Al-Qur'an Surah Yunus Verse 18

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Beside Allah, they worship those who can neither harm nor benefit them, and they say, “These are our intercessors with Allah.” Say, “Are you informing Allah of what He does not know as existing in the heavens or on the earth?” Pure is He, and far higher than what they associate with Him.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They worship besides Allah others who can neither harm nor benefit them, and say, “These are our intercessors with Allah.” Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Are you informing Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or the earth? Glorified and Exalted is He above what they associate ˹with Him˺!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

They worship besides Allah those who can neither harm nor benefit them, saying, “These are our intercessors with Allah.” Say, “Do you inform Allah of what He does not know in the heavens or the earth? Glorified and Exalted is He far above what they associate [with Him]!”

A. J. Arberry

They serve, apart from God, what hurts them not neither profits them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with God.' Say: 'Will you tell God what He knows not either in the heavens or in the earth?' Glory be to Him! High be He exalted above that they associate!

Abdul Haleem

They worship alongside God things that can neither harm nor benefit them, and say, ‘These are our intercessors with God.’ Say, ‘Do you think you can tell God about something He knows not to exist in the heavens or earth? Glory be to Him! He is far above the partner-gods they associate with Him!

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And they worship, beside Allah, that which harmeth them not, nor profiteth them, and they say: these are our intercessors with God: Say thou: apprise ye Allah of that which He knoweth not in the heavens nor in the earth? Hallowed be He and Exalted far above that which ye associate!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They serve, besides Allah, things that hurt them not nor profit them, and they say; "These are our intercessors with Allah." Say; "Do ye indeed inform Allah of something He knows not, in the heavens or on earth?- Glory to Him! and far is He above the partners they ascribe (to Him)!"

Abul Ala Maududi

They worship, beside Allah, those who can neither harm nor profit them, saying; 'These are our intercessors with Allah.' Tell them (O Muhammad): 'Do you inform Allah of something regarding whose existence in the heavens or on the earth He has no knowledge? Holy is He and He is exalted far above what they associate with Him in His divinity'.

Ahmed Ali

They worship those besides God who cannot do them harm or bring them gain, and say: "These are our intercessors with God." Say: "Do you want to inform God of things in the heavens and the earth He does not know?" Glorious is He, and too exalted for what they associate with Him!

Ahmed Raza Khan

And they worship the thing other than Allah, which neither harms them nor benefits them*, and they say, “These are our intercessors** before Allah”; say, “What! You inform Allah of something which in His knowledge does not exist in the heavens or in the earth?” Purity and Supremacy are to Him, above their association. (* Some things like the sun, stars, trees are useful but they too are created by Allah. Their worship will not benefit – in fact it is harmful ** Only the virtuous will be granted permission by Allah to intercede.)

Ali Quli Qarai

They worship besides Allah that which neither causes them any harm, nor brings them any benefit, and they say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say, ‘Will you inform Allah about something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?’ Immaculate is He and exalted above [having] any partners that they ascribe [to Him]!

Ali Ünal

They worship, apart from God, things or beings that can neither harm nor benefit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with God." Say: "Would you inform God of something in the heavens or the earth that He does not know? All-Glorified is He, and absolutely exalted above all that they associate with Him."

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (some) people worship, apart from Allâh, things that can neither harm them (of their own accord) nor can help them. They say, `These are our intercessors with Allâh.´ Say, `Do you (presume to) inform Allâh of the things of whose existence in the heavens or in the earth He does not know?´ Glory be to Him! High be He, exalted above (all the things) they associate (with Him).

English Literal

And they worship from other than God what does not harm them and nor benefit them, and they say: "Those (are) our mediators at God." Say: "Do you inform God with what He does not know in the skies/space and nor in the earth/Planet Earth?" His praise/glory and high, mighty, exalted and dignified from what they share/make partners (with God).

