Tafseer of The Groups · Az-Zumar · 39:66
Rather, worship [only] Allah and be among the grateful.
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.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: بَلِ اللَّهَ فَاعْبُدْ وَكُنْ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ (39:66) (Nay, but worship Allah, and be among the thankful.)
The Exalted, whose praise is sublime, says to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: Do not worship that which these polytheists of your people command you to worship, O Muḥammad; nay, you must worship Allah, to the exclusion of all besides Him of gods, idols, and associates. ( وَكُنْ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ ) — and be among those who thank Allah for His favor upon you, for that with which He has favored you of guidance toward His worship and of preservation from the worship of the idols and the images.
The name "Allah" stands in the accusative, governed by His saying ( فَاعْبُدِ ) (so worship), which comes after it, because it is a repetition of the clause. But if it were governed in the accusative by a hidden [verb] preceding it, that too would be correct and permissible, since the Arabs say: "Zayd, then let him rise" and "Zayd-an, then let him rise," in the nominative and in the accusative — the nominative on the basis of "Let one look at Zayd, let him rise," and the accusative on the basis of "Look at Zayd, let him rise."
