Topic: False Gods Do Not Create, Are Dead
View Aspects
أَيُشْرِكُونَ مَا لَا يَخْلُقُ شَيْـًٔا وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ
16:21; 25:4.
16:21; 25:4.
c
16:21; 25:4.
a
16:21; 25:4.
1078
Commentary:
This and the next verse speak of such human beings as are looked upon and worshipped as God.
a
16:21; 25:4.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَخْلُقُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ
7:192; 25:4.
7:192; 25:4.
7:192; 25:4.
Commentary:
The verse answers a possible objection on the part of the idolaters to the argument contained in the preceding verses. They may say that their deities also possess the requisite knowledge and the power to reveal guidance, but they refrain from doing so only because man does not really need any such external guidance. The present verse answers this objection by saying that perfect knowledge of the unseen, the possession of which is indispensable for giving suitable guidance, can only be possessed by One Who has created man because only the Creator can know all the hidden powers of the things created and their working. But the false gods of the idolaters have not created anything at all. On the contrary, they themselves have been created. Therefore they are incapable of giving right guidance. It is really very surprising that in spite of the fact that the verse has so effectively demolished the claim made on behalf of false deities to the possession of knowledge of the unseen, there should still be found among Muslims people who believe that Jesus possessed knowledge of the unseen or that he had the power to create certain things.
f
7:192; 25:4.
b
7:192; 25:4.
1822
Commentary:
The verse answers a possible objection on the part of the idolaters to the argument contained in the preceding verses. They may say that their deities also possess the requisite knowledge and the power to reveal guidance, but they refrain from doing so only because man does not really need any such external guidance. The present verse answers this objection by saying that perfect knowledge of the unseen, the possession of which is indispensable for giving suitable guidance, can only be possessed by One Who has created man because only the Creator can know all the hidden powers of the things created and their working. But the false gods of the idolaters have not created anything at all. On the contrary, they themselves have been created. Therefore they are incapable of giving right guidance. It is really very surprising that in spite of the fact that the verse has so effectively demolished the claim made on behalf of false deities to the possession of knowledge of the unseen, there should still be found among Muslims people who believe that Jesus possessed knowledge of the unseen or that he had the power to create certain things.
a
7:192; 25:4.
أَمْوَٰتٌ غَيْرُ أَحْيَآءٍ ۖ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ
Commentary:
The verse furnishes yet another argument why pseudo-gods cannot provide true guidance for man, i.e. they are all dead. In order to be able to provide guidance they must be living because only the living can possibly know when and what defects might arise in human society that might require guidance for their removal.
It is a pity that, contrary to the teachings of the Quran, many Muslims still entertain the foolish belief that Jesus is alive in the heavens although the verse categorically says that all the false gods which men worshipped at the time the Quran was revealed were dead. So if Jesus was not dead, then he must be regarded as a true God and this is an unutterable blasphemy.
This and the preceding verse give four arguments to refute the alleged divinity of false deities: First, they cannot create anything and the possession of the power to create is an indispensable characteristic of God. Secondly, they are themselves created, and therefore are dependent on others and a being that is dependent on others cannot be God. Thirdly, they are dead and therefore are devoid of the power to do good or evil to any person and one who is devoid of such power cannot claim to be God. Fourthly, they do not know when they shall be raised to life. Lack of knowledge of the Day of Resurrection demolishes their title to Godhead.
1823
Commentary:
The verse furnishes yet another argument why pseudo-gods cannot provide true guidance for man, i.e. they are all dead. In order to be able to provide guidance they must be living because only the living can possibly know when and what defects might arise in human society that might require guidance for their removal.
It is a pity that, contrary to the teachings of the Quran, many Muslims still entertain the foolish belief that Jesus is alive in the heavens although the verse categorically says that all the false gods which men worshipped at the time the Quran was revealed were dead. So if Jesus was not dead, then he must be regarded as a true God and this is an unutterable blasphemy.
This and the preceding verse give four arguments to refute the alleged divinity of false deities: First, they cannot create anything and the possession of the power to create is an indispensable characteristic of God. Secondly, they are themselves created, and therefore are dependent on others and a being that is dependent on others cannot be God. Thirdly, they are dead and therefore are devoid of the power to do good or evil to any person and one who is devoid of such power cannot claim to be God. Fourthly, they do not know when they shall be raised to life. Lack of knowledge of the Day of Resurrection demolishes their title to Godhead.
وَٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةً لَّا يَخْلُقُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ وَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنفُسِهِمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ مَوْتًا وَلَا حَيَوٰةً وَلَا نُشُورًا
17:57; 18:16; 21:25.
7:192; 16:21.
Everything has to pass through three stages of development: (a) The stage of lifelessness; (b) of potential life, when a thing is endowed with the attributes and powers of growth; and (c) of actual life. God, the Creator of all life, possesses complete and undisputed control over all these stages.
