sayaqūlu alladhīna ashrakū law shāa l-lahu mā ashraknā walā ābāunā walā ḥarramnā min shayin kadhālika kadhaba alladhīna min qablihim ḥattā dhāqū basanā qul hal ʿindakum min ʿil'min fatukh'rijūhu lanā in tattabiʿūna illā l-ẓana wa-in antum illā takhruṣūna
Translation
Those who associated [others] with Allāh will say, "If Allāh had willed, we would not have associated [anything] and neither would our fathers, nor would we have prohibited anything." Likewise did those before deny until they tasted Our punishment. Say, "Do you have any knowledge that you can produce for us? You follow not except assumption, and you are not but misjudging."
Verse 148 of Surah Al-An’am (6:148), a Meccan surah, is in juz 8, on page 148 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 148
Al-Mukhtasar
The idolaters will say, using Allah’s will and decree as proof for their associating partners with Him: If Allah had willed that neither we nor our ancestors associate any partners with Him we would not have done so; and if He had willed that we do not make anything unlawful for ourselves we would not have done so. Those before them also denied their messengers with similar worthless proofs saying: If Allah had willed that we do not prohibit them, we would not have done so. So they persisted in their denial until they tasted My punishment that I sent down on them. Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Do you have any evidence that indicates that Allah is pleased that you associate others with Him, and that you make lawful what He has prohibited, and make unlawful what He has allowed? Just because you did these actions does not mean that He is pleased with them. You are following nothing but speculation with respect to this and speculation holds no weight against the truth. You are only lying.
Those who associate partners with Allah will say, “If Allah had willed, neither we nor our forefathers would have associated anything with Him, nor would we have made anything forbidden53.” Likewise, those who came before them rejected the truth until they tasted Our punishment. Say, “Do you have any knowledge that you can present to us? You follow nothing but assumption and you do nothing but lie.
Notes
[53] They falsely argue by citing predestination (al-qadar), when they were given the choice of choosing the right or wrong path.
Those who took partners (in worship) with Allâh will say: "If Allâh had willed, we would not have taken partners (in worship) with Him, nor would our fathers, and we would not have forbidden anything (against His Will)." Likewise belied those who were before them, (they argued falsely with Allâh’s Messengers), till they tasted Our Wrath. Say: "Have you any knowledge (proof) that you can produce before us? Verily, you follow nothing but guess and you do nothing but lie."
They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah's messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for Us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.
Those who give partners (to Allah) will say: "If Allah had wished, we should not have given partners to Him nor would our fathers; nor should we have had any taboos." So did their ancestors argue falsely, until they tasted of Our wrath. Say: "Have ye any (certain) knowledge? If so, produce it before us. Ye follow nothing but conjecture: ye do nothing but lie."
Those who are polytheists will say: If Allah had pleased we would not have associated (aught with Him) nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden (to ourselves) anything; even so did those before them reject until they tasted Our punishment. Say: Have you any knowledge with you so you should bring it forth to us? You only follow a conjecture and you only tell lies.
The ones who have associated (i.e., associated others with Allah) will soon say, "If Allah had (so) decided, in no way would we have associated (with Him), nor our fathers, nor would we have even prohibited anything." Thus, the ones before them cried lies until they tasted Our violence. Say, "Do you have in your presence any knowledge so you can bring it out to us? Decidedly you closely follow (nothing) except surmise, and decidedly you (do nothing) except conjecture."
Rather, they have denied that which they encompass not in knowledge and whose interpretation has not yet come to them. Thus did those before them deny. Then observe how was the end of the wrongdoers.
And those who associate others with Allāh say, "If Allāh had willed, we would not have worshipped anything other than Him, neither we nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything through other than Him." Thus did those do before them. So is there upon the messengers except [the duty of] clear notification?
And if they deny you - then already have those before them denied. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs and written ordinances and with the enlightening Scripture.
Say, "If Allāh had willed, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have made it known to you, for I had remained among you a lifetime before it. Then will you not reason?"
