Verse Meaning

According to the classical exegete Imam al-Tabari, Quran 10:106 delivers a foundational command in Islamic monotheism (Tawheed): a direct prohibition against invoking any being besides Allah, clarifying that idols and false deities can neither benefit nor harm. The verse defines this act as the ultimate injustice (`zulm`), which Imam al-Qurtubi explains as the grave error of 'placing worship in other than its proper place.' Since worship is a right exclusively for Allah, directing it elsewhere is a profound transgression. As Imam as-Sa'di clarifies, this principle encompasses all created things, as only Allah possesses the power to truly benefit or harm. Therefore, to turn to another in supplication is to commit shirk (associating partners with God), the greatest form of injustice against oneself by exposing the soul to ruin. This verse, while addressed to the Prophet, serves as a universal warning to humanity, establishing that pure monotheism is the cornerstone of faith and that straying from it constitutes the most significant spiritual wrongdoing.