Surah 25

Surah 25:55

"Yet they serve what neither benefits them nor harms them, instead of God (alone). The disbeliever (always) allies himself against his Lord."
The Ignorance of the Idolaters Verses 25:55-60
Show Full Scripture Context (25:55-60) — 6 Verses
Verse 55

وَيَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُهُمۡ وَلَا يَضُرُّهُمۡۗ وَكَانَ ٱلۡكَافِرُ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ ظَهِيرٗا

Yet they serve what neither benefits them nor harms them, instead of God (alone). The disbeliever (always) allies himself against his Lord.

Verse 56

وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرٗا وَنَذِيرٗا

We have sent you only as a bringer of good news and a warner.

Verse 57

قُلۡ مَآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ مِنۡ أَجۡرٍ إِلَّا مَن شَآءَ أَن يَتَّخِذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ سَبِيلٗا

Say: ‘I do not ask you for any reward for it, except for whoever pleases to take a way to his Lord.’

Verse 58

وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱلۡحَيِّ ٱلَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِهِۦۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِۦ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرًا

Put your trust in the Living One who does not die, and glorify (Him) with His praise. He is sufficient (as One who) is aware of the sins of His servants,

Verse 59

ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ فَسۡـَٔلۡ بِهِۦ خَبِيرٗا

who created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, in six days. Then He mounted the throne (as) the Merciful. Ask anyone (who is) aware about Him!

Verse 60

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱسۡجُدُواْۤ لِلرَّحۡمَٰنِ قَالُواْ وَمَا ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ أَنَسۡجُدُ لِمَا تَأۡمُرُنَا وَزَادَهُمۡ نُفُورٗا۩

But when it is said to them, ‘Prostrate yourselves before the Merciful,’ they say, ‘What is the Merciful? Shall we prostrate ourselves before what you command us?’ And it (only) increases them in aversion (to Him).

Allah tells us how ignorant the idolators are; instead of worshipping Allah, they worship idols which do not possess the power either to harm or benefit. They do this with no evidence or proof; the only thing that led them to do this was their own whims and desires. So they take these idols as protectors and fight for their sake, and they oppose Allah and His Messenger and the believers for their sake. Similarly Allah says:

Quoted Scripture
"and the disbeliever is ever a helper against his Lord."

meaning, he is a supporter of Shaytan against the party of Allah, but the party of Allah are the ones who will prevail, as Allah says:

{And they have taken besides Allah gods , hoping that they might be helped. They cannot help them, but they will be brought forward as a troop against those who worshipped them.} (36:74-75)

meaning, the gods which they worshipped instead of Allah cannot help them. These ignorant people are troops for the idols and are ready to fight for their sake and protect their sanctuaries, but in the end the victory will be for Allah and His Messenger and the believers, in this world and the Hereafter.

Quoted Scripture
"and the disbeliever is ever a helper against his Lord."

Mujahid said: “He supports and helps the Shaytan in disobedience towards Allah.”

The Messenger brings Glad Tidings and Warnings

Then Allah tells His Messenger:

Quoted Scripture
"And We have sent you only as a bearer of good news and a warner."

meaning, a bringer of good news to the believers, a warner to the disbelievers; bringing good news of Paradise to those who obey Allah, and bringing warnings of a dreadful punishment for those who go against the commandments of Allah.

Quoted Scripture
"Say : “No reward do I ask of you for this ...""

“for conveying this message and this warning, I do not ask for any reward from your wealth; I am only doing this for the sake of Allah, may He be exalted.’

{To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight} (81:28).

Quoted Scripture
"save that whosoever wills, may take a path to his Lord."

means, a way and a methodology to be followed.

The Command to the Messenger to put his Trust in Allah, and some of His Qualities

Then Allah says:

Quoted Scripture
"And put your trust in the Ever Living One Who dies not,"

meaning, in all your affairs, put your trust in Allah, the Ever-Living Who never dies, the One Who

{is the First and the Last, the Most High and the Most Near. And He is the All-Knower of everything} (57:3).

The Eternal, Ever-Lasting, Ever-Living, Self-Sufficient One, the Lord and Sovereign of all things, the One to Whom you should always turn. Allah is the One in Whom you should put your trust and to Whom you should turn for refuge, He will be sufficient for you and will be your helper and supporter, and will cause you to prevail. As Allah says:

means. He is the Ever-Living Who never dies, He is the Creator, Sustainer and Sovereign of all things, Who by His might and power created the seven heavens with their vast height and width, and the seven earths with their great depths and density.

Quoted Scripture
"in six Days. Then He rose over the Throne ."

means, He is running all affairs and He decrees according to the truth, and He is the best of those who decide.

{Then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne. The Most Gracious!

Ask Him, as He is the All-Knower }

meaning, find out about Him from one who knows most about Him, and follow him and take him as your example. It is known that there is no one who knows more about Allah than His servant and Messenger Muhammad, the absolute leader of the sons of Adam in this world and the Hereafter, who does not speak of his own desire, but conveys revelation revealed to him. What he says is true, and he is the leader whose decision counts; when there is a dispute, people are obliged to refer to him, and whatever is in accordance with his words and deeds is right, and whatever goes against them should be rejected no matter who says or does it. Allah says:

{(And) if you differ in anything among yourselves...} (4:59).

{And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah} (42:10).

{And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice} (6:115).

meaning, He has spoken the truth and is fair and just in His commands and prohibitions. Allah says here:

Quoted Scripture
"Ask Him, as He is Al-Knower."

Condemnation of the Idolators

Then Allah rebukes the idolators who prostrate to idols and rivals instead of Allah:

Quoted Scripture
"And when it is said to them: " Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!” They say: "And what is Ar-Rahman ?""

meaning: we do not know Ar-Rahman. They did not like to call Allah by His Name Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), as they objected on the day of (the treaty of) Al-Hudaybiyyah, when the Prophet told the scribe:

«Write: "In the Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful)."»

They said, “We do not know Ar-Rahman or Ar-Rahim. Write what you used to write: ‘Bismika Allahumma (in Your Name, O Allah).’ ” So Allah revealed the words:

{Say: "Invoke Allah or invoke Ar-Rahman, by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names} (17:110).

meaning, He is Allah and He is the Most Gracious. And in this Ayah, Allah said:

Quoted Scripture
"And when it is said to them: "Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!” They say: "And what is the Ar-Rahman ?""

meaning: we do not know or approve of this Name.

Quoted Scripture
"Shall we fall down in prostration to that which you command us?"

means, “Just because you tell us to?”

"And it increases in them only aversion . »

As for the believers, they worship Allah Who is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, and they attribute divinity to Him Alone and prostrate to Him. The scholars, agree that it is allowed and approved for the reader and the listener to prostrate when he reaches this mention of prostration in Surat Al-Furqan, and Allah knows best.

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.