And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allāh as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allāh. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allāh. And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be certain] that all power belongs to Allāh and that Allāh is severe in punishment.
Verse 165 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:165), a Medinan surah, is in juz 2, on page 25 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.
Listen to verse 165 of Surah Al-Baqarah
75 recitations by 69 reciters: pick one and it plays in the player.
All voices (75)
Tafsir of verse 165
Al-Mukhtasar
Even with these clear signs, there are people who take others besides Allah as their gods, considering them equal to Him, and loving them as they love Allah. Those who have real faith love Allah more than those others love their gods: they do not worship anyone besides Him; and they love Him in hardship and in ease, while those others only love their gods when things are going well – when things go badly, they call on Allah alone. If the wrongdoers could see with their own eyes the punishment that waits in the Afterlife for those who worship others with Allah and commit sins, then they would know that all power belongs to Allah alone and that He is firm in punishing those who stubbornly rebel. If they saw this, then they would not worship anyone with Allah.
And among people, there are some who take others as equals to Allah72: they love them as they should love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah. If only the wrongdoers could see the punishment, they would surely realize that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment.
Notes
[72] In spite of all these clear signs, some people still worship false deities besides Allah.
And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allâh as rivals33 (to Allâh). They love them as they love Allâh. But those who believe, love Allâh more (than anything else). If only, those who do wrong could see, when they will see the torment, that all power belongs to Allâh and that Allâh is Severe in punishment.
Notes
[33] (V.2:165) Narrated ‘Abdullâh رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said one statement and I said another. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "Whoever dies while still invoking anything other than Allâh as a rival to Allâh, will enter Hell (Fire)." And I said, "Whoever dies without invoking anything as a rival to Allâh, will enter Paradise". (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.6, Hadîth No.24).
Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is the due) of Allah (only) - those who believe are stauncher in their love for Allah - Oh, that those who do evil had but known, (on the day) when they behold the doom, that power belongeth wholly to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment!
Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides Allah, as equal (with Allah): They love them as they should love Allah. But those of Faith are overflowing in their love for Allah. If only the unrighteous could see, behold, they would see the penalty: that to Allah belongs all power, and Allah will strongly enforce the penalty.
And there are some among men who take for themselves objects of worship besides Allah, whom they love as they love Allah, and those who believe are stronger in love for Allah and O, that those who are unjust had seen, when they see the chastisement, that the power is wholly Allah's and that Allah is severe in requiting (evil).
And of mankind are (some) who take to themselves, apart from Allah, (false) compeers. They love them as with the love (due) to Allah; and (the ones) who have believed have stronger (fervor in the) love towards Allah. And if the ones who have done injustice might see, as they see the torment, that the power altogether (belongs) to Allah, and that Allah is strict in torment.
"The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said something and I said another thing. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Whoever dies while invoking besides Allah another equal will enter Hellfire.' And I say: 'Whoever dies while not invoking besides…
Those upon whom the word will have come into effect will say, "Our Lord, these are the ones we led to error. We led them to error just as we were in error. We declare our disassociation [from them] to You. They did not used to worship [i.e., obey] us."
They will say, "Exalted are You! You, [O Allāh], are our benefactor excluding [i.e., not] them. Rather, they used to worship the jinn; most of them were believers in them."
And who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allāh those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection [i.e., never], and they, of their invocation, are unaware. …
And those who disbelieve say, "We will never believe in this Qur’ān nor in that before it." But if you could see when the wrongdoers are made to stand before their Lord, refuting each others' words... Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "If not for you, we would have been believers." …
