The Quraysh made an offer to the Prophet ﷺ, that they will worship Allah for one year, and in return he ﷺshould worship their gods for a year. The Prophet ﷺsought refuge with Allah from associating any partners with him. The Quraysh tried to compromise and bargain saying rather than all of our gods, worship some of our gods, and we will worship your lord in return. Thereafter this surah was revealed to the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺwent to the mosque in the morning and stood amongst the leaders of the Quraysh and recited these verses upon them.
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful.
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ – 109:1
[109:1] Say, O disbelievers, Say O Muhammad to these disbelievers, the leaders of the Quraysh. Say to these disbelievers, those who call you to the worship of idols and stone.
These were some very harsh words spoken by the Prophet ﷺ, and upon hearing these words the Quraysh were distraught. The Quraysh knew that the Prophet ﷺwas a kind hearted, merciful individual[1]and that it was not the habit of the Prophet ﷺto be so harsh[2]. Therefore it can be seen, that Allah commands the Prophet ﷺto say these words.
لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ – 109:2
[109:2] I do not worship that which you worship, I do not worship these idols and deities that you worship. I am free from the worship of idols and deities, those who neither harm nor benefit.
وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ – 109:3
[109:3] nor do you worship the One whom I worship. Nor do you, O polytheists, worship the true lord, the one whom I worship. He is Allah the Lord of the worlds, whilst you worship stones and idols. What a stark contrast there is between the worship of the Most Merciful, and the worship of desires and idols.
وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ – 109:4
[109:4] And neither I am going to worship that which you have worshipped, not now, nor in the future. For verily I never worshipped your idols in the past, before I was granted prophethood, and neither will I begin to worship your idols now.
وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ – 109:5
[109:5] nor will you worship the One whom I worship. Nor will you worship the one true god, Allah. Indeed I have delivered the message of Islam to you, and even though you have seen many signs which show Islam is the truth, you still remain stubborn upon polytheism.
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ – 109:6
[109:6] For you is your faith, and for me, my faith. For you is your faith of polytheism and for me is my faith, Islam, the religion of monotheism. Our lord is not the same, for I believe in Allah and you believe in idols, nor is the way we worship the same. Therefore remain persistent upon your faith, and you will find your reward on the day of judgement for that which you believe in, and I will find my reward on the day of judgement for my belief in Allah.
[1]Quran 3:159 – So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you.
[2]Quran 21:107 – And We have not sent you but as mercy for all the worlds.
