What does Quran 21:66 mean?

Quran 21:66 (Surah Al-Anbiyaa, Ayah 66) translates to: "He said, "Then do you worship instead of Allah that which does not benefit you at all or harm you?"

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 21:66 from?

This ayah is from Surah Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets), the 21th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 17.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 21:66?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Jami` at-Tirmidhi.

What tafsir is available for Quran 21:66?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 21:66 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Tawhid, Allah, Idolatry, Prophet Ibrahim, Divine Justice.

Ayah 65

ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ...

21:66Al-Anbiyaa

Ayah 67

أُفٍّۢ لَّكُمْ وَلِمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّ...

قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكُمْ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمْ

Qaala afata'budoona min doonil laahi maa laa yanfa'ukum shai'anw wa laa yadurrukum

He said, "Then do you worship instead of Allah that which does not benefit you at all or harm you?

Themes in this ayah

Explore in Habl →

Oneness of Allah93

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

8 other themes with weak connections

Labeled by AI and people · How this works

Follow this theme through Al-AnbiyaaFollow this theme

Oneness of Allah

21:66Ayah 1112

14 ayahs in Al-Anbiyaa are strongly about the oneness of Allah. This is one of them.

← Previous on Oneness of Allah21:43Or do they have gods to defend them other than Us? They are unable [even] to help themselves, nor can they be protected from Us.Next on Oneness of Allah →21:67Uff to you and to what you worship instead of Allah. Then will you not use reason?"

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 21:66→

He said ‘Do you then worship besides God that is in His place that which cannot benefit you in any way with regard to granting you provision and otherwise nor harm you? in any way if you were not to worship it?

that he said to the Prophet (ﷺ) "Did you benefit Abu Talib with anything?"

Sahih Muslim #6510Abu Barza reported:Sahih

I said: Allah's Messenger, teach me something so that I may derive benefit from it. He said: Remove the troublesome thing from the paths of the Muslims.

Sahih Muslim #7195Mughira b. Shu'ba reported that none asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) about Dajjal more than I asked him. I (one of the narrators other than Mughira b. Shu'ba) said:Sahih

What did you ask? Mughira replied: I said that the people alleged that he would have a mountain load of bread and mutton and rivers of water. Thereupon he said: He would be more insignificant in the eye of Allah compared with all this.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #2550Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated:Da'if

From Abu Hamzah, (who said): "From Ibrahim An-Nakha'i who said: 'All buildings and concerns for them will be against you.' I said: 'What do you think about what one can not do without?' He said: 'There is no reward for that nor harm.'"

Sahih Muslim #5585'Auf b. Malik Ashja'i reported We practised incantation in the pre-Islamic days and we said:Sahih

Allah's Messenger. what is your opinion about it? He said: Let me know your incantation and said: There is no harm in the incantation which does not smack of polytheism.