قُل إِنَّما أَدعو رَبّي وَلا أُشرِكُ بِهِ أَحَدًا

Say: ‘I pray only to my Lord, and I do not ascribe any partner to Him.’

EXEGESIS

Qul is the imperative tense of the verb qāla that means to say or to tell something.^{‎[1]Hans Wehr, under qāla.} It derives from the root qawl meaning speech.^{‎[2]Qamus, under qawl.} The term qawl and its derivatives have occurred numerous times in the Quran. According to Muṣṭafawī, qawl is the expression of that which is in one’s mind through any means such that it is understood by the other side. This can be accomplished through spoken words, revelation (waḥy), inspiration (ilhām), willing (irādah), a specific noise or gesture, or through creation, depending on the two sides of communication. As such, speech (qawl) in this sense is not specific to human beings and restricted to such bodily organs as the tongue and ear; rather, it is applicable to God (2:30), the angels (2:32), the jinn (72:1), Satan (38:76), and animals (28:37 and 27:22).^{‎[3]Tahqiq, under q-w-l.} Moreover, the term qawl has also been used in the Quran to imply the promise of divine punishment as in 36:7, 11:40, and 17:16.^{‎[4]Qamus, under qawl.} In the verse under discussion, qawl implies verbal communication.  

Adʿū^{‎[5]For more information on the meaning of this word, see tadʿū under the Exegesis of verse 18.} is the imperfect tense of the verb daʿā that literally means to call or to summon.^{‎[6]Hans Wehr, under daʿā. For more information on the meaning of this word, see tadʿū under the Exegesis of verse 18.} It implies in this verse to worship God.^{‎[7]Alusi, 15/104; Shawkani, 5/371; Muhit, 10/302.}

Rabbī:^{‎[8]For a detailed treatment of this word, see rabbinā under the Exegesis of verse 2.} rabb is a noun used in the Arabic language to denote the owner or the one who looks after a thing that is under his possession.^{‎[9]Bahrayn and Lisan, under r-b-b.} It is also used to imply the trainer, the master, and the benefactor.^{‎[10] Bahrayn, under r-b-b.} The term refers in this verse to God as the nurturer of all beings in the universe.^{‎[11] Qamus, under rabb.}  

Nushrika^{‎[12] For further information on this term, see nushrika under the Exegesis of verse 2.} is a verb that lexically derives from the root verb sharika which means to become someone’s partner in something,^{‎[13] Qamus, under sh-r-k.} or to share something with someone.^{‎[14] Hans Wehr, under sh-r-k.} It implies in this verse to associate a partner with God.^{‎[15] Nemuneh, 25/131; Shawkani, 5/371.}

EXPOSITION

This verse is related to verse 19 in that it is a response from Prophet Muhammad (s) to those who surrounded him and mocked at him whilst he was engaged in worshipping God.

This is a divine command to the Prophet to explain to the infidels the reason for his worshipping God.^{‎[16] Mizan, 20/50-51.} The polytheists looked at the Prophet as a person who is conspiring against their gods and one who aspires to achieve worldly gains through acts of devotion perceived by them as abnormal and strange. In response to them, the Prophet dismisses these misconceptions by explaining that he does not intend to attain either of what they accuse him of through these acts of worship, but that he only intends by them to worship his Lord and dissociate partners with Him. Devotion towards an entity that one has recognised to be his Lord should not surprise anyone nor make anybody worthy of censure.^{‎[17] Mizan, 20/51. See also Alusi, 15/104; Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/389; Zamakhshari, 4/631; Khatib, 15/1237.}

At a more general level, this verse can be considered to be the Prophet’s response to those who staged opposition against him and confronted the divine message that it is God alone whom he worships and in whom he seeks refuge from his enemies.^{‎[18] Ibn Kathir, 8/257.}  

The verse alludes that negation of partnership from the divine plane is as important and necessary as the proclamation of the oneness of God.^{‎[19] Qaraati, 10/256.}   

Considering the verb adʿū, the verse can be said to subtly indicate that a valuable invocation of God is that which comes out of a sincere heart.^{‎[20] Qaraati, 10/256.}

The verse also contains the message that he who invites people towards worshipping God sincerely ought to be sincere himself: I pray only to my Lord, and I do not ascribe any partner to Him.^{‎[21] Qaraati, 10/256.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Some exegetes are of the view that the reason for the revelation of this verse was that the Quraysh came to see the Prophet and said to him: ‘You have indeed come up with a strange and unprecedented thing that has caused many people to turn against you. We shall protect you if you abandon your mission.’ Subsequently, this verse was revealed to direct the Prophet on how to respond to them.^{‎[22] Qurtubi, 20/25; Shawkani, 5/371. See also Tabrisi 10/561; Razi, 30/675, who reported it from Muqātil.}

[1] Hans Wehr, under qāla.
[2] Qamus, under qawl.
[3] Tahqiq, under q-w-l.
[4] Qamus, under qawl.
[5] For more information on the meaning of this word, see tadʿū under the Exegesis of verse 18.
[6] Hans Wehr, under daʿā. For more information on the meaning of this word, see tadʿū under the Exegesis of verse 18.
[7] Alusi, 15/104; Shawkani, 5/371; Muhit, 10/302.
[8] For a detailed treatment of this word, see rabbinā under the Exegesis of verse 2.
[9] Bahrayn and Lisan, under r-b-b.
[10] Bahrayn, under r-b-b.
[11] Qamus, under rabb.
[12] For further information on this term, see nushrika under the Exegesis of verse 2.
[13] Qamus, under sh-r-k.
[14] Hans Wehr, under sh-r-k.
[15] Nemuneh, 25/131; Shawkani, 5/371.
[16] Mizan, 20/50-51.
[17] Mizan, 20/51. See also Alusi, 15/104; Ahsan al-Hadith, 11/389; Zamakhshari, 4/631; Khatib, 15/1237.
[18] Ibn Kathir, 8/257.
[19] Qaraati, 10/256.
[20] Qaraati, 10/256.
[21] Qaraati, 10/256.
[22] Qurtubi, 20/25; Shawkani, 5/371. See also Tabrisi 10/561; Razi, 30/675, who reported it from Muqātil.