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Surah 13. Ar-Ra'd, Ayah 33

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أَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَآئِمٌ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ ۗ وَجَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ قُلْ سَمُّوهُمْ ۚ أَمْ تُنَبِّـُٔونَهُۥ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَم بِظَـٰهِرٍ مِّنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ ۗ بَلْ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مَكْرُهُمْ وَصُدُّوا۟ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍ
Afaman huwa q a imun AAal a kulli nafsin bim a kasabat wajaAAaloo lill a hi shurak a a qul sammoohum am tunabbioonahu bim a l a yaAAlamu fee alar d i am bi th a hirin mina alqawli bal zuyyina lilla th eena kafaroo makruhum wa s uddoo AAani a l ssabeeli waman yu d lili All a hu fam a lahu min h a d in
IS, THEN, HE who has every living being58 in His almighty care, [dealing with each] according to what it deserves59 - [is, then, He like anything else that exists]? And yet, they ascribe to other beings a share in God's divinity! Say: "Give them any name [you please]:60 but do you [really think that you could] inform Him of anything on earth that He does not know - or [do you] but play with words?"61 Nay, goodly seems their false imagery62 to those who are bent on denying the truth, and so they are turned away from the [right] path: and he whom God lets go astray can never find any guide.63
  - Mohammad Asad

The term nafs has here apparently the general meaning of "soul" or "living being", applying both to humans and animals.

Lit., "Name them!" Most of the commentators explain this phrase as an expression of utter contempt for those allegedly "divine" beings: i.e., "they are so unreal and meaningless as not to deserve even a name". It is also conceivable that we have here an echo of the statement, to be found in 7:71 , 12:40 and 53:23 , to the effect that those false objects of worship are but "[empty] names which you have invented". However, in view of the next sentence - which refers to God's omniscience and is similar to 10:18 , where imaginary "intercessors" are explicitly mentioned - it is possible to interpret the above phrase still more precisely, viz., "Call them 'divine intercessors', if you so like: but...", etc. (According to Zamakhshari, the particle am, which usually denotes "or", stands here for bal, "nay, but" or simply "but".)

Lit., "what it has acquired" - i.e., according to the exigencies of its life, and - in the case of a human being - according to his or her moral deserts as well.

Lit., "or [do you say this] in the outward appearance (bi-zahir) of a saying". Cf. the second part of 10:18 (preceded by a reference to deified "intercessors") and the corresponding note [27].

Lit., "their cunning [or "artful"] device (makr)": but since, as Tabari points out, this term relates here mainly to conscious shirk ("the attribution of divine qualities to aught but God") and, hence, to false religious ideas in general, it can be suitably rendered as above.

See surah {7}, note [152], and surah {14}, note [4].

What! Are they so audacious that they ascribe partners to Allah, Who watches minutely over each and every soul and knows all that it does? O Prophet ask them: If Allah Himself has set them up as His partners then tell me their names! Do you mean to inform Him of something new that He Himself does not know on this earth, or do you merely utter empty words?" Nay! Indeed their foul devices seem fair to the unbelievers, for they have been debarred from the Right Way; and there is none to guide those whom Allah has let go astray.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Is 'there any equal to' the Vigilant One Who knows what every soul commits? Yet the pagans have associated others with Allah 'in worship'. Say, 'O Prophet,' 'Name them! Or do you 'mean to' inform Him of something He does not know on the earth? Or are these 'gods' just empty words?' In fact, the disbelievers' falsehood has been made so appealing to them that they have been turned away from the Path. And whoever Allah leaves to stray will be left with no guide.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Is He Who is aware of the deserts of every soul (as he who is aware of nothing)? Yet they ascribe unto Allah partners. Say: Name them. Is it that ye would inform Him of something which He knoweth not in the earth? Or is it but a way of speaking? Nay, but their contrivance is made seeming fair for those who disbelieve and they are kept from the right road. He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Is then He Who standeth over every soul (and knoweth) all that it doth (like any others)? And yet they ascribe partners to Allah. Say: "But name them! Is it that ye will inform Him of something He knoweth not on earth or is it (just) a show of words?" Nay! to those who believe not their pretence seems pleasing but they are kept back (thereby) from the Path: and those whom Allah leaves to stray no one can guide. 1851 1852
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xii. 40. 'You have but to name your false gods, and you will see that they are nothing but names. There is no reality behind them, whereas Allah is the One great Reality. He penetrates everything through and through and knows all things. Do you dare to tell Him of something on earth that He does not know? Or is it just a trick or a show of words?

All pretences and fancies seem attractive to their inventors, but alas! They are a great obstruction to the Path of Religion and Truth. However, if by their contumacy, they have cut themselves off from Allah's grace, who can guide them or reclaim them from their errors?

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