Faridul Haque

And they worship the thing other than Allah, which neither harms them nor benefits them *, and they say, "These are our intercessors ** before Allah"; say, "What! You inform Allah of something which in His knowledge does not exist in the heavens or in the earth?" Purity and Supremacy are to Him, above their association. (* Some things like the sun, stars, trees are useful but they too are created by Allah. Their worship will not benefit - in fact it is harmful ** Only the virtuous will be granted permission by Allah to intercede.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Who does greater wrong than he who forges a lie concerning Allah, or denies His revelations? Verily, the guilty are never successful.

Hilali & Khan

And they worship besides Allah things that hurt them not, nor profit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allah." Say: "Do you inform Allah of that which He knows not in the heavens and on the earth?" Glorified and Exalted be He above all that which they associate as partners with Him!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Who is then more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah or gives the lie to His messages? Surely the guilty never succeed.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they serve beside Allah what can neither harm them nor profit them, and they say: These are our intercessors with Allah. Say: Do you (presume to) inform Allah of what He knows not in the heavens and the earth? Glory be to Him, and supremely exalted is He above what they set up (with Him).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

They worship beside Allah that which neither hurteth them nor profiteth them, and they say: These are our intercessors with Allah. Say: Would ye inform Allah of (something) that He knoweth not in the heavens or in the earth? Praised be He and High Exalted above all that ye associate (with Him)!

Muhammad Sarwar

(Some people) worship things other than God which harm nor benefit them. They say, "These (idols) are our intercessors before God." (Muhammad), tell them, "Are you trying to tell God about something that He does not find in the heavens or earth? God is too Glorious to be considered equal to idols."

Qaribullah & Darwish

They worship, other than Allah, that which can neither harm nor benefit them, and say: 'These are our intercessors with Allah' Say: 'Will you tell Allah of something He does not know about either in the heavens or earth? Exaltations to Him! Exalted be He above what they associate'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And they worship besides Allah things that harm them not, nor profit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allah." Say: "Do you inform Allah of that which He knows not in the heavens and on the earth" Glorified and Exalted is He above all that which they associate as partners (with Him)!

Wahiduddin Khan

Instead of God they worship what neither harms nor benefits them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with God." Say, "Do you inform God about something in heavens and on earth that He does not know? Glory be to Him; may He be Exalted over whatever they associate [with Him]!"

Talal Itani

And they worship, besides God, what neither harms them nor benefits them. And they say, “These are our intercessors with God.” Say, “Are you informing God about what He does not know in the heavens or on earth?” Glorified be He, High above the associations they make.

Tafsir jalalayn

And they worship, besides God, that is, other than Him, that which can neither hurt them, should they not worship it, nor profit them, if they do worship it -- and these are the idols; and they say, of them; `These are our intercessors with God'. Say, to them; `Would you tell, would you inform, God of what He does not know in the heavens or in the earth?' (the interrogative is meant as a disavowal), for if He had a partner, He [Himself] would know it, since nothing can be hidden from Him. Glory be to Him!, in [affirmation of] His transcendence, and High be He exalted above what they associate! with Him.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

What do the Idolators believe about Their Gods

Allah says;

وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَـوُلاء شُفَعَاوُنَا عِندَ اللّهِ


And they worship besides Allah things that harm them not, nor profit them, and they say;"These are our intercessors with Allah."

Allah reproaches the idolators that worshipped others beside Allah, thinking that those gods would intercede for them before Allah. Allah states that these gods do not harm or benefit. They don't have any authority over anything, nor do they own anything. These gods can never do what the idolators had claimed about them.

That is why Allah said;

قُلْ أَتُنَبِّيُونَ اللّهَ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الَارْضِ

Say;`Do you inform Allah of that which He knows not in the heavens and on the earth!'

Ibn Jarir said;

"This means, `Are you telling Allah about what may not happen in the heavens and earth.'

Allah then announced that His Glorious Self is far above their Shirk and Kufr by saying;

سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ



Glorified and Exalted is He above all that which they associate as partners (with Him)!
Shirk is New

Allah tells;

وَمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلاَّ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَاخْتَلَفُواْ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