Al-Anbya 21:25
The Prophets · Juz 17 · Page 324
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعۡبُدُونِ ٢٥
And We sent not before you any messenger except We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me."
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Commentary on 21:24–25
أَمِ اتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِهِ ءَالِهَةً قُلْ
(Or have they taken for worship gods besides Him Say:) -- O Muhammad --
هَاتُواْ بُرْهَنَكُمْ
(Bring your proof.) your evidence for what you are saying.
هَذَا ذِكْرُ مَن مَّعِىَ
(This is the Reminder for those with me) means, the Qur'an.
وَذِكْرُ مَن قَبْلِى
(and the Reminder for those before me) means, the previous Books, unlike what you claim. Each Book was revealed to each Prophet who was sent with the message that there is no god except Allah, but you idolators do not recognize the truth, so you turn away from it. Allah says:
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ
(And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying): "There is no god but I. ..") This is like the Ayat:
وَاسْئلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ ءَالِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ
(And ask those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: "Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious") 43:45
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّغُوتَ
(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah, and avoid Taghut (all false deities).") 16:36 Every Prophet who was sent by Allah called people to worship Allah Alone, with no partner or associate. The natural inclination of man (Al-Fitrah) also bears witness to that. The idolators have no proof and their dispute is of no use before their Lord; on them is wrath, and for them will be a severe torment.
Page 324
21:25
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعۡبُدُونِ ٢٥
And We sent not before you any messenger except We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me."
21:26
وَقَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ وَلَدٗاۗ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥۚ بَلۡ عِبَادٞ مُّكۡرَمُونَ ٢٦
And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, they1 are [but] honored servants.
1 translator’s note
- Those they claim to be "children" of Allāh, such as the angels, Ezra, Jesus, etc. ↩
21:27
لَا يَسۡبِقُونَهُۥ بِٱلۡقَوۡلِ وَهُم بِأَمۡرِهِۦ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٢٧
They cannot precede Him in word, and they act by His command.
21:28
يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡ وَلَا يَشۡفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ٱرۡتَضَىٰ وَهُم مِّنۡ خَشۡيَتِهِۦ مُشۡفِقُونَ ٢٨
He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them,1 and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive.
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 20:110. ↩
21:29
۞ وَمَن يَقُلۡ مِنۡهُمۡ إِنِّيٓ إِلَٰهٞ مِّن دُونِهِۦ فَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٢٩
And whoever of them should say, "Indeed, I am a god besides Him" - that one We would recompense with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrongdoers.
21:30
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ كَانَتَا رَتۡقٗا فَفَتَقۡنَٰهُمَاۖ وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلۡمَآءِ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ حَيٍّۚ أَفَلَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٣٠
Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and then We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?
21:31
وَجَعَلۡنَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ رَوَٰسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِهِمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجٗا سُبُلٗا لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَهۡتَدُونَ ٣١
And We placed within the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shift with them, and We made therein [mountain] passes [as] roads that they might be guided.
21:32
وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ سَقۡفٗا مَّحۡفُوظٗاۖ وَهُمۡ عَنۡ ءَايَٰتِهَا مُعۡرِضُونَ ٣٢
And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs,1 are turning away.
1 translator’s note
- The signs present in the heavens. ↩
21:33
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلّٞ فِي فَلَكٖ يَسۡبَحُونَ ٣٣
And it is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all [heavenly bodies] in an orbit are swimming.
21:34
وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا لِبَشَرٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ ٱلۡخُلۡدَۖ أَفَإِيْن مِّتَّ فَهُمُ ٱلۡخَٰلِدُونَ ٣٤
And We did not grant to any man before you eternity [on earth]; so if you die - would they be eternal?
21:35
كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۗ وَنَبۡلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلۡخَيۡرِ فِتۡنَةٗۖ وَإِلَيۡنَا تُرۡجَعُونَ ٣٥
Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy