Al-Jinn 72:21
The Jinn · Juz 29 · Page 573
قُلۡ إِنِّي لَآ أَمۡلِكُ لَكُمۡ ضَرّٗا وَلَا رَشَدٗا ٢١
Say, "Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction."
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 72:18–24
وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا (...and that masajid (mosques) belong to Allah; so, do not invoke anyone along with Allah....72:18). The word masajid is the plural of masjid. Here the word could be taken in its popular sense, that is, mosques or places of worship dedicated for the performance of prayers. In this case, it would mean that all mosques belong to Allah, dedicated to His sole worship and therefore we are not permitted to call on anyone else besides Allah, like the Jews and Christians commit shirk in their places of worship. In sum, the mosques must be kept clear of all false beliefs and vile deeds.
The word masajid could also have another sense. It could be the plural of masjad, with the letter jim carrying fath, in which case it would be masdar mimi 'infinitivity' and mean 'to prostrate or prostration'. The verse in this sense would signify that worship is reserved exclusively for Allah. It is not permitted to prostrate to anyone, because if he calls on anyone else for help, it is as though he is prostrating to him which must be avoided.
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72:14
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلۡمُسۡلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا ٱلۡقَٰسِطُونَۖ فَمَنۡ أَسۡلَمَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ تَحَرَّوۡاْ رَشَدٗا ١٤
And among us are Muslims [in submission to Allāh], and among us are the unjust.1 And whoever has become Muslim - those have sought out the right course.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., those who deviate from the truth and act tyrannically. ↩
72:15
وَأَمَّا ٱلۡقَٰسِطُونَ فَكَانُواْ لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبٗا ١٥
But as for the unjust, they will be, for Hell, firewood.'
72:16
وَأَلَّوِ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ عَلَى ٱلطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسۡقَيۡنَٰهُم مَّآءً غَدَقٗا ١٦
And [Allāh revealed] that if they had remained straight on the way, We would have given them abundant rain [i.e., provision]
72:17
لِّنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِيهِۚ وَمَن يُعۡرِضۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّهِۦ يَسۡلُكۡهُ عَذَابٗا صَعَدٗا ١٧
So We might test them therein. And whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord1 He will put into arduous punishment.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., refuses obedience to Him. ↩
72:18
وَأَنَّ ٱلۡمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدۡعُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدٗا ١٨
And [He revealed] that the masjids1 are for Allāh, so do not invoke2 with Allāh anyone.
72:19
وَأَنَّهُۥ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبۡدُ ٱللَّهِ يَدۡعُوهُ كَادُواْ يَكُونُونَ عَلَيۡهِ لِبَدٗا ١٩
And that when the Servant [i.e., Prophet] of Allāh stood up supplicating Him, they almost became about him a compacted mass."1
1 translator’s note
- Crowding on top of each other in the manner of locusts in order to hear him (ﷺ). "They" may refer to the jinn or to the disbelievers among the Arabs. ↩
72:20
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَدۡعُواْ رَبِّي وَلَآ أُشۡرِكُ بِهِۦٓ أَحَدٗا ٢٠
Say, [O Muḥammad], "I only invoke my Lord and do not associate with Him anyone."
72:21
قُلۡ إِنِّي لَآ أَمۡلِكُ لَكُمۡ ضَرّٗا وَلَا رَشَدٗا ٢١
Say, "Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction."
72:22
قُلۡ إِنِّي لَن يُجِيرَنِي مِنَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدٞ وَلَنۡ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلۡتَحَدًا ٢٢
Say, "Indeed, there will never protect me from Allāh anyone [if I should disobey], nor will I find in other than Him a refuge.
72:23
إِلَّا بَلَٰغٗا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِسَٰلَٰتِهِۦۚ وَمَن يَعۡصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ٢٣
But [I have for you] only notification from Allāh, and His messages." And whoever disobeys Allāh and His Messenger - then indeed, for him is the fire of Hell; they will abide therein forever.
72:24
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوۡاْ مَا يُوعَدُونَ فَسَيَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ أَضۡعَفُ نَاصِرٗا وَأَقَلُّ عَدَدٗا ٢٤
[The disbelievers continue] until, when they see that which they are promised, then they will know who is weaker in helpers and less in number.
72:25
قُلۡ إِنۡ أَدۡرِيٓ أَقَرِيبٞ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ أَمۡ يَجۡعَلُ لَهُۥ رَبِّيٓ أَمَدًا ٢٥
Say, "I do not know if what you are promised is near or if my Lord will grant for it a [long] period."
72:26
عَٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ فَلَا يُظۡهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيۡبِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا ٢٦
[He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone
72:27
إِلَّا مَنِ ٱرۡتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٖ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَسۡلُكُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦ رَصَدٗا ٢٧
Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before him [i.e., each messenger] and behind him observers1
1 translator’s note
- Guardian angels to protect the messenger and the message. ↩
72:28
لِّيَعۡلَمَ أَن قَدۡ أَبۡلَغُواْ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَأَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيۡهِمۡ وَأَحۡصَىٰ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ عَدَدَۢا ٢٨
That he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] may know1 that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord; and He has encompassed whatever is with them and has enumerated all things in number.
1 translator’s note
- This phrase may also be read: "So He [i.e., Allāh] may make evident." ↩