Faith & Creed · Quran topic

Taking Deities

الاتخاذ · Ittikhadh

Choosing what to hold onto defines whether you find ultimate safety or complete ruin.

72 verses · 5 parts · 7 min read

Study guide based on

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

«الاتخاذ» · Volume 1

At a glance

In the language of the Quran, taking something (al-ittikhadh) goes far beyond casually picking it up. It signifies actively choosing something, acquiring it, holding onto it, and establishing it as an enduring part of your life. When applied to devotion and dependence, what you choose to take reveals the truest state of your heart.

Allah places this concept at the center of faith. A person might take Allah as their sole Trustee, His verses as their guide, and Satan as an open enemy. Alternatively, a person might take false deities, worldly allies, or their own fleeting desires as protectors. The Quran demonstrates that Allah is entirely free of needing any companion, offspring, or supporter, yet in His boundless grace, He chose Ibrahim as an intimate friend and selectively takes martyrs to Himself.

Ultimately, your choices determine your eternal destination. Holding fast to what Allah commands yields peace in this life and the highest gardens of Paradise. Conversely, clinging to false sanctuaries breeds bitter regret, leaving a person empty-handed when standing before their Creator.

Key verses

Fatir 35:6: Allah declares Satan to be an unrelenting adversary and directly commands believers to take him as an enemy, warning that his only goal is dragging his followers into the Blaze.
An-Nisa 4:125: Allah highlights the pinnacle of devotion by mentioning that He took Ibrahim as an intimate friend, honoring him for his pure monotheism and complete submission.
Al-Muzzammil 73:9: Because Allah alone is the Lord of the East and the West with no deity besides Him, He instructs the Prophet and all believers to take Him as their exclusive Trustee.

Words to know

الاتخاذ `al-ittikhadh`

Acquiring something, choosing it deliberately, and holding onto it continuously as a settled way of life.

Appears 273 times in the Quran.

Most common forms: أَخَذَ (127), اتَّخَذَ (124), يُؤاخِذُ (9), أَخْذ (6), آخِذ (3)

Root: ا خ ذ

الأخذ `al-akhdh`

Obtaining or seizing something, whether by taking it into hand or through overpowering force, without the built-in permanence of adoption.

Root: ا خ ذ

الإبعاد `al-ib'ad`

Pushing something away, setting it aside, and keeping it at a distance, which stands as the direct opposite of adopting or holding close.

Taking with respect to Allah

From the paper: «الاتخاذ في حق الله تعالى»

When examining what is attributed to Allah regarding taking, the Quran makes a profound distinction between what is affirmed of His divine favor and what is utterly denied of His transcendent nature.

Allah affirms only two forms of taking for Himself: choosing an intimate friend (khalil) and taking martyrs (shuhada'). In His grace, Allah took Ibrahim as an intimate friend An-Nisa 4:125, honoring him for his flawless obedience, pure monotheism An-Nahl 16:120, and total fulfillment of divine commands An-Najm 53:37. As the paper notes, the Prophet Muhammad shared this supreme station of intimate love. Similarly, Allah takes martyrs to Himself Ali 'Imran 3:140, selecting certain believers from among the strivers to honor them with closeness and eternal life.

In contrast, the Quran strictly negates any taking that implies defect, need, or physical resemblance to creation. Allah has never taken a female companion or spouse Al-Jinn 72:3, nor does He have offspring Al-An'am 6:101, Maryam 19:35. The claims of polytheists and sects alleging that He took angels, 'Uzayr, or the Messiah as children are monstrous falsehoods Al-Baqarah 2:116, Maryam 19:88-89, Maryam 19:92. Being the Absolute Sovereign and Creator, He creates simply through His will and has no need for heirs, wives, or helpers Al-Kahf 18:51, Saba 34:22.

«إن المستقريء لآيات الاتخاذ في حق الله سبحانه وتعالى يجد أن الله سبحانه وتعالى أثبت لنفسه اتخاذ الخليل واتخاذ الشهداء، ولم ينسب لنفسه اتخاذًا سوى ذلك، فالاتخاذ المثبت في حق الله بمعنى الاختيار، فالله عز وجل اختار إبراهيم خليلًا، ويختار من يشاء من عباده ليكون شهيدًا.»

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Volume 1

Types of taking

From the paper: «أنواع الاتخاذ»

For human beings, taking divides strictly into actions praised by Allah and actions condemned by Him.

Praised taking includes dedicating yourself to that which draws you near to Allah:

Taking Allah alone as your dependable Trustee (wakil) to handle all your affairs Al-Muzzammil 73:9.
Taking the Station of Ibrahim as a place of prayer, following his legacy of devotion Al-Baqarah 2:125.
Reflecting on natural signs, such as bees taking homes in mountains and trees through divine inspiration An-Nahl 16:68.
Consciously taking Satan as an open foe, remaining vigilant against his traps Fatir 35:6.

