Topic: False Gods Cannot Help, Harm You
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قُلْ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا ۚ وَٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
Jesus possessed no power to do good or harm to any person. He could not hear prayer, nor was he conversant with the needs of men that he could satisfy them. These are all Divine prerogatives.
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
Commentary:
Jesus, who is looked upon as God, had no power to do either harm or good to any person. He could not, rather cannot, hear prayers nor does he know the needs of men that he may satisfy them; for it is Allah alone Who is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
a
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
390
伊撒没有能力给任何人利害的东西。他听不到人们的祈祷。他也不通晓人们的要求, 因此他不能满足他们的要求。这些都是安拉特有的能力。
a
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
707
Commentary:
Jesus, who is looked upon as God, had no power to do either harm or good to any person. He could not, rather cannot, hear prayers nor does he know the needs of men that he may satisfy them; for it is Allah alone Who is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
b
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
781
Jesus possessed no power to do good or harm to any person. He could not hear prayer, nor was he conversant with the needs of men that he could satisfy them. These are all Divine prerogatives.
قُلْ أَنَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ كَٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَهْوَتْهُ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ حَيْرَانَ لَهُۥٓ أَصْحَٰبٌ يَدْعُونَهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَى ٱئْتِنَا ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ ۖ وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
21:67; 22:78.
21:67; 22:78.
The verse likens the case of an idol-worshipper to that of a distracted person who has no fixed course to pursue. But a true believer has a fixed purpose and a fixed goal in life. He always prays to the One God with a deep-rooted conviction and does not wander about distracted like an idolater.
21:67; 22:74.
Important Words:
استھوته (entice away) is derived from ھوی. They say ھوی الشیء i.e. the thing fell down or came down (from a higher to a lower place). Conversely ھوی الرجل الجبل means, the man climbed the hill. ھوت الریح means, the wind blew.ھویة means, he loved and desired it. الـھوی means, love of good or evil; desire; inclination; evil inclination or desire. استھواء means, he took away all his desire and reason leaving him confounded; he made his evil desires look fair in his eyes (Aqrab). الـھوی also means, inclination of the soul or the mind to a thing; an object of love; the inclination of the soul to that in which the animal appetites take delight, without any lawful invitation thereto; opinion swerving from the right way or from the truth (Lane).
حیران (bewildered) is derived from حار which means, he was or became dazzled by a thing at which he looked, so that he turned away his eyes from it; he was or became confounded or perplexed and unable to see his right course; he erred or lost his way. حیران means, in a state of confusion or perplexity, being unable to see his right course; erring; having lost his way (Lane).
Commentary:
The opening clause of the verse teaches by means of an example how to preach the truth. It points out that the best way to preach is to begin by exposing the errors of the opposing party as hinted in the words, neither profit us nor harm us, and then to proceed to point out the truth as hinted in the words, after Allah has guided us.
The verse then gives an apt illustration to expose the futility of شرك i.e. attributing co-partners to God. It compares the case of an idol-worshipper to that of a distracted person who has no fixed course to pursue. Such a person first goes to one idol or to the tomb of one saint and then to another and has no certainty or conviction. But a true believer has a fixed purpose and a fixed goal. He always prays to the One God with a deep-rooted conviction and does not wander about distracted like an idolater.
The reader will note that, true to its own principle, the verse first exposes the error of idolaters and then enunciates the teachings of Islam.
d
21:67; 22:78.
a
21:67; 22:74.
817
Important Words:
استھوته (entice away) is derived from ھوی. They say ھوی الشیء i.e. the thing fell down or came down (from a higher to a lower place). Conversely ھوی الرجل الجبل means, the man climbed the hill. ھوت الریح means, the wind blew.ھویة means, he loved and desired it. الـھوی means, love of good or evil; desire; inclination; evil inclination or desire. استھواء means, he took away all his desire and reason leaving him confounded; he made his evil desires look fair in his eyes (Aqrab). الـھوی also means, inclination of the soul or the mind to a thing; an object of love; the inclination of the soul to that in which the animal appetites take delight, without any lawful invitation thereto; opinion swerving from the right way or from the truth (Lane).
