Tafseer: {Nor are you worshipers of what I worship}

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Shaikh al-Islaam Muhammad Ibn `Abdul-Wahhaab رحمه الله quoted Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله as saying regarding the Aayah in Surah al-Kaafiroon:

﴿وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ﴾

{Nor are you worshipers of what I worship} [Surah al-Kaafirron (109): 3 & 5]

He (the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم) negated that they (the Mushrikeen) were worshiping the (same) Lord which he صلى الله عليه وسلم worshiped, because when they committed Shirk, they were not worshiping the Lord which he صلى الله عليه وسلم was worshiping. ^[1]

Also, were they to worship Allaah through means which are not (considered HIS) worship, even if their intention was to worship Allaah and all the while believing that they are worshiping HIM (through these means, it will still not be accepted) - like how (some of) the people (from Banee Israa’eel worshiped) the calf or those who worship `Eesaa (Jesus) or the Dajjaal, and the other things (like the graves and the saints) which are worshiped by some of the people of this Ummah. They might believe that they are worshiping Allaah, but the thing which they are worshiping is not Allaah, even if they intended with it to worship Allaah.

Also, when they attribute to Allaah the things which HE تعالى is free from, like having a wife or a son, and they worship HIM while believing in HIM as such, then HE تعالى is free from such an object of worship. This is not Allaah (that they are worshiping). Like how the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

أَلاَ تَعْجَبُونَ كَيْفَ يَصْرِفُ اللَّهُ عَنِّي شَتْمَ قُرَيْشٍ وَلَعْنَهُمْ يَشْتِمُونَ مُذَمَّمًا وَيَلْعَنُونَ مُذَمَّمًا وَأَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ

“Doesn't it astonish you how Allaah protects me from the Quraish’s abusing and cursing? They abuse Mudhammam and curse Mudhammam while I am Muhammad (and not Mudhammam).” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3533)] ^[2]

So this is the example of their worship, the reality is that they are (worshiping the object) which they describe as such (and not Allaah تعالى).

And whosoever does not believe (in the Names and Attributes), with which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم described His Lord, then in reality he is not worshiping the Lord which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to worship.

So contemplate on this meaning and refine yourself.

[al-Durar al-Saniyyah fil Ajwibatul-Najdiyyah (13/447-448)]

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[1] Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah said: {I am most independent and free from needing any associates. Whoever performs a deed while associating partners with me (doing so for others along with Me), I shall abandon him along with his setting up of associates to Me (shirk)}” [Saheeh Muslim (7114)]

[2] “Muhammad” literally means: “highly praised”, while “Mudhammam” means: “greatly dispraised”. The Mushriks, out of hatred, refrained from calling the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم by his right name; they called him by a name bearing bad sense. The curses and abuses then fell on that name which was not the name of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Even though the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was saved from their insult, but they still earned the sin for their evil.

Ibn Hajar رحمه الله said: “The Kuffaar from Quraish, in their extreme hatred for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, did not used to address him with his real name, which was an indication of praising him. So they substituted the name with its opposite, they used to say “Mudhammam” (instead of Muhammad). So whenever they wanted to insult him, they said: ‘Allaah did such-and-such with Mudhammam’, whereas Mudhammam was not his name nor was he know by that (name). So their insults fell on other than the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.” [See Fath al-Baaree (6/558)]