Blameworthy taking involves adopting false attachments and misdirected loyalties:

Taking deities, false protectors, or intercessors besides Allah Az-Zumar 39:3, Az-Zumar 39:43-44. Clinging to such idols resembles the spider spinning a web: it offers no genuine protection and only increases weakness Al-Ankabut 29:41.
Taking rabbis and monks as lords by obeying them above Allah's clear law At-Tawbah 9:31.
Taking disbelievers as intimate allies against believers An-Nisa 4:144, Ali 'Imran 3:28, Al-Ma'idah 5:51.
Taking sacred faith as amusement or mocking the Messenger Al-Furqan 25:41, Al-A'raf 7:51.
Leaving the Quran neglected (mahjuran) without faith, recitation, or application Al-Furqan 25:30.
Taking illicit secret lovers (akhdan) instead of pursuing honorable, chaste marriage Al-Ma'idah 5:5, An-Nisa 4:25.

«فالعنكبوت من الحيوانات الضعيفة، وبيتها من أضعف البيوت، فما ازدادت باتخاذه إلا ضعفًا، كذلك هؤلاء الذين يتخذون من دونه أولياء، فقراء عاجزون من جميع الوجوه، وحين اتخذوا الأولياء من دونه يتعززون بهم ويستنصرونهم، ازدادوا ضعفًا إلى ضعفهم، ووهنًا إلى وهنهم».

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 1

Reasons for taking

From the paper: «أسباب الاتخاذ»

Every choice to hold onto something stems from underlying spiritual drivers. Praised taking is rooted first and foremost in faith (iman). True believers possess an intense, pure love for Allah that surpasses all worldly attachments Al-Baqarah 2:165. This authentic devotion naturally leads them to follow guidance, place their full reliance solely in Allah Al-Muzzammil 73:9, and heed reminders to walk the path to their Lord Al-Muzzammil 73:19.

Blameworthy taking, by contrast, is fueled by disbelief, hypocrisy, and defiance. When faith in Allah and His Messenger is absent, hearts easily drift into taking disbelievers as protectors Al-Ma'idah 5:81 and elevating religious scholars into false lawgivers At-Tawbah 9:31. Arrogance causes people to reject divine signs; unable to curb their base desires, they refuse the path of rectitude and eagerly adopt the path of error Al-A'raf 7:146.

Another decisive driver of blameworthy taking is succumbing to Satan's seduction. Satan openly vowed to misguide humanity, tempt them with empty hopes, and incite them to alter Allah's creation An-Nisa 4:118-119. Whoever falls for his deceptions ends up taking him as an ally instead of an adversary Fatir 35:6, walking straight toward ruin in an ongoing spiritual war that demands constant vigilance.

«فالآية تبين أن عدم إيمان الذين يتولون المشركين سبب في اتخاذهم المشركين أولياء، فإن الإيمان بالله ورسوله وازعٌ عن توليهم قطعًا، ومانع لهم عن هذا الاتخاذ المذموم.»

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 1

Quranic methods in presenting taking

From the paper: «أساليب القرآن في عرض الاتخاذ»

The Quran uses varied literary methods to present the reality of taking, deeply impressing its lessons upon the human conscience:

Informative statements (al-khabar): Stating facts, such as hypocrites taking a harmful mosque to sow division At-Tawbah 9:107, the prohibition of taking secret lovers Al-Ma'idah 5:5, An-Nisa 4:25, Maryam taking a partition for worship Maryam 19:17, Allah's transcendence above having a child Al-Anbiya 21:26, the Prophet's complaint over his people abandoning the Quran Al-Furqan 25:30, Allah recording those who take false protectors Ash-Shura 42:6, and hypocrites using oaths as shields Al-Munafiqun 63:2.
Prohibitions (al-nahy): Forbidding mockery of divine verses Al-Baqarah 2:231, taking enemies or hostile outsiders as intimate confidants Ali 'Imran 3:118, Al-Ma'idah 5:51, At-Tawbah 9:23, Al-Mumtahanah 60:1, setting up two deities An-Nahl 16:51, and taking oaths deceitfully An-Nahl 16:94.
Commands (al-amr): Ordering believers to take Ibrahim's station as a prayer place Al-Baqarah 2:125, to treat Satan as an enemy Fatir 35:6, and to rely on Allah as Trustee Al-Muzzammil 73:9.
Negations (al-nafy): Denying that Allah has offspring Al-Isra 17:111, Al-Furqan 25:2, Maryam 19:35, and denying that true believers take enemy confidants At-Tawbah 9:16.
Praise (al-thana'): Praising Allah for His absolute self-sufficiency Al-Isra 17:111, and commending desert Arabs who take their spending as deeds drawing them near to Allah At-Tawbah 9:99.
Condemnation (al-dhamm): Censuring those who view spending in Allah's cause as a fine At-Tawbah 9:98, mock the call to prayer Al-Ma'idah 5:58, or worship a golden calf Al-A'raf 7:148.
Rhetorical interrogation (al-istifham al-inkari): Rebuking false assumptions, such as taking a covenant to avoid punishment Al-Baqarah 2:80, taking helpless idols as deities Al-An'am 6:74, Ar-Ra'd 13:16, Ya-Sin 36:23, or taking Iblis as a master instead of your Creator Al-Kahf 18:50.

