Verse 6:72 | inQuran

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

Say: “Shall we call, beside Allah, upon that which can neither profit us nor harm us, and shall we be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like one whom the evil ones entice away leaving him bewildered in the land, and who has companions who call him to guidance, saying, ‘Come to us?’ ” Say: “Surely, the guidance of Allah is the only guidance and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds.

English - Five Volume Translation

Say: [a]“Shall we call, beside Allah, upon that which can neither profit us nor harm us, and shall we be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like one whom the evil ones entice away leaving him bewildered in the land, and who has companions who call him to guidance, saying, ‘Come to us’?” Say: “Surely, the guidance of Allah is the only guidance and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds.[817]

21:67; 22:74.

Important Words:

استھوته (entice away) is derived from ھوی. They say ھوی الشیء i.e. the thing fell down or came down (from a higher to a lower place). Conversely ھوی الرجل الجبل means, the man climbed the hill. ھوت الریح means, the wind blew.ھویة means, he loved and desired it. الـھوی means, love of good or evil; desire; inclination; evil inclination or desire. استھواء means, he took away all his desire and reason leaving him confounded; he made his evil desires look fair in his eyes (Aqrab). الـھوی also means, inclination of the soul or the mind to a thing; an object of love; the inclination of the soul to that in which the animal appetites take delight, without any lawful invitation thereto; opinion swerving from the right way or from the truth (Lane).

حیران (bewildered) is derived from حار which means, he was or became dazzled by a thing at which he looked, so that he turned away his eyes from it; he was or became confounded or perplexed and unable to see his right course; he erred or lost his way. حیران means, in a state of confusion or perplexity, being unable to see his right course; erring; having lost his way (Lane).

Commentary:

The opening clause of the verse teaches by means of an example how to preach the truth. It points out that the best way to preach is to begin by exposing the errors of the opposing party as hinted in the words, neither profit us nor harm us, and then to proceed to point out the truth as hinted in the words, after Allah has guided us.

The verse then gives an apt illustration to expose the futility of شرك i.e. attributing co-partners to God. It compares the case of an idol-worshipper to that of a distracted person who has no fixed course to pursue. Such a person first goes to one idol or to the tomb of one saint and then to another and has no certainty or conviction. But a true believer has a fixed purpose and a fixed goal. He always prays to the One God with a deep-rooted conviction and does not wander about distracted like an idolater.

The reader will note that, true to its own principle, the verse first exposes the error of idolaters and then enunciates the teachings of Islam.

English - Short Commentary Translation

Say, [a]“Shall we call, beside Allah, upon that which can neither profit us nor harm us, and shall we be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us?––Like one whom the evil ones entice away, leaving him bewildered in the land,[862] and who has companions who call him to guidance, saying, ‘Come to us?’” Say: “Surely, the guidance of Allah is the only true guidance and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds.

اردو ترجمہ مرزا طاہر احمد خلیفة المسیح الرابعؒ

تو پوچھ کیا ہم اللہ کے سوا اُس کو پکاریں جو نہ ہمیں فائدہ پہنچا سکتا ہے نہ نقصان؟ اور کیا بعد اس کے کہ اللہ نے ہمیں ہدایت دے دی ہے ہم ایک ایسے شخص کی طرح اپنی ایڑیوں کے بل پھرا دیئے جائیں جسے شیطانوں نے حواس باختہ کر کے زمین میں حیران و سرگردان چھوڑ دیا ہو؟ اس کے ایسے دوست ہوں جو اسے ہدایت کی طرف بلاتے ہوئے پکاریں کہ ہمارے پاس آ۔ تُو کہہ دے کہ یقیناً اللہ کی (عطاکردہ) ہدایت ہی اصل ہدایت ہے اور ہمیں حکم دیا گیا ہے کہ ہم ربّ العالمین کے فرماں بردار ہو جائیں۔

French

Dis : « Au lieu d’Allāh, invoquerons-nous ce qui ne peut ni nous profiter ni nous nuire, et reviendrons-nous sur nos pas après qu’Allāh nous aura guidés, comme quelqu’un que les malins ont envoûté, le laissant ahuri sur la terre, bien que des compagnons l’appellent à la direction, en disant : « Viens à nous ? » Dis : « En vérité, la direction d’Allāh est la seule direction, et nous avons reçu le commandement de nous soumettre au Seigneur de tous les mondes. »

German

Sprich: «Sollen wir statt Allah das anrufen, was uns weder nützt noch schadet, und sollen wir umkehren auf unseren Fersen*, nachdem Allah uns den Weg gewiesen, gleich einem, den die Teufel verwirrt im Land herumgängeln? Er hat Gefährten, die ihn zum rechten Weg rufen: "Komm zu uns!"» Sprich: «Allahs Führung ist allein die Führung, und uns ist geboten, dass wir uns ergeben dem Herrn der Welten.

