سُوْرَةُ الْفُرْقَانِ
Surah Al-Furqaan (25) — Ayah 43
أَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلًا ﴿43﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) seen him who has taken as his ilâh (god) his own vain desire? Would you then be a Wakîl (a disposer of his affairs or a watcher) over him?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَرَءَيْتَ
ara-ayta
Have you seen
مَنِ
mani
(one) who
ٱتَّخَذَ
ittakhadha
takes
إِلَـٰهَهُۥ
ilāhahu
(as) his god
هَوَىٰهُ
hawāhu
his own desire
أَفَأَنتَ
afa-anta
Then would you
تَكُونُ
takūnu
be
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
over him
وَكِيلًا
wakīlan
a guardian
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.
43. Have you seen the one who has taken his own desires as his god [55]? Can you then be responsible for guiding such a person?
[55]
Following Desires is Also a Form of Shirk:
Whoever becomes a servant or slave to his own desires instead of Allah, and prefers to follow his own desires over Allah’s commands, the chances of such a person coming to the right path are eliminated, and you are not responsible for bringing such followers of desires to the right path. What immediately comes to mind from the Quranic style of expression is that following one’s desires is also a type of shirk. And following desires is such a common disease that not only disbelievers and polytheists, but almost all believers, Muslims, common people, and elites are afflicted by it. For example, the way of common people is that from among the commands of Shariah, they act upon those which are easy and to their liking, and those which are difficult or burdensome to their nature, they leave aside. Such people are in reality not followers of Shariah, but followers of their own desires. And the way the elites or scholars follow their desires is that they interpret Allah’s verses according to their own inclinations and preferences, sometimes making incorrect deductions and issuing wrong fatwas to amass worldly wealth. Then those who are even more clever wish to become the center of attention among the masses by introducing some innovative belief, and lay the foundation of a new sect, at the root of which is some motive of love for wealth or status. And as for the disbelievers who rise up in opposition to the Prophets, their objective is also that the position they hold in society should not be taken away from them. And as for the polytheists’ following of desires, it is beyond question. Today, if a stone seems good to them, they start worshipping it; tomorrow, if they find a more beautiful stone, they abandon the first and bow before the second. Or if someone narrates a story of a miracle or fulfillment of needs related to the shrine of a saint, they start offering vows and gifts at that shrine. Then, if they are impressed by the circumstances of a greater saint’s shrine, they transfer all their devotions there. In short, just as there are countless types of people, there are also countless types of desires and ways of following them, and how can the Messenger take responsibility for bringing all such people to the right path?
[55]
Following Desires is Also a Form of Shirk:
Whoever becomes a servant or slave to his own desires instead of Allah, and prefers to follow his own desires over Allah’s commands, the chances of such a person coming to the right path are eliminated, and you are not responsible for bringing such followers of desires to the right path. What immediately comes to mind from the Quranic style of expression is that following one’s desires is also a type of shirk. And following desires is such a common disease that not only disbelievers and polytheists, but almost all believers, Muslims, common people, and elites are afflicted by it. For example, the way of common people is that from among the commands of Shariah, they act upon those which are easy and to their liking, and those which are difficult or burdensome to their nature, they leave aside. Such people are in reality not followers of Shariah, but followers of their own desires. And the way the elites or scholars follow their desires is that they interpret Allah’s verses according to their own inclinations and preferences, sometimes making incorrect deductions and issuing wrong fatwas to amass worldly wealth. Then those who are even more clever wish to become the center of attention among the masses by introducing some innovative belief, and lay the foundation of a new sect, at the root of which is some motive of love for wealth or status. And as for the disbelievers who rise up in opposition to the Prophets, their objective is also that the position they hold in society should not be taken away from them. And as for the polytheists’ following of desires, it is beyond question. Today, if a stone seems good to them, they start worshipping it; tomorrow, if they find a more beautiful stone, they abandon the first and bow before the second. Or if someone narrates a story of a miracle or fulfillment of needs related to the shrine of a saint, they start offering vows and gifts at that shrine. Then, if they are impressed by the circumstances of a greater saint’s shrine, they transfer all their devotions there. In short, just as there are countless types of people, there are also countless types of desires and ways of following them, and how can the Messenger take responsibility for bringing all such people to the right path?
