Ya-Sin 36:74
Ya Sin · Juz 23 · Page 445
وَٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةٗ لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ ٧٤
But they have taken besides Allāh [false] deities that perhaps they would be helped.
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 36:74–76
The gods of the Idolators are not able to help Them
Allah denounces the idolators for taking the idols as gods alongside Allah, hoping that those gods will help them and provide for them and bring them closer to Allah. Allah says:
لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَهُمْ
(They cannot help them,) meaning, those gods cannot help their worshippers; they are too weak, too insignificant and too powerless. Rather they cannot even help themselves or take revenge on those who want to harm them, because they are inanimate and can neither hear nor comprehend. Allah's saying:
وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ مٌّحْضَرُونَ
(but they will be brought forward as a troop.) means, at the time of Reckoning according to the view of Mujahid. This means that those idols will be gathered together and will be present when their worshippers are brought to account, as this will add to their grief and will be more effective in establishing proof against them. Qatadah said:
لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَهُمْ
(They cannot help them,) means the gods.
وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ مٌّحْضَرُونَ
(but they will be brought forward as a troop.) "The idolators used to get angry for the sake of their gods in this world, but they could not do them any benefit or protect them from any harm, for they were merely idols." This was also the view of Al-Hasan Al-Basri. This is a good opinion, and was the view favored by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him.
Consolation for the Mercy to the Worlds
فَلاَ يَحْزُنكَ قَوْلُهُمْ
(So, let not their speech then grieve you.) means, `their denying you and their disbelief in Allah.'
إِنَّا نَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ
(Verily, We know what they conceal and what they reveal.) means, `We know everything about them, and We will punish them for their false claims and deal with them accordingly on the Day when none of their deeds, great or small, major or minor, will be overlooked, and every deed they did throughout their worldly lives will be laid open for examination.'
Page 445
36:71
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتۡ أَيۡدِينَآ أَنۡعَٰمٗا فَهُمۡ لَهَا مَٰلِكُونَ ٧١
Do they not see that We have created for them from what Our hands1 have made, grazing livestock, and [then] they are their owners?
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:19. ↩
36:72
وَذَلَّلۡنَٰهَا لَهُمۡ فَمِنۡهَا رَكُوبُهُمۡ وَمِنۡهَا يَأۡكُلُونَ ٧٢
And We have tamed them for them, so some of them they ride, and some of them they eat.
36:73
وَلَهُمۡ فِيهَا مَنَٰفِعُ وَمَشَارِبُۚ أَفَلَا يَشۡكُرُونَ ٧٣
And for them therein are [other] benefits and drinks, so will they not be grateful?
36:74
وَٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةٗ لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ ٧٤
But they have taken besides Allāh [false] deities that perhaps they would be helped.
36:75
لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ نَصۡرَهُمۡ وَهُمۡ لَهُمۡ جُندٞ مُّحۡضَرُونَ ٧٥
They are not able to help them, and they [themselves] are for them soldiers in attendance.1
1 translator’s note
- Maintaining and protecting their "gods." Another interpretation is that they (i.e., the gods) will be soldiers set against them in Hellfire. ↩
36:76
فَلَا يَحۡزُنكَ قَوۡلُهُمۡۘ إِنَّا نَعۡلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعۡلِنُونَ ٧٦
So let not their speech grieve you. Indeed, We know what they conceal and what they declare.
36:77
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُ مِن نُّطۡفَةٖ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٞ مُّبِينٞ ٧٧
Does man not consider that We created him from a [mere] sperm-drop - then at once1 he is a clear adversary?
1 translator’s note
- i.e., as soon as he becomes self-sufficient. ↩
36:78
وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلٗا وَنَسِيَ خَلۡقَهُۥۖ قَالَ مَن يُحۡيِ ٱلۡعِظَٰمَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٞ ٧٨
And he presents for Us an example1 and forgets his [own] creation. He says, "Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?"
1 translator’s note
- Attempting to establish the finality of death. ↩
36:79
قُلۡ يُحۡيِيهَا ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنشَأَهَآ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٖۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلۡقٍ عَلِيمٌ ٧٩
Say, "He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing."
36:80
ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ ٱلۡأَخۡضَرِ نَارٗا فَإِذَآ أَنتُم مِّنۡهُ تُوقِدُونَ ٨٠
[It is] He who made for you from the green tree, fire, and then from it you ignite.
36:81
أَوَلَيۡسَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِقَٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَخۡلُقَ مِثۡلَهُمۚ بَلَىٰ وَهُوَ ٱلۡخَلَّٰقُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٨١
Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes, [it is so]; and He is the Knowing Creator.
36:82
إِنَّمَآ أَمۡرُهُۥٓ إِذَآ أَرَادَ شَيۡـًٔا أَن يَقُولَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ٨٢
His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, "Be," and it is.
36:83
فَسُبۡحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِي بِيَدِهِۦ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ٨٣
So exalted is He in whose hand is the realm of all things, and to Him you will be returned.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy