Tafseer of The Night Journey · Al-Israa · 17:22
Do not make [as equal] with Allah another deity and [thereby] become censured and forsaken.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
He, exalted be His remembrance, says to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: "Do not set up alongside Allah any partner in His divinity and in His worship, O Muḥammad; rather, devote worship exclusively to Him and reserve divinity for Him alone, for there is no god but Him. For if you were to set up alongside Him another god and were to worship others alongside Him, you would end up as one blamed by others: you would become one who is reproached for what you neglected of gratitude to Allah for the favors He bestowed upon you, and for directing your gratitude to others than the One who graced you with goodness, and for letting another share in the praise — one whom Allah did not let share in the favor He bestowed upon you. Then also as one forsaken, abandoned by your Lord to whoever wishes you harm — and when your Lord, who is the Helper of His friends, forsakes you, you will have no protector besides Him to help you and to ward off harm from you."
Thus Bishr related to us — he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning the saying لَا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُومًا مَخْذُولاً: "He says: blamed in regard to the favor of Allah." And this saying, although it is framed as an address to the Prophet of Allah ﷺ, is in its intent directed to all those who bear the obligations of the divine law, among the servants of Allah, the Exalted and Almighty.
