Surah Ash-Shuraa, Ayah 21 (42:21)

ٱلشُّورَىٰ

أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَٰٓؤُا۟ شَرَعُوا۟ لَهُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنۢ بِهِ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا …

Quran 42:21 is ayah 21 of Surah Ash-Shuraa (“The Consultation”), a Meccan surah of 53 ayahs. It is in Juz 25, on page 485 of the Madani Mushaf.

42:21
أَمْلَهُمْشُرَكَٰٓؤُا۟شَرَعُوا۟لَهُممِّنَٱلدِّينِمَالَمْيَأْذَنۢبِهِٱللَّهُ ۚوَلَوْلَاكَلِمَةُٱلْفَصْلِلَقُضِىَبَيْنَهُمْ ۗوَإِنَّٱلظَّٰلِمِينَلَهُمْعَذَابٌأَلِيمٌ٢١
am lahum shurakāu sharaʿū lahum mina l-dīni mā lam yadhan bihi l-lahu walawlā kalimatu l-faṣli laquḍiya baynahum wa-inna l-ẓālimīna lahum ʿadhābun alīmun

Or have they partners [i.e., other deities] who have ordained for them a religion to which Allāh has not consented? But if not for the decisive word, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, the wrongdoers will have a painful punishment.(21)

Word by word

  1. أَمْamOr
  2. لَهُمْlahumfor them
  3. شُرَكَٰٓؤُا۟shurakāu(are) partners
  4. شَرَعُوا۟sharaʿūwho have ordained
  5. لَهُمlahumfor them
  6. مِّنَminaof
  7. ٱلدِّينِl-dīnithe religion
  8. مَاmāwhat
  9. لَمْlamnot
  10. يَأْذَنۢyadhanAllah has given permission of it
  11. بِهِbihiAllah has given permission of it
  12. ٱللَّهُ ۚl-lahuAllah has given permission of it
  13. وَلَوْلَاwalawlāAnd if not
  14. كَلِمَةُkalimatu(for) a word
  15. ٱلْفَصْلِl-faṣlidecisive
  16. لَقُضِىَlaquḍiyasurely, it (would have) been judged
  17. بَيْنَهُمْ ۗbaynahumbetween them
  18. وَإِنَّwa-innaAnd indeed
  19. ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَl-ẓālimīnathe wrongdoers
  20. لَهُمْlahumfor them
  21. عَذَابٌʿadhābun(is a) punishment
  22. أَلِيمٌalīmunpainful

Tafsir (commentary) of 42:21

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English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 42:19–22 together.

Read the English tafsir of 42:19–22 →

Read the full Surah Ash-Shuraa