حیران (bewildered) is derived from حار which means, he was or became dazzled by a thing at which he looked, so that he turned away his eyes from it; he was or became confounded or perplexed and unable to see his right course; he erred or lost his way. حیران means, in a state of confusion or perplexity, being unable to see his right course; erring; having lost his way (Lane).
Commentary:
The opening clause of the verse teaches by means of an example how to preach the truth. It points out that the best way to preach is to begin by exposing the errors of the opposing party as hinted in the words, neither profit us nor harm us, and then to proceed to point out the truth as hinted in the words, after Allah has guided us.
The verse then gives an apt illustration to expose the futility of شرك i.e. attributing co-partners to God. It compares the case of an idol-worshipper to that of a distracted person who has no fixed course to pursue. Such a person first goes to one idol or to the tomb of one saint and then to another and has no certainty or conviction. But a true believer has a fixed purpose and a fixed goal. He always prays to the One God with a deep-rooted conviction and does not wander about distracted like an idolater.
The reader will note that, true to its own principle, the verse first exposes the error of idolaters and then enunciates the teachings of Islam.
a
21:67; 22:78.
862
The verse likens the case of an idol-worshipper to that of a distracted person who has no fixed course to pursue. But a true believer has a fixed purpose and a fixed goal in life. He always prays to the One God with a deep-rooted conviction and does not wander about distracted like an idolater.
وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ ۖ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
28:89.
28:89.
28:89.
Commentary:
This verse further explains the one that precedes it. The words, And call not, beside Allah on any other, etc., do not mean that we should not call beside God on such things as can do us neither harm nor good. What is meant is that whatever is beside God possesses no independent power to do us harm or good, so we should not put our reliance on anything beside Him. The word ظالمین (wrongdoers) is here used in the sense of مشرکین i.e. those who associate gods with God in any sense. This meaning is supported by a saying of the Holy Prophet which is to the effect that ظلم is a form of شرك (Bukhari, ch. on Tafsir).
e
28:89.
c
28:89.
1378
Commentary:
This verse further explains the one that precedes it. The words, And call not, beside Allah on any other, etc., do not mean that we should not call beside God on such things as can do us neither harm nor good. What is meant is that whatever is beside God possesses no independent power to do us harm or good, so we should not put our reliance on anything beside Him. The word ظالمین (wrongdoers) is here used in the sense of مشرکین i.e. those who associate gods with God in any sense. This meaning is supported by a saying of the Holy Prophet which is to the effect that ظلم is a form of شرك (Bukhari, ch. on Tafsir).
h
28:89.
لَهُۥ دَعْوَةُ ٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَىْءٍ إِلَّا كَبَٰسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى ٱلْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَٰلِغِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا دُعَآءُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَٰلٍ
یہاں استثناء منقطع ہے جس کے مطابق ترجمہ کیا گیا ہے۔
40:51.
35:14; 40:21.
The expression may be translated as: (1) God alone is worthy of worship; (2) it is praying to God alone that can be useful or beneficial for man; (3) the Voice of God alone rises in support of truth; and (4) the Voice of God alone must prevail.
The right way to succeed in life is to place all things in their proper places—to give God the status which is His due and to create things the position which they rightly possess. That alone is the way to success and true happiness.
35:14; 40:21.
40:51.
Commentary:
The Quranic expression له دعوة الحق rendered in the text as, Unto Him is the true prayer, may be translated in several ways (1) God alone is worthy of worship; (2) it is praying to God alone that can be useful or beneficial for man; (3) the voice of God alone rises in support of truth i.e. the teaching which is really true and useful for man and is free from defects and untruths can come from God alone; (4) the Voice of God alone must prevail i.e. no one can frustrate God’s purpose and stand in His way; for the word حق (true) also means, that which prevails and becomes established.
The words, except as he is answered who stretches forth his two hands toward water that it may reach his mouth, but it reaches it not, embody a great principle. Just as he who ascribes lower status to a higher thing remains deprived of its higher benefits, similarly, he who ascribes higher status to a lower thing deprives himself of its true benefits. The man who looks upon a spurious coin as a genuine one will practically suffer as much as he who unwittingly treats a genuine coin as a spurious one. Idolaters think that their gods will answer their prayers and come to their help, but they can never do so.
In like manner, those who ascribe divine powers to things created by God deprive themselves of even their limited uses. How can those who look upon fire and water as gods think of bringing them under their control? And how can those who look upon Prophets as gods derive from them the real good which they could derive from them by following them as heavenly Messengers?
