الكافرون
Surah Al-Kafirun
The Disbelievers · Surah 109 · Meccan · 6 verses
1قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ ١Say: O disbelievers.InsightElmalılı relates that al-Razi counted about forty subtleties in this “Say”. The foremost is that it makes clear from the start that these words are proclaimed by Allah’s explicit command, not from the Prophet himself.2لَآ أَعۡبُدُ مَا تَعۡبُدُونَ ٢I worship not that which ye worship.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this means: “Neither now nor in the future will I give my heart to and worship what you worship and want me to worship.”3وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعۡبُدُ ٣Nor worship ye that which I worship.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the condition of worship is sincerity (ikhlas) and faith in Allah’s oneness. Worship without it does not count as worship of Allah.4وَلَآ أَنَا۠ عَابِدࣱ مَّا عَبَدتُّمۡ ٤And I shall not worship that which ye worship.InsightElmalılı notes the change to past tense here: not only now, but even before prophethood the Prophet never worshipped what they worshipped.5وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعۡبُدُ ٥Nor will ye worship that which I worship.InsightElmalılı says these two verses look like repetition at first glance, but the change of tense adds a new meaning: you have never offered, nor do you offer, the worship I offer with oneness and sincerity.6لَكُمۡ دِينُكُمۡ وَلِيَ دِينِ ٦Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this means: “The whole responsibility and account of the belief you hold is yours; it does not pass to me, I am entirely free of it; never expect me to accept it.”