أَلا لِلَّهِ الدّينُ الخالِصُ ۚ وَالَّذينَ اتَّخَذوا مِن دونِهِ أَولِياءَ ما نَعبُدُهُم إِلّا لِيُقَرِّبونا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلفىٰ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحكُمُ بَينَهُم في ما هُم فيهِ يَختَلِفونَ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهدي مَن هُوَ كاذِبٌ كَفّارٌ

Look! [Only] pure religion is worthy of Allah, and those who take guardians besides Him [claiming:] ‘We only worship them so they may bring us near to Allah,’ Allah will indeed judge between them concerning that about which they differ. Indeed Allah does not guide someone who is a liar and an ingrate.

EXEGESIS

Awliyāʾ is the plural of walī, meaning guardian (in this context). There are several verses in the Quran that talk about taking guardians besides God. In these cases, walī is synonymous with rabb (lord), because what is intended is a person or a force that owns, directs, and conducts the affairs of the people and the world.^{‎[1]Mizan, 17/234.} Thus, taking guardians besides God means subscribing to other than God as one’s lord and master, both in terms of belief and practice.

Zulfā is the feminine of azlaf (a comparative adjective), meaning closer.^{‎[2]Furqan, 25/287.} Another meaning for zulfā is zulfah (noun), meaning closeness and proximity.^{‎[3]Lisan; Bahrayn, under z-l-f.} The root term involves the two elements of elevation and proximity.^{‎[4]Tahqiq, under z-l-f.}

Kaffār is one who has an intense and exaggerated level of kufr. Based on its Quranic usage, kaffār (much like kāfir and kafūr) could mean either a disbeliever (2:276, 50:24, 71:27) or an ungrateful person (14:34). Here, the second is more likely because it is used next to kādhib (liar), which already pertains to the aspect of beliefs. If kaffār here means disbeliever, then the verse could involve a serious warning against lying, for it could become a gateway to disbelief, as kaffār is mentioned right after kādhib.^{‎[5]Qaraati, 8/142.}

Note that the first part of the verse can also be read as a rhetorical question (if alā is taken to be two words): Is it not that [only] pure religion is worthy of Allah? This is how many translators have translated the verse; nevertheless, the meaning would still be the same.

EXPOSITION

Apparently, religion in this verse is used in the most general sense, including every aspect of religion, including the personal, social, theoretical, practical, and spiritual. Some early exegetes have interpreted it as the testimony that ‘there is no god but God’,^{‎[6]Tabari, 23/122, narrated from Qatādah.} which is the essence of religion and its most important element. Not only does every aspect of religion belong to Him, but also to Him belongs the religion forever (16:52).

Based on this verse, religion is something that belongs entirely and purely to God, meaning that one should not assume anything or anyone else as his guardian or object of worship. This verse contrasts sincerity in religion with the claim of those who take guardians besides God. They justify their worship of others as a means to achieve proximity to God. This is a fallacy, because worship is a part of religion and religion only belongs to God. In other words, there is no aspect of religion that belongs to anyone other than God. Thus, there is no room in religion for any other guardian or object of worship. To put it simply: one cannot go against God’s order and system as a means to seek proximity to Him.

A similar argument by the polytheists is presented elsewhere in the Quran: They worship besides Allah that which neither causes them any harm, nor brings them any benefit, and they say: ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say: ‘Will you inform Allah about something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?’ Immaculate is He and exalted above [having] any partners that they ascribe [to Him]! (10:18). That is because Intercession is of no avail with Him except for those whom He permits (34:23).

‘We only worship them so that they may bring us near to Allah.’ It can be deduced from this statement that seeking proximity with God is an innate drive in all mankind.^{‎[7]Qaraati, 8/141-142.} It is only that sometimes this inclination is sought through the wrong means, is fostered and directed in the wrong way, or is weakened and dampened due to heedlessness and engagement with worldly affairs.

Everyone seeks the Beloved:

The sober and the drunk.

Everyone serves His house:

The priest and the monk.^{‎[8]Ḥāfiẓ, ghazal 80.}

Do not be bothered, O my brother,

By the seventy-two nations

That oppose one another.

Here is the cause of how they react:

They fell into fiction

For they didn’t see the fact.^{‎[9]Ḥāfiẓ, ghazal 184.}

It is noteworthy that in this verse, taking guardians besides God is used interchangeably with worshipping those guardians. In other words, the two are set equal to one another. This is a key to understanding many verses in the Quran that talk about worshipping Satan, idols, or other human beings. Worship in these verses is not necessarily a ritualistic act, but as this verse shows, taking anyone or anything as one’s guardian – which means submitting to it and following it instead of God – is equivalent to worshipping it. For example, those who worship Satan (36:60) are those who took devils for guardians instead of Allah (7:30).

Guardians besides Him are most likely the animate gods such as certain saints, angels, and jinn that used to be worshipped, as opposed to inanimate idols. This is because guardianship and taking one closer to God are the attributes and actions of living creatures. This is confirmed by the next verse that talks about the ascription of children to God, which applied to certain individuals like Jesus or Ezra (9:30), the angels (17:40), and the jinn (37:158). However, it is important to remember that even the worship of inanimate idols was rooted in the worship and veneration of sentient beings, and that the idols were intended as representations and symbols of those sacred individuals or higher forces. Thus, the verse would include any type of polytheism and any recourse to any being besides God.

Allah will indeed judge between them: there are many verses in the Quran that defer the final resolution between the conflicting beliefs of the people to God’s judgement in the hereafter. This deferral is because this world is a realm of test and trial, and therefore is not a place for a final judgement between truth and falsehood. In this verse, there is a disagreement between the monotheists and the polytheists concerning whom to worship, whom to take as a guardian, and how to seek proximity to God.^{‎[10]Zamakhshari, 4/111.} It is in the hereafter that everything will become patent, and the polytheists will realise the falsity of their claims and the futility of their gods.