The verse thus says that the right way to succeed in life is to put all things in their proper places, to give God the status which is His due and to stars, rivers and mountains the position which they rightly possess. Whereas we should worship God, pray to Him and seek His blessings, we should subject created things to our service and derive those benefits from them which the Wise God has placed in them. That alone is the way of success and true happiness.
The words, the prayer of the disbelievers is but a thing wasted, mean that all prayers of disbelievers addressed to false deities will prove fruitless.
a
35:14; 40:21.
b
40:51.
1
یہاں استثناء منقطع ہے جس کے مطابق ترجمہ کیا گیا ہے۔
a
35:14; 40:21.
b
40:51.
1626
Commentary:
The Quranic expression له دعوة الحق rendered in the text as, Unto Him is the true prayer, may be translated in several ways (1) God alone is worthy of worship; (2) it is praying to God alone that can be useful or beneficial for man; (3) the voice of God alone rises in support of truth i.e. the teaching which is really true and useful for man and is free from defects and untruths can come from God alone; (4) the Voice of God alone must prevail i.e. no one can frustrate God’s purpose and stand in His way; for the word حق (true) also means, that which prevails and becomes established.
The words, except as he is answered who stretches forth his two hands toward water that it may reach his mouth, but it reaches it not, embody a great principle. Just as he who ascribes lower status to a higher thing remains deprived of its higher benefits, similarly, he who ascribes higher status to a lower thing deprives himself of its true benefits. The man who looks upon a spurious coin as a genuine one will practically suffer as much as he who unwittingly treats a genuine coin as a spurious one. Idolaters think that their gods will answer their prayers and come to their help, but they can never do so.
In like manner, those who ascribe divine powers to things created by God deprive themselves of even their limited uses. How can those who look upon fire and water as gods think of bringing them under their control? And how can those who look upon Prophets as gods derive from them the real good which they could derive from them by following them as heavenly Messengers?
The verse thus says that the right way to succeed in life is to put all things in their proper places, to give God the status which is His due and to stars, rivers and mountains the position which they rightly possess. Whereas we should worship God, pray to Him and seek His blessings, we should subject created things to our service and derive those benefits from them which the Wise God has placed in them. That alone is the way of success and true happiness.
The words, the prayer of the disbelievers is but a thing wasted, mean that all prayers of disbelievers addressed to false deities will prove fruitless.
a
40:51.
e
35:14; 40:21.
1429
The expression may be translated as: (1) God alone is worthy of worship; (2) it is praying to God alone that can be useful or beneficial for man; (3) the Voice of God alone rises in support of truth; and (4) the Voice of God alone must prevail.
1430
The right way to succeed in life is to place all things in their proper places—to give God the status which is His due and to create things the position which they rightly possess. That alone is the way to success and true happiness.
قُلْ مَن رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلْ أَفَٱتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنفُسِهِمْ نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا ۚ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْبَصِيرُ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتُ وَٱلنُّورُ ۗ أَمْ جَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ خَلَقُوا۟ كَخَلْقِهِۦ فَتَشَٰبَهَ ٱلْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ خَٰلِقُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ ٱلْوَٰحِدُ ٱلْقَهَّٰرُ
23:87.
25:4.
11:25; 35:20.
«古兰经» 用两个不同的单词, اَحَدْ (Ahad) 和 وَاحِدْ (Wahid) 来表示安拉的独一性。前一个单词指安拉的绝对独一, 他与任何其他人没有关系; 后者仅仅意为 ‘第一个’ 或 ‘始点’, 因而需要有第二、第三个紧随其后。安拉的特性--------独一 (وَاحِدْ, Wahid), 表明安拉是一切创造源泉的真正 ‘源泉’ 。就象第二或第三个事物必然指向第一个事物那样, 一切事物都仰向安拉。有些人被错误地给予安拉的儿子的身份。«古兰经» 在驳斥这一教条时, 使用 اَحَدْ (Ahad) 这词。也就是说, 安拉是, 而且一直是独一的, 他从未有过子女。(112:2)
23:87.
25:4.
11:25; 35:20.
The Qur’an has used two different words to express Divine Unity: (1) Ahad and (2) Wahid. Whereas the former word denotes the absolute Unity of God without relation to any other being, the latter means only 'the first' or 'the starting point,' and requires a second and a third to follow it. The Divine attribute, Wahid (One), shows that God is the real 'source' from which all creation springs, and everything points to Him just as a second or a third thing necessarily points to the first. But where the Qur’an seeks to refute the doctrine of the sonship of those who have been falsely given that status, it uses the word Ahad, i.e. He Who is and has ever been One and Alone and Who has begotten no child (112:2).
23:87.
25:4.
11:25; 35:20.
Commentary:
The words, who have no power for good or harm even for themselves, spoken about false deities point to a strange coincidence. Generally, the lives of all those persons who later came to be worshipped as deities were full of hardship and privation. Jesus, Imam Husain, Rama, etc., all led very hard lives. This fact seems to entail a strong warning to their misguided worshippers that they could expect no benefit or help from those who could not even protect themselves from harm or danger.
In the words, Can the blind and the seeing be equal?, disbelievers are told that they, being spiritually and morally blind, should not be deceived by their power and their numbers against the Holy Prophet, as even an army of blind men is powerless against one person who has eyes. The Prophet and his followers possess sight, while disbelievers are blind.
The powerlessness of the disbelievers is further brought home to them in the simile of light and darkness referred to in the words, can darkness be equal to light? Disbelievers are told that as darkness possesses no independent existence, being only the negation of light, it must flee before light. So disbelievers cannot stand against the Holy Prophet. In the last part of the verse disbelievers are challenged to produce anything which they think has been created by their false deities.
The Quran has used two different words to express the Unity of God, viz. (1) احد and (2) واحد. Whereas the former denotes the absolute Unity of God without relation to any other being, the latter means only "the first" or "the starting point" and requires a second and a third to follow it. The Divine attribute of واحد (One) is thus intended to show that God is the real "source" from which all creation springs. Although none of His creatures is similar to Him in perfection and He is Independent of all, yet everything does point to Him, just as a second or a third thing necessarily points to the first. The attribute واحد (One) has therefore been used here as an evidence of the truth of the previous statement, viz. Allah alone is the Creator of all things. As against this, where the Quran seeks to refute the doctrine of the son-ship of those who have been falsely given that status, it uses the word احد i.e. He Who has ever been One and alone and has begotten no child (112:2).
The addition of the attribute of "Most Supreme" to "One" signifies that God does not need the help or assistance of any being for the control and governance of the universe He has brought into existence, because He is not only the source of all things but is also Supreme and Powerful over them. Hence it is useless and absurd for disbelievers to worship their false deities.
c
23:87.
d
25:4.
e
11:25; 35:20.
638
«古兰经» 用两个不同的单词, اَحَدْ (Ahad) 和 وَاحِدْ (Wahid) 来表示安拉的独一性。前一个单词指安拉的绝对独一, 他与任何其他人没有关系; 后者仅仅意为 ‘第一个’ 或 ‘始点’, 因而需要有第二、第三个紧随其后。安拉的特性--------独一 (وَاحِدْ, Wahid), 表明安拉是一切创造源泉的真正 ‘源泉’ 。就象第二或第三个事物必然指向第一个事物那样, 一切事物都仰向安拉。有些人被错误地给予安拉的儿子的身份。«古兰经» 在驳斥这一教条时, 使用 اَحَدْ (Ahad) 这词。也就是说, 安拉是, 而且一直是独一的, 他从未有过子女。(112:2)
a
23:87.
b
25:4.
c
11:25; 35:20.
1628
Commentary:
The words, who have no power for good or harm even for themselves, spoken about false deities point to a strange coincidence. Generally, the lives of all those persons who later came to be worshipped as deities were full of hardship and privation. Jesus, Imam Husain, Rama, etc., all led very hard lives. This fact seems to entail a strong warning to their misguided worshippers that they could expect no benefit or help from those who could not even protect themselves from harm or danger.
In the words, Can the blind and the seeing be equal?, disbelievers are told that they, being spiritually and morally blind, should not be deceived by their power and their numbers against the Holy Prophet, as even an army of blind men is powerless against one person who has eyes. The Prophet and his followers possess sight, while disbelievers are blind.
The powerlessness of the disbelievers is further brought home to them in the simile of light and darkness referred to in the words, can darkness be equal to light? Disbelievers are told that as darkness possesses no independent existence, being only the negation of light, it must flee before light. So disbelievers cannot stand against the Holy Prophet. In the last part of the verse disbelievers are challenged to produce anything which they think has been created by their false deities.
The Quran has used two different words to express the Unity of God, viz. (1) احد and (2) واحد. Whereas the former denotes the absolute Unity of God without relation to any other being, the latter means only "the first" or "the starting point" and requires a second and a third to follow it. The Divine attribute of واحد (One) is thus intended to show that God is the real "source" from which all creation springs. Although none of His creatures is similar to Him in perfection and He is Independent of all, yet everything does point to Him, just as a second or a third thing necessarily points to the first. The attribute واحد (One) has therefore been used here as an evidence of the truth of the previous statement, viz. Allah alone is the Creator of all things. As against this, where the Quran seeks to refute the doctrine of the son-ship of those who have been falsely given that status, it uses the word احد i.e. He Who has ever been One and alone and has begotten no child (112:2).
The addition of the attribute of "Most Supreme" to "One" signifies that God does not need the help or assistance of any being for the control and governance of the universe He has brought into existence, because He is not only the source of all things but is also Supreme and Powerful over them. Hence it is useless and absurd for disbelievers to worship their false deities.
b
23:87.
c
25:4.
d
11:25; 35:20.
1432
The Qur’an has used two different words to express Divine Unity: (1) Ahad and (2) Wahid. Whereas the former word denotes the absolute Unity of God without relation to any other being, the latter means only 'the first' or 'the starting point,' and requires a second and a third to follow it. The Divine attribute, Wahid (One), shows that God is the real 'source' from which all creation springs, and everything points to Him just as a second or a third thing necessarily points to the first. But where the Qur’an seeks to refute the doctrine of the sonship of those who have been falsely given that status, it uses the word Ahad, i.e. He Who is and has ever been One and Alone and Who has begotten no child (112:2).
قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمْ
29:18; 37:96.
29:18; 37:96.
29:18; 37:96.
a
29:18; 37:96.
a
29:18; 37:96.
a
29:18; 37:96.
يَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُۥ وَمَا لَا يَنفَعُهُۥ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلضَّلَٰلُ ٱلْبَعِيدُ
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 25:56.
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 25:56.
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 25:56.
d
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 25:56.
a
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 25:56.
b
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 25:56.
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَا يَضُرُّهُمْ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱلْكَافِرُ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ ظَهِيرًا
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
Commentary:
The particle علی meaning "against" the expression کان الکافر علی ربه ظھیرا would signify that the disbeliever helps and aids those who fight and combat the cause of God—the true religion.
c
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
a
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
2687
Commentary:
The particle علی meaning "against" the expression کان الکافر علی ربه ظھیرا would signify that the disbeliever helps and aids those who fight and combat the cause of God—the true religion.
c
6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 22:13.
إِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَٰنًا وَتَخْلُقُونَ إِفْكًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا فَٱبْتَغُوا۟ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرِّزْقَ وَٱعْبُدُوهُ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥٓ ۖ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
22:72.
22:72.
10:19; 16:72; 22:72.
Important Words:
تخلقون أفکا (you forge lies). تخلقون is formed from خلق. They say خلقه i.e. he measured it, or he determined its measure, or proportion, he designed, or fashioned, or planned it; he made it according to a certain measure, or design; He (God) created it; He originated it; he forged a story or lie; he fabricated a saying. An Arab would say حدثنا فلان بأحادیث الخلق i.e. such a one related to us fictitious stories (Lane & Aqrab). See also 3:50 & 26:138.
a
22:72.
a
10:19; 16:72; 22:72.
2952
Important Words:
تخلقون أفکا (you forge lies). تخلقون is formed from خلق. They say خلقه i.e. he measured it, or he determined its measure, or proportion, he designed, or fashioned, or planned it; he made it according to a certain measure, or design; He (God) created it; He originated it; he forged a story or lie; he fabricated a saying. An Arab would say حدثنا فلان بأحادیث الخلق i.e. such a one related to us fictitious stories (Lane & Aqrab). See also 3:50 & 26:138.
b
22:72.