Tafseer of The Dunes · Al-Ahqaf · 46:5
And who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocation, are unaware.
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 words of the Exalted: وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ (46:5) (And who is more astray than he who, instead of Allah, calls upon that which does not answer him until the Day of Resurrection, while they are heedless of their call?).
The Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: and which servant is more astray than a servant who, instead of Allah, calls upon gods that do not answer him until the Day of Resurrection — He says: that never answer his call, because it is stone or wood or the like.
And His words ( وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ ): the Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: and their gods whom they call upon are in heedlessness concerning their calling upon them, because they do not hear, do not speak, and do not understand. And by describing them as heedless, what is only intended is to compare them to the human being who is heedless of what is said to him, since they understand nothing of what is said to them, just as the heedless one does not understand that of which he is heedless. And this is only a rebuke from Allah to these polytheists (mushrikīn) for the wickedness of their notion and the hideousness of their choice in worshipping that which understands nothing and comprehends nothing, and their forsaking the worship of Him from whom all the favor that they possess comes, and with whom they seek their aid when their needs and calamities befall them.
And it was said: ( مَنْ لا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ ) (that which does not answer him) — thus the mention of the gods, although they are inanimate things, was expressed in the wording that applies to the mention of the sons of Adam, and of whoever possesses choice and discernment, since their worshippers had compared them to the kings and rulers who are served in their attendance; therefore the expression about that was carried on in the manner that was current among them.
