سُوْرَةُ النَّجْمِ
Surah An-Najm (53) — Ayah 23
إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّآ أَسْمَآءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَـٰنٍ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى ٱلْأَنفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ ﴿23﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They are but names which you have named - you and your fathers - for which Allâh has sent down no authority. They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has surely come to them the Guidance from their Lord!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنْ
in
Not
هِىَ
hiya
they
إِلَّآ
illā
(are) except
أَسْمَآءٌۭ
asmāon
names
سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ
sammaytumūhā
you have named them
أَنتُمْ
antum
you
وَءَابَآؤُكُم
waābāukum
and your forefathers
مَّآ
mā
not
أَنزَلَ
anzala
has Allah sent down
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
has Allah sent down
بِهَا
bihā
for it
مِن
min
any
سُلْطَـٰنٍ ۚ
sul'ṭānin
authority
إِن
in
Not
يَتَّبِعُونَ
yattabiʿūna
they follow
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلظَّنَّ
l-ẓana
assumption
وَمَا
wamā
and what
تَهْوَى
tahwā
desire
ٱلْأَنفُسُ ۖ
l-anfusu
the(ir) souls
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And certainly
جَآءَهُم
jāahum
has come to them
مِّن
min
from
رَّبِّهِمُ
rabbihimu
their Lord
ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ
l-hudā
the guidance
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.
These are nothing but names which you and your forefathers have named. Allah has sent down no authority for them. They follow nothing but conjecture and what their souls desire [14], even though guidance has already come to them from their Lord [15].
[14] That is, these stone idols of yours are nothing but stones. They are neither gods, nor goddesses, nor deities. Nor do they possess any power or authority. You have, on your own, formed a belief, then clung to it, and apart from your own conjecture and imagination, there is no basis for their divinity. Allah has not declared them as His partners or associates in any of His books, and the real reason for your conjecture and imagination is simply that your hearts desire that which is present before you in tangible form, and by offering vows and sacrifices to them, you become convinced that all your affairs are being set right through these offerings and through these gods and goddesses. Moreover, you believe that they will intercede for you with Allah. You do not accept such a deity who would impose restrictions of lawful and unlawful upon you, and who would test you by binding you in the constraints of His commands and prohibitions.
[15] That is, our Messenger ﷺ has come and clearly shown you in explicit words the straight path: who is truly worthy of your worship in this universe, and what are the rational and transmitted proofs for this?
[14] That is, these stone idols of yours are nothing but stones. They are neither gods, nor goddesses, nor deities. Nor do they possess any power or authority. You have, on your own, formed a belief, then clung to it, and apart from your own conjecture and imagination, there is no basis for their divinity. Allah has not declared them as His partners or associates in any of His books, and the real reason for your conjecture and imagination is simply that your hearts desire that which is present before you in tangible form, and by offering vows and sacrifices to them, you become convinced that all your affairs are being set right through these offerings and through these gods and goddesses. Moreover, you believe that they will intercede for you with Allah. You do not accept such a deity who would impose restrictions of lawful and unlawful upon you, and who would test you by binding you in the constraints of His commands and prohibitions.
[15] That is, our Messenger ﷺ has come and clearly shown you in explicit words the straight path: who is truly worthy of your worship in this universe, and what are the rational and transmitted proofs for this?
