Surah Az-Zumar 39:65
سُورَةُ الزُّمَرِ · Meccan · Verse 65 of 75
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ
Translation
It has already been revealed to you [Prophet] and to those before you: ‘If you ascribe any partner to God, all your work will come to nothing: you will be one if the losers.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse opens with a profound and emphatic statement: "وَلَقَدْ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ" (And it has certainly been revealed to you and to those before you). The combination of the *lam* (لَ) and *qad* (قَدْ) at the beginning serves as a powerful confirmation, signaling the absolute certainty and importance of the message that follows. As Ibn Ashur notes, this is a strong emphasis, establishing that the core truth about worshipping Allah alone is not new; it is a timeless message conveyed to all prophets, including Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them all. This universal declaration immediately grounds the subsequent warning in an ancient and unchanging divine law.
The Singular Warning
The heart of the revelation then comes: "لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ" (If you associate partners with Allah, your deeds would surely be nullified, and you would certainly be among the losers). Notice the singular "أَشْرَكْتَ" (you associate partners), addressed to the Prophet, even though the preceding phrase refers to him and all previous prophets. Scholars like al-Zamakhshari and Ibn Ashur explain this can be understood as addressing each prophet individually, or specifically the Prophet Muhammad, with the understanding that the same applies to all. This direct address makes the warning incredibly personal and weighty.
The wording employs a powerful conditional structure, "لَئِنْ" (la-in). The first *lam* is a preparatory *lam* for an implied oath (for example, "By Allah, if you..."), and the second *lam* in "لَيَحْبَطَنَّ" (layahbatan) is the answer to that oath. This dual emphasis, coupled with the *nun al-tawkeed* (نّ) – the emphatic 'n' sound at the end of the verbs – creates an unshakable declaration. It underscores the absolute certainty of the consequence: there is no doubt that if the condition were to occur, the outcome would inevitably follow.
The Grave Consequences
Scholars like al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi explain that while prophets are divinely protected from *shirk* (associating partners with Allah), this hypothetical scenario is presented to highlight the extreme gravity of the act. It is a fundamental principle that even the highest stations of prophethood would not withstand the devastating impact of *shirk*. Ibn Ashur emphasizes that this hypothetical scenario serves as a profound warning (tanbeeh) to all people, demonstrating the immense significance of *tawheed* (monotheism) and the severe danger of *shirk*.
The consequences are clear: "لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ" (your deeds would surely be nullified). *Habat* (حَبْط) means nullification, invalidation, or going to waste. All good deeds, no matter how numerous or righteous, would become worthless in the sight of Allah. Following this, the verse declares: "وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ" (and you would certainly be among the losers). Ibn Ashur vividly explains this loss by likening it to a merchant who, instead of gaining profit, loses their entire capital. This imagery drives home the ultimate, complete failure and ruin that *shirk* brings upon a person in both this life and the Hereafter.
This powerful wording, with its emphatic declarations and hypothetical scenario, serves as an eternal reminder of the paramount importance of pure monotheism and the unparalleled danger of associating anything with Allah.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn, al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Az-Zumar 39:65 is discussed in 12 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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