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Quran verses about Idols

الأصنام

11 verses in 9 surahs

Idols are mainly discussed here through Abraham, who reproaches his father and his people for worshipping what neither hears nor sees and cannot provide for them, and who asks Allah to keep him and his sons away from them. The verses also relate the request of the Children of Israel to Moses for a god like those of an idol-worshipping people, and the command to avoid the uncleanliness of idols.

Verses gathered from a topical index of the Quran, in Mushaf order; every verse is quoted in full.

11 verses

Al-An’am6:74

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ ءَازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا ءَالِهَةً إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ ۝٧٤

And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Abraham said to his father Āzar, "Do you take idols as deities? Indeed, I see you and your people to be in manifest error."

Al-A’raf7:138

وَجَٰوَزْنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ يَٰمُوسَى ٱجْعَل لَّنَآ إِلَٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ ۝١٣٨

And We took the Children of Israel across the sea; then they came upon a people intent in devotion to [some] idols of theirs. They [the Children of Israel] said, "O Moses, make for us a god just as they have gods." He said, "Indeed, you are a people behaving ignorantly.

Ibrahim14:35

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْ هَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدَ ءَامِنًا وَٱجْنُبْنِى وَبَنِىَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ ٱلْأَصْنَامَ ۝٣٥

And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Abraham said, "My Lord, make this city [i.e., Makkah] secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.

Maryam19:42

إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ يَٰٓأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْـًٔا ۝٤٢

[Mention] when he said to his father, "O my father, why do you worship that which does not hear and does not see and will not benefit you at all?

Al-Anbya21:52

إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦ مَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلتَّمَاثِيلُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَٰكِفُونَ ۝٥٢

When he said to his father and his people, "What are these statues to which you are devoted?"

Al-Anbya21:57

وَتَٱللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَٰمَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ مُدْبِرِينَ ۝٥٧

And [I swear] by Allāh, I will surely plan against your idols after you have turned and gone away."

Al-Hajj22:30

ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ وَأُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمُ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ ٱلرِّجْسَ مِنَ ٱلْأَوْثَٰنِ وَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ قَوْلَ ٱلزُّورِ ۝٣٠

That [has been commanded], and whoever honors the sacred ordinances of Allāh - it is best for him in the sight of his Lord. And permitted to you are the grazing livestock, except what is recited to you. So avoid the uncleanliness of idols and avoid false statement,

Ash-Shu’ara26:71

قَالُوا۟ نَعْبُدُ أَصْنَامًا فَنَظَلُّ لَهَا عَٰكِفِينَ ۝٧١

They said, "We worship idols and remain to them devoted."

Al-’Ankabut29:17

إِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَٰنًا وَتَخْلُقُونَ إِفْكًا إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا فَٱبْتَغُوا۟ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرِّزْقَ وَٱعْبُدُوهُ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥٓ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ۝١٧

You only worship, besides Allāh, idols, and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those you worship besides Allāh do not possess for you [the power of] provision. So seek from Allāh provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be returned."

Al-’Ankabut29:25

وَقَالَ إِنَّمَا ٱتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَٰنًا مَّوَدَّةَ بَيْنِكُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُم بِبَعْضٍ وَيَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُم بَعْضًا وَمَأْوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ ۝٢٥

And [Abraham] said, "You have only taken, other than Allāh, idols as [a bond of] affection among you in worldly life. Then on the Day of Resurrection you will deny one another and curse one another, and your refuge will be the Fire, and you will not have any helpers."

Saba34:13

يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُۥ مَا يَشَآءُ مِن مَّحَٰرِيبَ وَتَمَٰثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَٱلْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَٰتٍ ٱعْمَلُوٓا۟ ءَالَ دَاوُۥدَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ ۝١٣

They made for him what he willed of elevated chambers, statues, bowls like reservoirs, and stationary kettles. [We said], "Work, O family of David, in gratitude." And few of My servants are grateful.

In the Sunnah

Hadiths that quote these verses, with their grade of authenticity.

Weak Sunan Abu Dawud 3599

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered the morning prayer. When he finished it, he stood up and said three times: False witness has been made equivalent to attributing a partner to Allah. He then recited: "So avoid the abomination of idols and avoid speaking falsehood as people pure of faith to Allah…

عُدِلَتْ شَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ بِالإِشْرَاكِ بِاللَّهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثَلاَثَ مِرَارٍ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ ‏‏{‏ فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ * حُنَفَاءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ ‏}‏ ‏.‏

Narrated by Khuraym ibn Fātik + 4 other versions

Weak Sunan Ibn Majah 2372

the Prophet(ﷺ) prayed the Morning prayer, and when he had finished, he stood up and said: “Bearing false witness is equivalent to associating others with Allah,” three times. Then he recited this Verse: “And shun lying speech (false statements), Hunafa' Lillah (i.e., worshiping none but Allah), not…

"‏ عُدِلَتْ شَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ بِالإِشْرَاكِ بِاللَّهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ تَلاَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ ‏‏{‏وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ حُنَفَاءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِه‏}‏‏.‏

Narrated by Khuraym ibn Fātik + 4 other versions

The root ص ن م in the Quran · All topics · Search “Idols” in the Quran

Verses gathered from a human-made thematic index of the Quran; the introduction summarises its subtopics. For a legal opinion, consult a scholar.

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 3 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