هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا لِيَسْكُنَ إِلَيْهَا فَلَمَّا تَغَشَّاهَا حَمَلَتْ حَمْلًا خَفِيفًا فَمَرَّتْ بِهِ فَلَمَّا أَثْقَلَتْ دَعَوَا اللَّهَ رَبَّهُمَا لَئِنْ آتَيْتَنَا صَالِحًا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ ﴿۱۸۹﴾ فَلَمَّا آتَاهُمَا صَالِحًا جَعَلَا لَهُ شُرَكَاءَ فِيمَا آتَاهُمَا فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿۱۹۰﴾ أَيُشْرِكُونَ مَا لَا يَخْلُقُ شَيْئًا وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ ﴿۱۹۱﴾ وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ لَهُمْ نَصْرًا وَلَا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَنْصُرُونَ ﴿۱۹۲﴾

﴾189﴿ Huwal lazee khalaqakum min nafsinw waahidatinw wa ja'ala minhaa zawjahaa liyas kuna ilaihaa falammaa taghash shaahaa hamalat hamlan khafeefan famarrat bihee falammaaa asqalad da'a wallaaha Rabbahumaa la'in aataitana saalihal lanakoonanna minash shaakireen
﴾190﴿ Falammaaa aataahumaa saalihan ja'alaa lahoo shurakaaa'a feemaaa aataahumaa; fata'aalal laahu 'ammaa yushrikoon
﴾191﴿ A yushrikoona maa laa yakhluqu shai'anw wa hum yukhlaqoon Wa laa yastatee'oona lahum nasranw wa laaa anfusahum yansuroon
﴾192﴿ Wa laa yastatee'oona lahum nasranw wa laaa anfusahum yansuroon

﴾189﴿ Exclusive to Allah, the Exalted, is His essence, Who created you from a single sex, and from this sex created for him a mate that he may find rest in her. Then, when He concealed her, He took her as a light burden then She came and went with that light load, then when it became heavy, they both prayed to Allah Almighty that if He gives us a healthy child, we will surely be among the grateful
﴾190﴿ So when Allah Almighty gave them a healthy child, they set up partners for Allah Almighty in the child He had given them. So high is Allah Almighty from what they set up as partners for Him
﴾191﴿ Do they associate partners with that which creates nothing, while they themselves are created
﴾192﴿ And they have no power (these partners) to help them (these polythiest), nor can they help themselves

[189] This verse relates to both the second and third themes (da‘wā thāniyah wa thālithah) of the Surah, and it serves as the ninth warning (tanbīh tāsiʿ). It refers to a man and his wife who sincerely pray to Allah Most High for a righteous child. But when the child is born, instead of attributing it to Allah, they associate it with others—thus committing shirk. (مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ) – This phrase also appears in verse 72 of Surah An-Naḥl and verse 21 of Surah Ar-Rūm. It means “from one soul,” and here it refers to the entire human race as a species (jins). According to As-Sam‘ānī, this interpretation was narrated from ‘Ikrimah, showing the verse applies generally to all of humanity.
Note: Some narrations state that this verse refers to Ādam (peace be upon him) and Ḥawwā’ (Eve). However, Ibn Kathīr refuted this in detail for three reasons:
1. ‘Umar ibn Ibrāhīm, the narrator, was considered weak by Abū Ḥātim.
2. The narration is mawqūf (stopped at a Companion) from Samurah, not marfū‘ (from the Prophet).
3. Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, who also transmitted it, himself clarified that the second part of the verse refers to the descendants of Adam and Hawwa, not to them directly.
Since a narrator contradicts his own transmission, it proves that this hadith is not authentically marfū‘, and the verse is better understood as applying generally to mankind.
[190] Associating partners with Allah Most High (shirk) in the matter of children occurs in several ways:
1. Saying: “So-and-so saint or elder granted me this child”—ascribing the act of granting offspring to someone other than Allah.
2. Naming the child with titles like ‘Abdun-Nabī (slave of the Prophet), Banda ‘Alī, Pīrbakhsh, or similar names—where servitude or gift is linked to someone other than Allah.
3. Dedicating or vowing the child (nadhr) in the name of someone other than Allah.
All of these are forms of true shirk (shirk ḥaqīqī)—clearly proven by the statement in the verse: (فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ) – “Exalted is Allah above what they associate with Him.” This verse serves as a firm condemnation of such actions, affirming that all power, creation, and blessings belong solely to Allah.
[191] In this verse and the one following it, there is a clear refutation of shirk in creation (shirk fī al-khāliqiyyah)—meaning that no created being can ever be a partner with the Creator in the act of creation.
This is similarly emphasized in verse 20 of Surah An-Naḥl, where it is made clear that those whom people call upon besides Allah create nothing, rather they themselves are created.
The verses show that attributing any creative power or control over existence to anyone other than Allah is baseless and a clear form of shirk.
[192] This verse is a refutation of shirk in seeking help (shirk fī al-isti‘ānah). (وَلَا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَنْصُرُونَ) – “Nor can they help themselves.” That is, these so-called deities or saints cannot ward off any harm or calamity from themselves. They suffer illnesses, face difficulties, and ultimately die—yet they are unable to protect themselves, let alone others. If someone were to destroy their graves or desecrate their tombs, they would be incapable of defending themselves. A being with such a condition—who cannot defend even its own existence—is unfit to be taken as a deity or object of worship. This verse exposes the irrationality and falsehood of turning to the dead or powerless for help instead of relying solely on Allah Most High.