سُوْرَةُ الْجَاثِيَةِ
Surah Al-Jaathiya (45) — Ayah 23
أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِۦ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَـٰوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿23﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilâh (god)? And Allâh knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight. Who then will guide him after Allâh? Will you not then remember?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَرَءَيْتَ
afara-ayta
Have you seen
مَنِ
mani
(he) who
ٱتَّخَذَ
ittakhadha
takes
إِلَـٰهَهُۥ
ilāhahu
(as) his god
هَوَىٰهُ
hawāhu
his desire
وَأَضَلَّهُ
wa-aḍallahu
and Allah lets him go astray
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
and Allah lets him go astray
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
knowingly
عِلْمٍۢ
ʿil'min
knowingly
وَخَتَمَ
wakhatama
and He sets a seal
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
upon
سَمْعِهِۦ
samʿihi
his hearing
وَقَلْبِهِۦ
waqalbihi
and his heart
وَجَعَلَ
wajaʿala
and puts
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
بَصَرِهِۦ
baṣarihi
his vision
غِشَـٰوَةًۭ
ghishāwatan
a veil
فَمَن
faman
Then who
يَهْدِيهِ
yahdīhi
will guide him
مِنۢ
min
after
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
Allah
أَفَلَا
afalā
Then will not
تَذَكَّرُونَ
tadhakkarūna
you receive admonition
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.
Have you seen the one who has taken his own desires as his god [33], and Allah, despite knowledge [34], has let him go astray, and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart, and placed a covering over his eyes? Who then can guide him after Allah? Will you not then take heed?
[33]
Making One's Desires a Deity:
This can also be the kind of person who does not believe in being presented before Allah and being held accountable for his deeds. The purpose of such a person's life remains only to fulfill the desires of his own self. He does not accept any moral restriction or the restrictions imposed by Shariah. Such a person neither tolerates obeying the commands of Allah Almighty nor refraining from His prohibitions; rather, he continues to advance in oppression and disobedience like an unbridled camel.
[34]
How Knowledge Becomes a Cause of Misguidance:
﴿أضَلَّهُ اللّٰهُ عَلٰي عِلْمٍ﴾ can have several meanings. One is that, in Allah's eternal knowledge, it was already determined that he would go astray, so Allah set him upon the very path of misguidance on which he was proceeding. The second meaning is that the person had complete discernment and knowledge of good and evil, but when he pursued his desires, Allah led him astray despite his knowledge. The third meaning is that even the deniers of the Hereafter and atheists have a philosophy that leads them towards misguidance, and Allah also leads such people astray. And the fourth is that the founders of all religious sects are generally knowledgeable and intelligent people, who, by following their desires, interpret the Book and Sunnah and extract their own ideology.
[33]
Making One's Desires a Deity:
This can also be the kind of person who does not believe in being presented before Allah and being held accountable for his deeds. The purpose of such a person's life remains only to fulfill the desires of his own self. He does not accept any moral restriction or the restrictions imposed by Shariah. Such a person neither tolerates obeying the commands of Allah Almighty nor refraining from His prohibitions; rather, he continues to advance in oppression and disobedience like an unbridled camel.
[34]
How Knowledge Becomes a Cause of Misguidance:
﴿أضَلَّهُ اللّٰهُ عَلٰي عِلْمٍ﴾ can have several meanings. One is that, in Allah's eternal knowledge, it was already determined that he would go astray, so Allah set him upon the very path of misguidance on which he was proceeding. The second meaning is that the person had complete discernment and knowledge of good and evil, but when he pursued his desires, Allah led him astray despite his knowledge. The third meaning is that even the deniers of the Hereafter and atheists have a philosophy that leads them towards misguidance, and Allah also leads such people astray. And the fourth is that the founders of all religious sects are generally knowledgeable and intelligent people, who, by following their desires, interpret the Book and Sunnah and extract their own ideology.