Indeed Allah does not guide someone who is a liar and an ingrate. Guidance here means causing to bear fruit, which is sometimes referred to as existential guidance (al-hidāyah al-takwīniyyah). God has certainly shown the right path to everyone (20:50, 76:3, 90:10, 92:12), but when people choose to subscribe to falsehood in terms of belief and action, they will be empty-handed in the hereafter, because God has set His creation such that Indeed falsehood is bound to vanish (17:81); falsehood neither originates [anything] not does it restore [anything] (34:49). Hence, not qualifying for God’s guidance is only due to one’s voluntary decision to oppose the truth. We did not wrong them, but they used to wrong themselves (16:118); We guided them, but they preferred blindness to guidance (41:17).

One clear example of liars are those who say: ‘Allah has taken a son.’ … they say nothing but a lie (18:4-5). This lie is addressed in the next verse. In addition, taking other guardians besides God and worshipping them are acts of ingratitude toward God. This is shown in verses 5-8 which talk about God’s creation and bounties, and which necessitate gratitude from His servants. In general, anyone who claims a false position or authority for himself or for others can be an example of an ungrateful liar.^{‎[11]Alusi, 12/291.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. A man asked the Prophet: ‘O Messenger of God, indeed we give our wealth [in alms and charity] seeking renown [among the people]. Do we have any reward with God for that?’ The Prophet said: ‘Indeed God does not accept anything except what is done purely for Him.’ Then he recited: Look! [Only] pure religion is worthy of Allah.^{‎[12]Suyuti, 5/322.}
2. In another similar narration, a man told the Prophet: ‘Indeed I pay charity and do good deeds for the sake of God and the praise of the people.’ The Messenger of God replied: ‘By the one in whose hand is my life, God does not accept anything in which He has a partner.’ Then he recited: Look! [Only] pure religion is worthy of Allah.^{‎[13]Qurtubi, 15/233.}
3. The following account is narrated from Shimr ibn ʿAṭiyyah (a transmitter of hadith among the Followers (tābiʿīn)): ‘On the Day of Resurrection, a man will be brought forth for reckoning with a record filled with mountains of good deeds. The all-mighty Lord will address him and say: “You performed prayer on such-and-such day, so that the people would say ‘So-and-so prayed’. But I am Allah; there is no god but Me; [Only] pure religion is worthy of You fasted on such-and-such day, so that the people would say ‘So-and-so fasted’. But I am Allah; there is no god but Me; [Only] pure religion is worthy of Me. You paid charity on such-and-such day, so that the people would say ‘So-and-so paid charity’. But I am Allah; there is no god but Me; [Only] pure religion is worthy of Me.” This continues and his good deeds are wiped out one after another, to the point where his record of deeds is rendered blank. Then his two angels [who used to record his deeds] will rebuke him: “O so-and-so, were all your deeds for other than God?”’^{‎[14]Tabari, 23/122.}

Note: These narrations emphasise the need to dedicate every aspect of one’s religion entirely and solely to God, and to not have any objective other than God’s pleasure.

4. In one of his debates with the polytheists of Arabia, the Prophet asked them: ‘Why do you worship idols besides God?’ They replied: ‘By doing so we seek proximity with God, exalted is He.’ The Prophet said: ‘Are these [idols] obedient to their Lord and follow what He says, so that you may seek proximity to God by venerating them?’ They answered: ‘No.’ He said: ‘You carve these idols with your own hands, right?’ They replied: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Then it would have been more sensible if these idols worshipped you – if they could – instead of you worshipping them, because your veneration of them is not the veneration of someone who is aware of your good, your end, and the wisdom behind what he orders you.’^{‎[15]Ihtijaj, 1/26.}

Note: It is interesting that the polytheists described God as ‘exalted is He’ (taʿālā). They considered God to be far too superior and exalted to be reached, worshipped, or called directly by mankind. That is why they assumed intermediaries that could bring them closer to Him. The Prophet reminded them: how can these inanimate objects – which you carve with your own hands, and which cannot listen to and obey what God says – take you closer to God when they have no proximity to God to begin with? He then identifies the qualities that are needed for a god that is worthy of worship: to be aware of the good of its servants, to know about their end, and to have wisdom behind its injunctions.

Poor son of Adam doesn’t know himself;

He is a king enamoured by an elf.

He sold himself too cheap. Alas!

He’s gold himself, but seeking some brass.

All of the universe is amazed by man;

But man is amazed by peanut and bran.

You’re seeking an object loaded with rust;

You are a mountain taken with dust.^{‎[16]Rūmī, Mathnawī, v. 2, lines 999-1002.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.^{‎[17]Psalms 101:7.}

TOPICAL ARTICLES

See Topical Article: Sincerity and Intention.

[1] Mizan, 17/234.
[2] Furqan, 25/287.
[3] Lisan; Bahrayn, under z-l-f.
[4] Tahqiq, under z-l-f.
[5] Qaraati, 8/142.
[6] Tabari, 23/122, narrated from Qatādah.
[7] Qaraati, 8/141-142.
[8] Ḥāfiẓ, ghazal 80.
[9] Ḥāfiẓ, ghazal 184.
[10] Zamakhshari, 4/111.
[11] Alusi, 12/291.
[12] Suyuti, 5/322.
[13] Qurtubi, 15/233.
[14] Tabari, 23/122.
[15] Ihtijaj, 1/26.
[16] Rūmī, Mathnawī, v. 2, lines 999-1002.
[17] Psalms 101:7.