«وذم الله الذين يتخذون الصلاة هزوًا ولعبًا، بتحقير عقولهم.»

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 1

Consequences of taking

From the paper: «عاقبة الاتخاذ»

Because choosing what to take is an exercise of human will, Allah has established distinct outcomes for every choice. Those who embrace praised taking, submitting to Allah's commands and adopting the Quran as their guide, earn an excellent life in this world and eternal mercy in the next An-Nahl 16:97, Al-Jathiyah 45:30.

Those who spend sincerely seeking Allah's closeness are promised divine forgiveness and entry into His all-encompassing mercy At-Tawbah 9:99. Believers who treat Satan as an enemy receive broad pardon and a magnificent reward Fatir 35:6-7. For those who honor Allah's revelations rather than mocking them, the highest gardens of al-Firdaws await as their hospitable welcoming home Al-Kahf 18:105-107, where they enjoy proximity to the Merciful and gaze upon His noble Countenance.

Conversely, blameworthy taking results in catastrophic loss. On the Day of Judgment, the wrongdoer will bite his hands in unbearable grief, crying out in regret that he did not take a path with the Messenger and took a corrupt person as an intimate friend Al-Furqan 25:27-28. Those who took the calf incurred lasting wrath and humiliation in this life Al-A'raf 7:152. Ultimately, mocking divine revelations and relying on false protectors leads straight to humiliating punishment in Hellfire, where neither accumulated wealth nor adopted protectors can avert the blaze Al-Jathiyah 45:9-10.

«وأول عاقبة لصاحب الاتخاذ المذموم الذي ظلم نفسه، هو الندم، فيوم القيامة يندم الظالم ويعض على يديه؛ لأنه لم يتخذ مع الرسول سبيلًا، واتخذ طريق الغي سبيلًا له، واتخذ من أهل الشر أخلاء، أضلوه عن طريق الحق.»

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 1

Takeaways

Rely exclusively on Allah as your Trustee
Entrust all your matters, plans, and anxieties to Allah alone Al-Muzzammil 73:9. When you acknowledge Him as the absolute Lord of everything, seeking ultimate reliance or spiritual rescue from created things becomes entirely baseless.
Actively treat Satan as an ongoing enemy
Do not treat Satan's whisperings with casual curiosity or complacency Fatir 35:6. Measure every impulse and desire against divine revelation to ensure you are not being lured into deeds that cause spiritual ruin.
Keep the Quran as a lived reality, not an ornament
Protect yourself from the Prophet's tragic complaint against his people Al-Furqan 25:30. Take the Quran as your constant companion through regular recitation, honest study, and active implementation of its laws.
Choose your closest relationships with eternal foresight
Be vigilant about who you take as intimate confidants and allies Al-Furqan 25:27-28. Aligning your heart with people who draw you away from righteousness leads to irreversible regret when all worldly masks fall away.

Reflect

When you face overwhelming challenges, what is the very first thing you run to and take as your refuge?
In what ways might you be treating the Quran as something set aside, and how can you take it as an active companion today?
Are there subtle whisperings of Satan that you have treated as harmless thoughts rather than hostile attacks?
If you look honestly at your closest friendships, are they helping you take a path with the Messenger or pulling you away from it?

Go deeper

Linguistic meaning

Derived from the root meaning of acquiring, possessing, and gathering something into one's hold, carrying the sense of purposeful acquisition.

«ومن خلال ما سبق يتبين أن الاتخاذ يتمركز معناه اللغوي حول الكسب والحوز والتحصيل.»

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 1

Technical meaning

Acquiring something and holding onto it in an enduring manner for a continuous purpose, such as taking a house as a permanent dwelling or a mount for riding.

الاتخاذ اصطلاحًا: هو «الاقتناء»، «والاتخاذ: أخذ الشيء لأمر يستمر فيه، مثل الدار يتخذها مسكنًا، والدابة يتخذها قعدة».

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 1

How it differs from related terms

الأخذ Taking / Seizing: Signifies obtaining or collecting something, which may happen momentarily, by direct grabbing, or through force and conquest. In contrast, ittikhadh involves choosing something deliberately, holding onto it, and keeping it continuously for an ongoing purpose.
الإبعاد Distancing / Pushing Away: Serves as the direct conceptual opposite of ittikhadh. While ittikhadh is to intentionally take, adopt, hold close, and remain steadfast upon something, al-ib'ad means casting something aside, removing it, and keeping it far away.