17:57; 18:16; 21:25.
7:192; 16:21.
Commentary:
Everything has to pass through three stages of development. The verse under comment mentions all these stages. The first stage is characterized by the absence of life. It is described as موت or the stage of lifelessness. The second stage is described as حیاة or حیاة بالقوة i.e. potential life, when a thing is endowed with the attribute and power of growth; and the third stage is reached when its powers come into actual play. This stage is known as حیاة بالفعل or نشور i.e. actual life. God, the Creator of all life possesses complete and undisputed control over all these stages.
c
17:57; 18:16; 21:25.
d
7:192; 16:21.
a
17:57; 18:16; 21:25.
b
7:192; 16:21.
2643
Commentary:
Everything has to pass through three stages of development. The verse under comment mentions all these stages. The first stage is characterized by the absence of life. It is described as موت or the stage of lifelessness. The second stage is described as حیاة or حیاة بالقوة i.e. potential life, when a thing is endowed with the attribute and power of growth; and the third stage is reached when its powers come into actual play. This stage is known as حیاة بالفعل or نشور i.e. actual life. God, the Creator of all life possesses complete and undisputed control over all these stages.
a
17:57; 18:16; 21:25.
b
7:192; 16:21.
2065
Everything has to pass through three stages of development: (a) The stage of lifelessness; (b) of potential life, when a thing is endowed with the attributes and powers of growth; and (c) of actual life. God, the Creator of all life, possesses complete and undisputed control over all these stages.
يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِن قِطْمِيرٍ
22:62; 31:30; 57:7.
7:55; 13:3; 31:21.
13:15; 40:21.
The metaphor of the preceding verse is continued here. An-Nahar (day) represents prosperity and power and al-Lail (night) signifies loss of these things combined with national decline and decadence.
Qitmir means, the white point in the back of a date-stone, hence a mean, paltry or contemptible thing (Lane).
22:62; 31:30; 57:7.
7:55; 13:3; 26:29; 31:21; 39:6.
13:15; 40:21.
Important Words:
قطمیر (whit) means, the cleft of a date-stone or the integument that is upon it; the thin skin which is upon a date-stone between the stone and the date itself or the white point in the back of the date-stone from which the palm-tree grows forth. Hence a small, mean, paltry, contemptible thing. The Arabs say ما أصبت منه قطمیرا i.e. I did not receive anything from him.
Commentary:
The metaphor of the preceding verse is continued in this verse. The word النھار (day) here represents prosperity and power and اللیل (night) signifies loss of these things combined with national decline and decadence. Taking the two words in this sense the verse implies a prophecy that with the advent of the Holy Prophet a new order will come into being. The nations which have hitherto enjoyed temporal and spiritual sovereignty will, if they rejected his message, be debased and disgraced, and another people which have till now been looked down upon as scum of humanity because of their faith, will be raised to the highest pinnacles of power and glory. All the forces of nature will combine to work for the success of the new order and the forces of darkness led by those whom the disbelievers call upon besides Allah will utterly fail to impede or obstruct its progress, because the kingdom of the heavens and the earth is God’s Who has revealed the new Teaching and Who is its Protector and Guardian.
a
22:62; 31:30; 57:7.
b
7:55; 13:3; 31:21.
c
13:15; 40:21.
a
22:62; 31:30; 57:7.
b
7:55; 13:3; 26:29; 31:21; 39:6.
c
13:15; 40:21.
3187
Important Words:
قطمیر (whit) means, the cleft of a date-stone or the integument that is upon it; the thin skin which is upon a date-stone between the stone and the date itself or the white point in the back of the date-stone from which the palm-tree grows forth. Hence a small, mean, paltry, contemptible thing. The Arabs say ما أصبت منه قطمیرا i.e. I did not receive anything from him.
Commentary:
The metaphor of the preceding verse is continued in this verse. The word النھار (day) here represents prosperity and power and اللیل (night) signifies loss of these things combined with national decline and decadence. Taking the two words in this sense the verse implies a prophecy that with the advent of the Holy Prophet a new order will come into being. The nations which have hitherto enjoyed temporal and spiritual sovereignty will, if they rejected his message, be debased and disgraced, and another people which have till now been looked down upon as scum of humanity because of their faith, will be raised to the highest pinnacles of power and glory. All the forces of nature will combine to work for the success of the new order and the forces of darkness led by those whom the disbelievers call upon besides Allah will utterly fail to impede or obstruct its progress, because the kingdom of the heavens and the earth is God’s Who has revealed the new Teaching and Who is its Protector and Guardian.
a
22:62; 31:30; 57:7.
b
7:55; 13:3; 31:21.
c
13:15; 40:21.
