Al-An'am · Makki · ayah 21 of 165

Al-An'am 6:21

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ

“And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allāh a lie or denies His verses? Indeed, the wrongdoers will not succeed.”

Saheeh International

Essence

After the witnesses, a verdict: none is more unjust than one who forges words for God, or who denies His signs.

A reflection

The fork that follows the witnesses

In the order of the Mushaf, this is the first time the Quran asks this question. It asks it again in this surah, at 6:93 and 6:144, and in several other surahs. At 61:7 the images inside its key words are drawn out in full.

Here, its position gives it a particular edge. The two ayat before it were a trial of witnesses. Allah is the greatest Witness, and His Book lies in their hands (6:19). Those given earlier scripture recognise the Prophet ﷺ as they know their sons (6:20). After witnesses comes a verdict.

The verdict is shaped as a fork. One commentary reads it in both directions. None is more unjust than a man who claims Allah sent him when He did not. And none is more unjust than one who denies Allah's signs and proofs. Neither will succeed.

In Makkah that cut both ways. If the Prophet ﷺ were inventing, the first half condemned him. If he was truthful, the second half condemned those who denied him. There was no comfortable middle where a listener could simply shrug. A claim to speak for God is either the gravest lie or the gravest thing to refuse.

The full entry has 2 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.