Surah Ash-Shura Ayat 9 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 9
Or have they taken protectors [or allies] besides him? But Allah – He is the Protector, and He gives life to the dead, and He is over all things competent.
What! Have they taken (for worship) protectors besides Him? But it is Allah,- He is the Protector, and it is He Who gives life to the dead: It is He Who has power over all things,
(Are they so foolish that) they have chosen others rather than Allah as their protectors? Yet it is Allah Who is the Protector and Who resurrects the dead and Who has power over everything.
Or have they taken (for worship) Auliya’ (guardians, supporters, helpers, protectors, etc.) besides Him? But Allah, He Alone is the Wali (Protector, etc.). And it is He Who gives life to the dead, and He is Able to do all things.
Or have they chosen protecting friends besides Him? But Allah, He (alone) is the Protecting Friend. He quickeneth the dead, and He is Able to do all things.
Or even have they taken to themselves patrons apart from Him? Yet Allah, Ever He, is The EverPatronizing Patron, and He gives life to the dead, and He is Ever-Determiner over everything.
How can they take protectors other than Him? God alone is the Protector; He gives life to the dead; He has power over all things.
کیا ان لوگوں نے اللہ تعالیٰ کے سوا اور کارساز بنالیے ہیں، (حقیقتاً تو) اللہ تعالیٰ ہی کارساز ہے وہی مُردوں کو زنده کرے گا اور وہی ہر چیز پر قادر ہے
Quran 42 Verse 9 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Ash-Shura ayat 9, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(42:9) (Are they so foolish that) they have chosen others rather than Allah as their protectors? Yet it is Allah Who is the Protector and Who resurrects the dead and Who has power over everything.[12]
12. That is, protection or guardianship is not a thing of one’s personal choice and satisfaction that he may take anyone, he may please, as his guardian, and the other may also become his real and true guardian and may do full justice to the function of guardianship. This is a reality, which does not change with the whims of the people. The guardian is he who is really the guardian, whether someone regards and acknowledges him as his guardian or not, and the one who is not in reality the guardian is not the guardian, no matter whether someone continues to regard and acknowledge him as his guardian till the last moment. Now, as for the question: What is the proof of only Allah’s being the real guardian and of no one else’s being the guardian? The answer is: Man’s real guardian can be the one who changes death into life, who has created a living man by breathing life into inorganic substances, and who also possesses the powers and authority to do full justice to the function of guardianship. If there is such a one, apart from Allah, he may be made the guardian, and if He is Allah alone, then taking another beside Him as one’s guardian is nothing but ignorance and folly and selfdestruction.
Ibn-Kathir
9. Or have they taken protecting friends besides Him But Allah — He Alone is the protector. And He Who gives life to the dead, and He is Able to do all things. 10. And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah. Such is Allah, my Lord in Whom I put my trust, and to Him I turn in repentance. 11. The Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you mates from yourselves, and for the cattle (also) mates. By this means He creates you. There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. 12. To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He enlarges provision for whom He wills, and straitens. Verily, He is the All-Knower of everything.
Here Allah denounces the idolators for taking other gods instead of Allah, and declares that He is the True God, and it is not right to worship anyone except Him Alone. He is the One Who is able to bring the dead back to life and He is Able to do all things. Then He says:
(And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah.) means, in whatever issue you differ. This is general in meaning and applies to all things.
(the decision thereof is with Allah.) means, He is the Judge of that, according to His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet . This is like the Ayah:
((And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger) (4:59).
(Such is Allah, my Lord) means, (He is) the Judge of all things.
(in Whom I put my trust, and to Him I turn in repentance. ) means, `I refer all matters to Him.’
(The Creator of the heavens and the earth.) means, the Maker of them both and everything in between.
(He has made for you mates from yourselves,) means, of your own kind. As a blessing and a favor from Him, He has made your kind male and female.
(and for the cattle (also) mates.) means, and He has created for you eight pairs of cattle.
(By this means He creates you.) means, in this manner He creates you, male and female, generation after generation of men and cattle.
(There is nothing like Him,) means, there is nothing like the Creator of these pairs, for He is the Unique, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has no peer or equal.
(He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.)
(To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. ) We have already discussed the interpretation of this phrase in Surat Az-Zumar (39:63), the conclusion of which is that He is the One Who is controlling and governing them.
(He expands provision for whom He wills, and straitens.) means, He gives plentiful provision to whomsoever He wills and He reduces it for whomsoever He wills, and He is perfectly Wise and Just.
(Verily, He is the All-Knower of everything.)
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