Surah Al-An'am 6:23
سُورَةُ الأَنۡعَامِ · Meccan · Verse 23 of 165
ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُن فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ وَٱللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ
Translation
they will only say, ‘By God, our Lord, we have not set up partners beside Him!’
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
Imagine a moment on the Day of Judgment, where all of humanity is gathered. The Almighty addresses the polytheists, the idolaters, asking them about the partners they associated with Him. What would be their response in such a terrifying, awe-inspiring court? This verse paints that picture with striking precision.
The Dramatic Shift
The verse begins with the particle *thumma* (ثُمَّ), meaning "then." Ibn Ashur highlights that this isn't just about time passing. It's a "rank-based sequence," indicating a dramatic shift from one significant event to an even more astonishing one. It also suggests a deliberate delay, giving the culprits a moment of dreadful anticipation before the next, more severe, interaction, adding to their humiliation.
Their Deep Perplexity
The Quran describes their state as *fitnatuhum* (فِتْنَتُهُمْ). The word *fitnah* originally refers to testing gold for its purity. Here, scholars like Ibn Ashur explain it beautifully as the "agitation of opinion" or "bewilderment" caused by intense fear. It's a state of utter confusion and desperation under divine scrutiny, where they grasp at anything, even a blatant lie, to escape. Their very response is a manifestation of this profound internal trial. Al-Razi adds that it's the painful consequence of their worldly "infatuation with idols."
The Desperate Denial
The verse tells us their only response (*illa an qaaloo* - إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟), their sole reaction to this overwhelming trial, was a desperate denial. And what a denial it is: they swear an oath, "By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists" (*Wa Allahi Rabbina ma kunna mushrikeen* - وَٱللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ).
Notice the poignant choice of words. They take an oath by *Allah*, the very One they denied or associated partners with, calling Him *Rabbina* ("our Lord"). Ibn Ashur points out that this phrase is a profound exaggeration in their attempt to disassociate from their sin, implying "We have no Lord but Him." It's a moment of peak hypocrisy and desperation. They use the most sacred form of affirmation to utter a falsehood, hoping to somehow escape.
This desperate lie, as many scholars like al-Razi and Ibn Ashur explain, doesn't negate the clarity of Judgment Day. Rather, it reveals their ingrained habit of falsehood from their worldly lives, and the sheer bewilderment they face makes them think they can still deceive, even Allah. They are so disoriented by the severity of the Day that they lose their composure and deny the truth. This chilling portrayal sets the stage for the following verse, which explicitly condemns their lie.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-An'am 6:23 is discussed in 7 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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