Quran Universe
39:43

أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ شُفَعَآءَۚ قُلۡ أَوَلَوۡ كَانُواْ لَا يَمۡلِكُونَ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يَعۡقِلُونَ

Ami ittakhathoo min dooni Allahi shufaAAaa qul awalaw kanoo la yamlikoona shayan wala yaAAqiloona

Or have they taken other than Allah as intercessors? Say, "Even though they do not possess [power over] anything, nor do they reason?"

Word by word
  1. أَمِOr
  2. ٱتَّخَذُواْhave they taken
  3. مِنbesides
  4. دُونِbesides
  5. ٱللَّهِAllah
  6. شُفَعَآءَۚintercessors
  7. قُلۡSay
  8. أَوَلَوۡEven though
  9. كَانُواْthey were
  10. لَاnot
  11. يَمۡلِكُونَpossessing
  12. شَيۡـٔٗاanything
  13. وَلَاand not
  14. يَعۡقِلُونَthey understand
Az-Zumar · 39:43Makkah

Intercessors that own nothing and understand nothing.

Whom do you rely on to speak for you

What they chose
the idolatersby their own whims
took
intercessorsown nothing, no reason
A check on reliance
it will speak for mecharm, name, status
powerlesscannot hear or see

Ibn Kathir says they took idols on the basis of their own whims, with no evidence. These cannot think, hear, or see, yet they were expected to plead before Allah.

You carry a lucky charm to the interview. You trust your family name to get you through. You think your title will speak for you someday. Ask what it actually owns.

Something or someone will put in a good word for me.

Things that own nothing cannot speak for me before Allah.

Try this

Notice one object or habit you treat as a good-luck guarantee, and let it go today.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Have they taken as intercessors besides Allah? Say: "Even if they have power over nothing whatever and have no intelligence? (43)Say: "To Allah belongs all intercession. His is the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you shall be brought back. (44)And when Allah Alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter are filled with disgust and when those besides Him are mentioned, behold, they rejoice (45)

There is no Intercession except with Allah, and how the Idolators are filled with Disgust when Allah is mentioned alone

Allah condemns the idolators for taking intercessors besides Allah, namely the idols and false gods whom they have taken on the basis of their own whims, with no evidence or proof. These idols are not able to do anything; they have no minds with which to think, and they cannot hear or see. They are inanimate and are much worse off than animals. Then Allah says: 'Say – O Muhammad – to these people who claim that those whom they have taken as intercessors with Allah, that intercession is of no avail except for the one with whom Allah is pleased and to whom He has granted permission to intercede. The whole matter rests with Him.'

مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ 

(Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission?)(2:255).

لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ 

(His is the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth.) means, He is the One Who is in control of all that.

ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

(Then to Him you shall be brought back.) means, 'on the Day of Resurrection, then He will judge between you with His justice, and He will reward or punish each person according to his deeds.' Then Allah condemns the idolators further:

وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ 

(And when Allah Alone is mentioned) means, when it is said there is no (true) God except Allah Alone,

اشْمَأَزَّتْ قُلُوبُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ

(the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter are filled with disgust) Mujahid said, "Their hearts are filled with disgust means they recoil in horror." This is like the Ayah:

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

(Truly, when it was said to them: "La ilaha illa Allah," they puffed themselves up with pride.)(37:35) which means, they were too proud to follow it. Their hearts could not accept anything good, and whoever cannot accept good will accept evil. Allah says:

وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِ

(and when those besides Him are mentioned,) meaning, the idols and false gods – this was the view of Mujahid –

 إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ

(behold, they rejoice!) means, they feel happy.