Surah Nahl ayat 73 Tafsir Quran 16:73

﴿وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًا مِّنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ﴾
[ النحل: 73]

16:73 And they worship besides Allah 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.

And they worship besides God that is other than Him what has no power to give them any sort of provision from the heavens such as water and the earth such as plants shay’an ‘anything’ is a substitute for rizqan ‘provision’ nor do they have the capacity nor are they able to do anything — and these are the idols.

Yet they worship besides Allah objects with no power to provision them from the heavens or from the earth with one part or infinitely less of their sustenance or the necessities of life nor can they possibly do that

And they worship others besides Allah such as do not have power to grant them any provision from the heavens or the earth nor the ability to do so ( 73 )So do not give examples on behalf of Allah.
Truly, Allah knows and you know not ( 74 ) Denouncing the Worship of anything besides Allah Allah tells us about the Mushrikin who worship others besides Him, even though He alone is the bountiful Provider, the Creator and Sustainer, without partners or associates, but they still worship idols and make rivals for Him.
He says: مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًا مِّنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ شَيْئًا ( such as do not have power to grant them any provision from the heavens or the earth ) meaning, nobody can cause rain to fall, or make plants and trees grow.
They cannot do these things for themselves, even if they wanted to.
Thus Allah says: فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ ( So do not give examples on behalf of Allah. ) meaning, do not set up rivals to Him or describe anything as being like Him. إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ( Truly, Allah knows and you know not. ) meaning, He knows and bears witness that there is no god but Him, but you are ignorant and associate others in worship with Him.

And they worship others besides Allah such as do not have power to grant them any provision from the heavens or the earth nor the ability to do so ( 73 )So do not give examples on behalf of Allah.
Truly, Allah knows and you know not ( 74 ) Denouncing the Worship of anything besides Allah Allah tells us about the Mushrikin who worship others besides Him, even though He alone is the bountiful Provider, the Creator and Sustainer, without partners or associates, but they still worship idols and make rivals for Him.
He says: مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًا مِّنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ شَيْئًا ( such as do not have power to grant them any provision from the heavens or the earth ) meaning, nobody can cause rain to fall, or make plants and trees grow.
They cannot do these things for themselves, even if they wanted to.
Thus Allah says: فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ ( So do not give examples on behalf of Allah. ) meaning, do not set up rivals to Him or describe anything as being like Him. إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ( Truly, Allah knows and you know not. ) meaning, He knows and bears witness that there is no god but Him, but you are ignorant and associate others in worship with Him.

( And they worship beside Allah that which owneth ) that which is capable of ( no provision whatsoever for them ) i.e. idols ( from the heavens ) by means of rain ( or the earth ) by means of vegetation, ( nor have they (whom they worship ) any power) to do so.

And they worship others besides Allah, such as do not and cannot own any provision for them from the heavens or the earth.

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