Surah Al Ma'idah Tafseer

The Prohibition of Shirk (Polytheism) and Exaggeration in the Religion

Allah admonishes those who take up rivals with Him and worship the idols, monuments and false deities. Allah states that such false deities do not deserve any degree of Divinity.

Allah said,

قُلْ

Say,

O Muhammad, to those from among the Children of Adam, such as the Christians, who worship other than Allah,

أَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا

How do you worship besides Allah something which has no power either to harm or to benefit you!

meaning, which cannot prevent harm for you nor bring about your benefit.

وَاللّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

But it is Allah Who is the All-Hearer, All-Knower.

He hears what His servants say and has knowledge of all things. Therefore, how did you worship inanimate objects that do not hear, see or know anything - having no power to bring harm or benefit to themselves let alone others - instead of worshipping Allah.

Allah then said