The Shirk (polytheism) Hidden in Verse 5 of Surah Al-Ahqaf
Below is the translation of Verse 46:5 :
(Given that errors made in Turkish are generally not repeated in English translations, an example of an English translation different from the Turkish translation we provided is given below.)
Ahmed Raza Khan
And who is more astray than one who worships those, instead of Allah, who cannot listen to their prayer until the Day of Resurrection, and who do not even know of their worship!
When the translation is read, the idea that arises in the reader is that because the word "worship" is used, it means that instead of God, people are worshipping idols that cannot answer them, and that these idols, being lifeless, are unaware of their worshippers. This leads to dismissing it as a verse that is irrelevant to us and our times.
The first point is that the phrase "min dunillah," which we also discussed in our previous article , appears here as well, and as we criticized in that article, the meaning that Allah intended—"from beside," "from the vicinity," "following"—has been obscured. For this reason, the verse's status as a verse of polytheism has been obscured from the outset. Abandoning Allah is not the issue.
The second point is the use of the word "worship." The words used in the verses...
The words "yed'u", "du'âihim" , and even "ted'une" in the previous verse are derived from the root word dua (prayer).
You can read and see in which meanings both words are used in other verses of the Quran from these ( 1 and 2 ) links, and in none of them is there a meaning of worshipped or worshipper.
Prayer means calling, like an invitation. Later, it became customary and used as a noun to mean a request or supplication conveyed from the smallest to the largest, from bottom to top. This is why people say, "I heard a prayer," or "I recited a prayer." The correct form of prayer is for the servant to ask for favor, help, and support from their Lord, whose glory is supreme. (Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır)
Given the wording used, what is actually involved here is not an act of worship/adoration, but rather prayer/supplication/invocation. In other words, the verse describes how these individuals should pray to those whom God has accepted, not worship them.
The third point is the word "men." "Men" means "someone or people" and is a particle used to describe rational beings. It is not used to describe unintelligent beings. (Raghib al-Isfahani, al-Mufradat, entry for "men," p. 1015)
You can see from this link that the word(46:5:8) "men," sometimes translated as "things," actually means "people." From this perspective, it becomes clear that the addressee is not a stone, tree, statue, or idol, but an intelligent being.
The fourth point is that the pronoun "hum" (they), also used in this verse, refers to intelligent beings, as we explained in the following article. Therefore, it should be understood that when the second sentence of the verse mentions "they," it does not refer to idols.
The fifth point is the word "gafilun," which translates to "those who are unaware," and it appears 35 times in the Quran. You can read all its uses individually via this link .
The verse speaks of God's lack of knowledge, but also of the possibility of people being unaware of the verses, or of the people being unaware of certain matters, or of the prophets being unaware of certain things. Nowhere does the word "unawareness" appear, attributing it to an unintelligent being. This is only true if we disregard the verse's intended meaning.
You will also see that this word, which is the regular plural of masculine beings, is only used for intelligent beings.
The sixth point is the following sixth verse.
"When people are gathered together, they become hostile to them (what they worshipped) and deny that they worshipped them." Considering this context, it is quite clear that the things mentioned in the verse are intelligent beings who will be held accountable, since idols, stones, statues, etc., will not be present with people on the Day of Judgment.
Then, when the translation is given according to the correct meanings, it becomes clear how different the understood meanings are.
4.Say (O Muhammad SAW to these pagans): "Think! All that you invoke besides Allah show me! What have they created of the earth? Or have they a share in (the creation of) the heavens? Bring me a Book (revealed before this), or some trace of knowledge (in support of your claims), if you are truthful!"
5.And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them?
6.And when mankind are gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities) will become enemies for them and will deny their worshipping.
The seventh point is that when we examine verse 40 of Surah Fatir, which is very similar to verse 4, together with it...
Surah Al-Ahqaf
4.Say: "Think! All that you invoke besides Allah show me! What have they created of the earth? Or have they a share in (the creation of) the heavens? Bring me a Book (revealed before this), or some trace of knowledge (in support of your claims), if you are truthful!"
Surah Fatir
40.Say: "Tell me or inform me (what) do you think about your (socalled) partnergods to whom you call upon besides Allah, show me, what they have created of the earth? Or have they any share in the heavens? Or have We given them a Book, so that they act on clear proof therefrom? Nay, the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers, etc.) promise one another nothing but delusions."
The last sentence of verse 40 of Surah Fatir distinguishes it from Surah Al-Ahqaf. When you read it, it becomes clear that the addressee is not idols, but humankind, who promise nothing but deception, and who are themselves described as oppressors due to their polytheism.