Ash-Shu'ara · Makki · ayah 213 of 227

Ash-Shu'ara 26:213

فَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُعَذَّبِينَ

“So do not invoke[1064] with Allāh another deity and [thus] be among the punished.”

Saheeh International

Essence

Spoken to the one man who would never do it, 'call on no god beside Allah' reaches every other reader with double force.

A reflection

The rule spoken first to the one who would never break it

The verb is singular. Lā tadʿu: do not you call. The one addressed is the Prophet ﷺ himself. Of all people on earth, he was the least likely to call on anyone but Allah. So why say it to him?

The commentators faced the question directly. One explains that it was said to him although such a thing could never come from him. The aim was to stir him on, to deepen a sincerity that was already complete. Then it adds a second purpose, a kindness to everyone else. If associating partners with Allah is ugly enough to be forbidden even to one who could never do it, what of the rest of us?

Another classical commentator puts it in terms of leadership. A wise authority that wants a rule to land on everyone often speaks it to the chief. The followers watch and understand. If the head is held to this, no one is exempt.

Think of a hospital that wants every porter, cleaner and junior doctor to wash their hands properly. It could put up posters. Instead it films the head of infection control at the sink, sleeves rolled, scrubbing for the full count. That clip plays in every staff room. Nobody watching thinks she personally needed the reminder. Everybody watching understands that the rule has no ceiling.

The Quran does this more than once. 'If you were to associate partners, your deeds would surely come to nothing' (39:65). Again the address is to him, and again the lesson travels outward.

There is a question in this for anyone who leads a home, a team or a classroom. Which rules do you announce for others and quietly assume do not apply to you? The ayah reverses that habit. The person at the top hears the rule first and most sharply. Everyone below then knows exactly how seriously it is meant.

And for the ordinary reader the lesson is humbling. If this was said to him, I should not imagine that I am above needing it.

The full entry has 4 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.