāla
he said
لِأَبِيهِ
li-abīhi
to his father
يَـٰٓأَبَتِ
yāabati
O my father
لِمَ
lima
Why
تَعْبُدُ
taʿbudu
(do) you worship
مَا
mā
that which
لَا
lā
not
يَسْمَعُ
yasmaʿu
hears
وَلَا
walā
and not
يُبْصِرُ
yub'ṣiru
sees
وَلَا
walā
and not
يُغْنِى
yugh'nī
benefits
عَنكَ
ʿanka
[to] you
شَيْـًۭٔا
shayan
(in) anything
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.
42. When he said to his father, "O my father! Why do you worship that which neither hears [39], nor sees, nor can benefit you in any way?"
[39]
Sayyiduna Ibrahim Explaining the Evils of Idol Worship to His Father:
There are two major types of prevalent shirk: one is idol worship, the other is saint worship. A saint, whether alive or deceased—if alive, at least he can see, hear, and help through material means. But the people of Sayyiduna Ibrahimؑ were idol worshippers. These idols neither hear nor see, nor can they move; in fact, they are dependent on humans even for their own existence. Then how could they possibly fulfill the needs of others or remove their difficulties?
[39]
Sayyiduna Ibrahim Explaining the Evils of Idol Worship to His Father:
There are two major types of prevalent shirk: one is idol worship, the other is saint worship. A saint, whether alive or deceased—if alive, at least he can see, hear, and help through material means. But the people of Sayyiduna Ibrahimؑ were idol worshippers. These idols neither hear nor see, nor can they move; in fact, they are dependent on humans even for their own existence. Then how could they possibly fulfill the needs of others or remove their difficulties?