2413
The metaphor of the preceding verse is continued here. An-Nahar (day) represents prosperity and power and al-Lail (night) signifies loss of these things combined with national decline and decadence.
2413A
Qitmir means, the white point in the back of a date-stone, hence a mean, paltry or contemptible thing (Lane).
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ شُرَكَآءَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَمْ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُمْ كِتَٰبًا فَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَتٍ مِّنْهُ ۚ بَلْ إِن يَعِدُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا إِلَّا غُرُورًا
34:28; 46:5.
34:28; 46:5.
34:28; 46:5.
Commentary:
As the Arabs, who were the first addressees of the Message of the Quran, were steeped in worst form of idolatry, God has exposed the futility of their polytheistic beliefs again and again in the Quran. In the present verse the idolaters are asked, why do they worship other gods beside Allah when these false gods have neither created any earthly thing nor have they made any contribution to the creation of the celestial bodies? They are further asked whether they have a revealed Book which gives them the authority to preach and promulgate their false beliefs. They should at least possess some reason or authority for their idolatrous beliefs and practices.
b
34:28; 46:5.
a
34:28; 46:5.
3207
Commentary:
As the Arabs, who were the first addressees of the Message of the Quran, were steeped in worst form of idolatry, God has exposed the futility of their polytheistic beliefs again and again in the Quran. In the present verse the idolaters are asked, why do they worship other gods beside Allah when these false gods have neither created any earthly thing nor have they made any contribution to the creation of the celestial bodies? They are further asked whether they have a revealed Book which gives them the authority to preach and promulgate their false beliefs. They should at least possess some reason or authority for their idolatrous beliefs and practices.
b
34:28; 46:5.
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ ۖ ٱئْتُونِى بِكِتَٰبٍ مِّن قَبْلِ هَٰذَآ أَوْ أَثَٰرَةٍ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
35:41.
Only that Being can command adoration and is fit to be worshipped Who as the Architect and Creator of the universe controls our destinies. But the false gods of idolaters not only have not created anything but themselves have been created (25:4).
In reality no authority except that of a revealed Scripture and also human science and reason can form the basis for determining whether a certain belief is right or wrong.
35:41.
Important Words:
أثارة (vestige) is the inf. noun from أثر and means, a remain or relic of a thing; a trace; sign or mark; vestige or track; a footprint; impression or mark made by the foot of a man upon the ground (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
With this verse begins a systematic refutation and condemnation of شرک i.e. idolatry. It means to say that only that Being can command adoration and is fit to be worshipped Who as the Architect and Creator of the universe controls our destinies. But the false gods of idolaters not only have not created anything but are themselves created. They do not even possess any power to harm or benefit themselves, nor have they any power over death, life or Resurrection (25:4). Then what title or right have they to man’s worship of them? The verse further says that in reality no authority except that of a revealed Scripture can form the basis for determining whether a certain belief is right or wrong. The words "Or some vestige of knowledge in your support" signify that human science and reason as well lend no support to idolatrous beliefs or practices. Thus this little verse embodies three very strong and cogent arguments to repudiate and demolish polytheistic and idolatrous doctrines.
e
35:41.
1251
安拉是宇宙的设计师和创造者, 掌管着我们的命运, 只有安拉博得敬爱, 应受礼拜。但偶像崇拜者的虚假的偶像不仅什么也没有创造, 而是被创造的 (25:4)。
1252
实际上, 只有天经启示的、人类的科学和理智的权威才是判断某一种信仰是非的基础。
a
35:41.
3761
Important Words:
أثارة (vestige) is the inf. noun from أثر and means, a remain or relic of a thing; a trace; sign or mark; vestige or track; a footprint; impression or mark made by the foot of a man upon the ground (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
With this verse begins a systematic refutation and condemnation of شرک i.e. idolatry. It means to say that only that Being can command adoration and is fit to be worshipped Who as the Architect and Creator of the universe controls our destinies. But the false gods of idolaters not only have not created anything but are themselves created. They do not even possess any power to harm or benefit themselves, nor have they any power over death, life or Resurrection (25:4). Then what title or right have they to man’s worship of them? The verse further says that in reality no authority except that of a revealed Scripture can form the basis for determining whether a certain belief is right or wrong. The words "Or some vestige of knowledge in your support" signify that human science and reason as well lend no support to idolatrous beliefs or practices. Thus this little verse embodies three very strong and cogent arguments to repudiate and demolish polytheistic and idolatrous doctrines.
e
35:41.
2718
Only that Being can command adoration and is fit to be worshipped Who as the Architect and Creator of the universe controls our destinies. But the false gods of idolaters not only have not created anything but themselves have been created (25:4).
2719
In reality no authority except that of a revealed Scripture and also human science and reason can form the basis for determining whether a certain belief is right or wrong.