Tafseer of The Jinn · Al-Jinn · 72:18
And [He revealed] that the masjids are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone.
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 His statement, the Exalted: wa-anna l-masājida lillāhi fa-lā tadʿū maʿa llāhi aḥadan (18) ("And that the mosques belong to Allah; so call not upon anyone alongside Allah").
The Exalted, whose praise is mentioned, says to His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ: qul ūḥiya ilayya annahu stamaʿa nafarun mina l-jinni ("Say: it has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened") — wa-anna l-masājida lillāhi fa-lā tadʿū ("and that the mosques belong to Allah; so call not"), O people, maʿa llāhi aḥadan ("anyone alongside Allah"), and ascribe no partners to Him therein, but devote to Him alone the acknowledgement of His oneness (tawḥīd) and direct worship purely to Him.
And in the same sense as what we have said about this, the scholars of interpretation (taʾwīl) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us; he said: Yazīd related to us; he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatādah, concerning His statement: wa-anna l-masājida lillāhi fa-lā tadʿū maʿa llāhi aḥadan. The Jews and the Christians, when they entered their synagogues and churches, used to ascribe partners to Allah. Therefore Allah commanded His Prophet to acknowledge Allah alone as One.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us; he said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Khālid, on the authority of Maḥmūd, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: wa-anna l-masājida lillāhi. He said: the jinn said to the Prophet of Allah: "How can we enter the mosque, while we are far removed from you, and how can we attend the prayer with you, while we are far removed from you?" Then was revealed: wa-anna l-masājida lillāhi fa-lā tadʿū maʿa llāhi aḥadan.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us; he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatādah: wa-anna l-masājida lillāhi fa-lā tadʿū maʿa llāhi aḥadan. He said: the Jews and the Christians, when they entered their synagogues and churches, used to ascribe partners to Allah. Therefore Allah commanded His Prophet to direct the supplication purely to Him when he entered the mosque.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us; he said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Khaṣīf, on the authority of ʿIkrimah: wa-anna l-masājida lillāhi. He said: all the mosques.
