وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ 73
Translations
And they worship besides Allāh that which does not possess for them [the power of] provision from the heavens and the earth at all, and [in fact], they are unable.
Transliteration
Wa ya'budoon min doon-illah ma la yamliku lahum rizqan min as-samawati wa-l-ard shay'an wa la yastatee'oon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns the practice of worshipping idols and false deities besides Allah, emphasizing their complete powerlessness and inability to provide sustenance or any benefit to their worshippers. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that the ayah highlights the logical absurdity of worshipping entities that possess no control over provision from the heavens and earth, nor any capability whatsoever. This serves as a rational argument for monotheism, as true worship should be directed only toward the One who possesses all power and authority.
Revelation Context
Surah An-Nahl is a Meccan surah revealed during the early Islamic period when the polytheists of Mecca were actively worshipping idols carved from stone and wood. This ayah appears in a section addressing the futility of idolatry, contextualizing the broader theme of refuting shirk (polytheism) and inviting people toward tawhid (monotheism) through rational argumentation about Allah's sovereignty and the idols' manifest inability.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah (shirk), for verily Allah does not forgive that, but He forgives what is less than that to whomever He wills.' (Sunan Ibn Majah) This hadith reinforces the gravity of the practice condemned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Worshipping anything besides Allah is not merely a religious error but a fundamental logical fallacy—one should direct devotion only to the One who truly has power over all affairs and provision. This ayah teaches believers to approach non-Muslims with rational arguments about the inadequacy of false gods, inviting them toward recognition of Allah's exclusive right to worship.