Chinese

你 (向他们) 说: [d]“我们除开安拉, 祈求那不能给我们任何利害的 (偶像) 吗? 我们在受安拉领导之后, 像那一个人一样背离 (正道)?” 那个人在大地上被恶徒诱惑而不知所措。他的 (一些) 同伴呼唤他 (说): “到我们这里来吧! 以便得到正道。” 你 (对那些不信者) 说: “毫无疑问地, 安拉的指导才是真正的指导。我们受命服从所有世界的养主。”

Italian

Di': «Invocheremo noi, oltre ad Allah, ciò che non può giovarci né nuocerci, e dovremo tornare sui nostri passi dopo che Allah ci ha guidati, come chi viene allettato dai malvagi che poi lo abbandonano disorientato sulla terra, e che ha compagni che lo richiamano alla retta guida, dicendo: Vieni da noi?» Di': «Certamente la guida di Allah è l'unica guida, e ci è stato ordinato di sottometterci interamente al Signore di tutti i mondi.

Spanish

Diles: “¿Invocaremos, en lugar de Al-lah a lo que no puede beneficiarnos ni perjudicarnos, y volveremos sobre nuestros talones después de que Al-lah nos ha guiado, como aquél a quien los malvados educen, dejándolo perdido en la tierra, a pesar de que tiene compañeros que lo llaman al buen camino, diciéndole: “ven a nosotros”?”. Diles: “en verdad, la guía de Al-lah es la única guía, y se nos ha ordenado que nos sometamos al Señor de todos los mundos”.

اردو تفسیرِ صغیر

تو (ان سے) کہدے کیا ہم اللہ کے سوا اسے پکاریں جو نہ ہمیں (کوئی) نفع دیتا ہے اور نہ ضرر دیتا ہے اور کیا اللہ کے ہدایت (دے) دینے کے بعد ہم اس (شخص) کی طرح اپنی ایڑیوں کے بل لوٹائے جائیں جسے سرکش (لوگ) زمین میں بہکا کر لے گئے ہوں‘ (اور وہ) حیران (و پریشان) ہو رہا ہو اس کے (کچھ) ساتھی تو ایسے ہیں جو اسے (یہ کہتے ہوئے) پکارتے ہیں کہ ہمارے پاس آ‘ تا ہدایت پائے۔ تو (ان کافروں سے) کہہ دے کہ یقیناً اللہ کی ہدایت ہی اصل ہدایت ہے اور ہمیں حکم دیا گیا ہے کہ ہم سب جہانوں کے رب کی فرمانبرداری کریں۔

اردو ترجمہ مودودی

اے محمدؐ! ان سے پو چھو کیا ہم اللہ کو چھوڑ کر اُن کو پکاریں جو نہ ہمیں نفع دے سکتے ہیں نہ نقصان؟ اور جبکہ اللہ ہمیں سیدھا راستہ دکھا چکا ہے تو کیا اب ہم الٹے پاؤں پھر جائیں؟ کیا ہم اپنا حال اُس شخص کا سا کر لیں جسے شیطانوں نے صحرا میں بھٹکا دیا ہو اور وہ حیران و سرگرداں پھر رہا ہو درآں حالیکہ اس کے ساتھی اسے پکار رہے ہوں کہ اِدھر آ یہ سیدھی راہ موجود ہے؟کہو، حقیقت میں صحیح رہنمائی تو صرف اللہ ہی کی رہنمائی ہے اور اس کی طرف سے ہمیں یہ حکم ملا ہے کہ مالک کائنات کے آگے سر اطاعت خم کر دو

English - Sahih

Say, "Shall we invoke instead of Allah that which neither benefits us nor harms us and be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us? [We would then be] like one whom the devils enticed [to wander] upon the earth confused, [while] he has companions inviting him to guidance, [calling], 'Come to us.' " Say, "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance; and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds.

اردو ترجمہ احمد علی

انہیں کہہ دوکہ کیا ہم الله کے سوا انہیں پکاریں جو ہمیں نہ نفع پہنچا سکیں اور نہ نقصان دے سکیں اور کیا ہم الٹے پاؤں پھر جائیں اس کے بعد کہ الله نے ہمیں سیدھی راہ دکھائی ہے اس شخص کی طرح جسےجنگل میں جنوں نے راستہ بھلا دیا ہو جب کہ وہ حیران ہو اس کے ساتھی اسے راستے کی طرف بلاتے ہوں کہ ہمارے پاس چلا آ کہہ دو الله نے جو راہ بتلائی وہی سیدھی ہے اور ہمیں حکم دیا گیا ہے کہ ہم پروردگار عالم کے تابع رہیں

English - Talal Itani

Say, "Shall we call from besides Allah what not benefits us and not harms us, and we turn back on our heels after [when] (has) guided us Allah? Like the one whom (has been) enticed (by) the Shaitaan in the earth, confused, he has companions who call him towards the guidance, 'Come to us.'" Say, "Indeed, (the) Guidance (of) Allah, it (is) the Guidance, and we have been commanded that we submit to (the) Lord (of) the worlds

Chinese Commentary ^*

Cross Refs:

d

21:67; 22:78.

