And likewise, to many of the polytheists their partners348 have made [to seem] pleasing the killing of their children in order to bring about their destruction and to cover them with confusion in their religion. And if Allāh had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them and that which they invent.
Verse 137 of Surah Al-An’am (6:137), a Meccan surah, is in juz 8, on page 145 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 137
Al-Mukhtasar
Just as Satan made this unfair judgement fair seeming to the idolaters, the devils –who were their partners and associates – made it seem good to them that they should kill their children out of the fear of poverty. The devils inspired them with this in order to destroy them by their committing the act of murder, which Allah had made unlawful, and to make their religion confusing for them such that they did not know anymore what Allah had commanded or prohibited for them. If Allah had willed for them not to do this, they would not have done so. However, He willed it out of His wisdom. So leave, O Messenger, these idolaters and their fabrications about Allah, because that will not harm you, and entrust their matter to Allah.
Similarly, the evil associates of the pagans have made the killing of their children45 appealing to them, in order to lead them to destruction and confuse them in their faith. If Allah had willed, they would not have done that. So leave them to their fabrications.
Notes
[45] Out of fear of poverty.
And so to many of the Mushrikûn (polytheists - see V.2:105) their (Allâh’s so-called) "partners" have made fair-seeming the killing of their children, in order to lead them to their own destruction and cause confusion in their religion. And if Allâh had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them alone with their fabrications.
Thus have their (so-called) partners (of Allah) made the killing of their children to seem fair unto many of the idolaters, that they may ruin them and make their faith obscure for them. Had Allah willed (it otherwise), they had not done so. So leave them alone with their devices.
Even so, in the eyes of most of the pagans, their "partners" made alluring the slaughter of their children, in order to lead them to their own destruction, and cause confusion in their religion. If Allah had willed, they would not have done so: But leave alone them and their inventions.
And thus their associates have made fair seeming to most of the polytheists the killing of their children, that they may cause them to perish and obscure for them their religion; and if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge.
And thus, their associates (i.e., what they associate with Allah) have adorned (i.e., have made attractive) to many associators the killing of their children (in order) to topple them and confound for them their religion. And if Allah had (so) decided, they would not have performed it. So leave them alone with whatever they fabricate.
And thus We have made for every prophet an enemy - devils from mankind and jinn, inspiring to one another decorative speech in delusion. But if your Lord had willed, they would not have done it, so leave them and that which they invent.
Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allāh spoke, and He raised some of them in degree. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the Pure Spirit [i.e., Gabriel]. If Allāh had willed, those [generations] succeeding them would not have fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed, and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved. And if Allāh had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allāh does what He intends.