اردہ تفصیرِ صغیر نوٹس ^*

English - Arberry

Say: 'Shall we call, apart from God, on that which neither profits nor hurts us, and shall we be turned back on our heels after that God has guided us? -- Like one lured to bewilderment in the earth by Satans, though he has friends who call him to guidance, "Come to us!" Say: 'God's guidance is the true guidance, and we are commanded to surrender to the Lord of all Being,

English - Maududi

Ask them (O Muharnmad!): "Shall we invoke, apart from Allah, something that can neither benefit nor harm us, and thus be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us? Like the one whom the evil ones have lured into bewilderment in the earth, even though he has friends who call him to true guidance saying: "Come to us." Say: "Surely Allah's guidance is the only true guidance, and we have been commanded to submit ourselves to the Lord of the entire universe,

English - Ahmed Ali

Say: 'Should we call in place of God one who can neither help nor do us harm, and turn back after having been guided by God, like a man beguiled by the devils who wanders perplexed in the wilderness while his friends call him back to the right path, saying: 'Come to us, this way?' Say: "God's guidance is (true) guidance, and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds.

English - Yusuf Ali

Say: "Shall we indeed call on others besides Allah,- things that can do us neither good nor harm,- and turn on our heels after receiving guidance from Allah? - like one whom the evil ones have made into a fool, wandering bewildered through the earth, his friends calling, come to us', (vainly) guiding him to the path." Say: "Allah's guidance is the (only) guidance, and we have been directed to submit ourselves to the Lord of the worlds;-

English - Five Volume Commentary ^*

Cross Refs:

a

21:67; 22:74.

817

Important Words:

استھوته (entice away) is derived from ھوی. They say ھوی الشیء i.e. the thing fell down or came down (from a higher to a lower place). Conversely ھوی الرجل الجبل means, the man climbed the hill. ھوت الریح means, the wind blew.ھویة means, he loved and desired it. الـھوی means, love of good or evil; desire; inclination; evil inclination or desire. استھواء means, he took away all his desire and reason leaving him confounded; he made his evil desires look fair in his eyes (Aqrab). الـھوی also means, inclination of the soul or the mind to a thing; an object of love; the inclination of the soul to that in which the animal appetites take delight, without any lawful invitation thereto; opinion swerving from the right way or from the truth (Lane).

حیران (bewildered) is derived from حار which means, he was or became dazzled by a thing at which he looked, so that he turned away his eyes from it; he was or became confounded or perplexed and unable to see his right course; he erred or lost his way. حیران means, in a state of confusion or perplexity, being unable to see his right course; erring; having lost his way (Lane).

Commentary:

The opening clause of the verse teaches by means of an example how to preach the truth. It points out that the best way to preach is to begin by exposing the errors of the opposing party as hinted in the words, neither profit us nor harm us, and then to proceed to point out the truth as hinted in the words, after Allah has guided us.

The verse then gives an apt illustration to expose the futility of شرك i.e. attributing co-partners to God. It compares the case of an idol-worshipper to that of a distracted person who has no fixed course to pursue. Such a person first goes to one idol or to the tomb of one saint and then to another and has no certainty or conviction. But a true believer has a fixed purpose and a fixed goal. He always prays to the One God with a deep-rooted conviction and does not wander about distracted like an idolater.

The reader will note that, true to its own principle, the verse first exposes the error of idolaters and then enunciates the teachings of Islam.

English - Short Commentary Notes ^*

Cross Refs:

a

21:67; 22:78.

862

The verse likens the case of an idol-worshipper to that of a distracted person who has no fixed course to pursue. But a true believer has a fixed purpose and a fixed goal in life. He always prays to the One God with a deep-rooted conviction and does not wander about distracted like an idolater.

English - Pickthall

Say: Shall we cry, instead of unto Allah, unto that which neither profiteth us nor hurteth us, and shall we turn back after Allah hath guided us, like one bewildered whom the devils have infatuated in the earth, who hath companions who invite him to the guidance (saying): Come unto us? Say: Lo! the guidance of Allah is Guidance, and we are ordered to surrender to the Lord of the Worlds,

English - Muhammad Ali ^ra

Say: Shall we call, besides Allah, on that which profits us not nor harms us, and shall we be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us? Like one whom the devils cause to follow his low desires, in bewilderment in the earth, -- he has companions who call him to the right way (saying), Come to us. Say: Surely the guidance of Allah, that is the (true) guidance. And we are commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds:

English - Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan ^ra

Ask them: Shall we call, besides Allah, upon that which can neither benefit us nor harm us and be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like one who is enticed away by the rebellious ones and is left bewildered in the land, some of whose companions call him: Come to us that you may be guided? Tell them: Surely, the guidance of Allah is the only true guidance, and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds;

Verse 72

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