The Heights, The Elevated Places — Verse 196

Idols do not create, help, or have Power over Anything Allah admonishes the idolators who worshipped idols, rivals and images besides Him, although these objects were created by Allah, and neither own anything nor can they bring harm or benefit. These objects do not see or give aid to those who worship them. They are inanimate objects that neither move, hear, or see. Those who worship these objects are better than they are, for they hear see and have strength of their own. Allah said, أَيُشْرِكُونَ مَا لاَ يَخْلُقُ شَيْئاً وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ (Do they attribute as partners to Allah those who created nothing but they themselves are created) meaning, `Do you associate with Allah others that neither create, nor have power to create anything' Allah said in another Ayah, يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُواْ لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُواْ ذُبَاباً وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُواْ لَهُ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئاً لاَّ يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ - مَا قَدَرُواْ اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ (O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): Verily, those on whom you call besides Allah, cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought. They have not estimated Allah His rightful estimate. Verily, Allah is All-Strong, Almighty) 22:73-74. Allah states that if all false gods of the disbelievers gather their strength, they would not be able to create a fly. Rather, if the fly steals anything from them, no matter how insignificant, and flew away, they would not be able to retrieve it. Therefore, if an object is this weak, how can it be worshipped and invoked for provisions and aid This is why Allah said, لاَ يَخْلُقُ شَيْئاً وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ (... who created nothing but they themselves are created) these worshipped objects themselves were created and made. Prophet Ibrahim Al-Khalil proclaimed, أَتَعْبُدُونَ مَا تَنْحِتُونَ ("Worship you that which you (yourselves) carve") 37:95 Allah said next, وَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ لَهُمْ نَصْرًا (No help can they give them) those who worship them, وَلاَ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَنصُرُونَ (nor can they help themselves) nor are they able to aid themselves against those who seek to harm them. For instance, Allah's Khalil, peace be upon him, broke and disgraced the idols of his people, just as Allah said he did, فَرَاغَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضَرْباً بِالْيَمِينِ (Then he turned upon them, striking (them) with (his) right hand,) 37:93 and, فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَاذاً إِلاَّ كَبِيراً لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُونَ (So he broke them to pieces, (all) except the biggest of them, that they might turn to it.) 21:58 Mu`adh bin `Amr ibn Al-Jamuh and Mu`adh bin Jabal, may Allah be pleased with both of them, were still young when they embraced Islam after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to Al-Madinah. So they were attacking the idols of the idolators at night, breaking, disfiguring them and using them as fuel for needy widows. They sought to give a lesson to their people to make them aware of their error. `Amr bin Al-Jamuh, who was one of the chiefs of his people, had an idol that he used to worship and perfume. The two Mu`adhs used to go to that idol, turn it on its head and tarnish it with animal waste. When `Amr bin Al-Jamuh would see what happened to his idol, he would clean it, perfume it and leave a sword next to it, saying, "Defend yourself." However, the two young men would repeat their actions, and he would do the same as before. Once, they took the idol, tied it to a dead dog and threw it in a well while tied to a rope! When `Amr bin Al-Jamuh saw this, he knew that his religion was false and said, "By Allah! Had you been a god who has might, you would not end up tied to a dog on a rope!" `Amr bin Al-Jamuh embraced Islam, and he was strong in his Islam. He was later martyred during the battle of Uhud, may Allah be pleased with him, give him pleasure. and grant him Paradise as his dwelling. Allah said, وَإِن تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَى لاَ يَتَّبِعُوكُمْ (And if you call them to guidance, they follow you not.) Allah says, these idols do not hear the calls of those who worship them. Therefore, the result is the same, whether calling the idols or shunning them. Ibrahim, peace be upon said, يأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ وَلاَ يَبْصِرُ وَلاَ يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْئاً ("O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything") 19:42 Next, Allah states that the idols were created, just as those who worship them. Rather, the people are better than the idols, because they are able to hear, see and exert harm. The idols, on the other hand, have no such powers. Allah said next, قُلِ ادْعُواْ شُرَكَآءَكُمْ (Say: "Call your (so-called) partners (of Allah)) invoke the idols for aid against me and do not give me respite, even for an instant, and give it your best effort, إِنَّ وَلِيِّىَ اللَّهُ الَّذِى نَزَّلَ الْكِتَـبَ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصَّـلِحِينَ (Verily, my protector is Allah Who has revealed the Book (the Qur'an), and He protects the righteous.) Allah's support is sufficient and He will suffice for me, He is My supporter, I trust in Him and take refuge with Him. He is my protector, in this life and the Hereafter, and the protector of every righteous believer after me. Similarly, the people of Hud said, إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لاَ تُنظِرُونِ - إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ مَّا مِن دَآبَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَآ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ("All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil (madness). " Hud replied: "I call Allah to witness, and bear you witness that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship, with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving (living) creature but He has the grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on a path that is straight) 11:54-56. Ibrahim Al-Khalil proclaimed (to his people), قَالَ أَفَرَءَيْتُمْ مَّا كُنْتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ - أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمُ الاٌّقْدَمُونَ - فَإِنَّهُمْ عَدُوٌّ لِى إِلاَّ رَبَّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - الَّذِى خَلَقَنِى فَهُوَ يَهْدِينِ (Do you observe that which you have been wershipping, You and your ancient fathers. Verily, they are enemies to me, save the Lord of all that exists. Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me.") 26:75-78 He also said to his father and his people, وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ - إِلاَّ الَّذِى فَطَرَنِى فَإِنَّهُ سَيَهْدِينِ - وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةً بَـقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ ("Verily, I am innocent of what you warship. Except Him Who did create me; and verily, He will guide me." And he made it a legacy lasting among his offspring, that they may turn back (to Allah).) 43:26-28 Allah said here, إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ (Verily, those whom you call upon besides Allah) until the end of the Ayah, reiterating what has been said earlier, but He uses direct speech this time, لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَكُمْ وَلاَ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَنصُرُونَ (cannot help you nor can they help themselves.) The Ayah, وَإِن تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَى لاَ يَسْمَعُواْ وَتَرَاهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ (And if you call them to guidance, they hear not and you will see them looking at you, yet they see not.) is similar to another Ayah, إِن تَدْعُوهُمْ لاَ يَسْمَعُواْ دُعَآءَكُمْ (If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call.) 35:14. Allah said next, وَتَرَاهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ (and you will see them looking at you, yet they see not.) meaning, they have eyes that stare as if they see, although they are solid. Therefore, the Ayah treated them as if they had a mind saying, Tarahum, instead of Taraha, since they are made in the shape of humans with eyes drawn on them.

Truly my Protector the One in charge of my affairs is God Who reveals the Book the Qur’ān and He takes charge of the righteous by protecting them.

God Who, instructs me by revealing [to me] the Book, and He takes charge of, every righeous one, that is, every one who subsists through Him in the state of uprightness. As has been related [in one report] by 'righteous person', according to the description of one of the prophets, is meant the one who subsists in the Truth through uprightness and fixity after annihilation in the source of the union, the one who upholds the amending of the species by the leave of the Truth.

God Who, instructs me by revealing [to me] the Book, and He takes charge of, every righeous one, that is, every one who subsists through Him in the state of uprightness. As has been related [in one report] by 'righteous person', according to the description of one of the prophets, is meant the one who subsists in the Truth through uprightness and fixity after annihilation in the source of the union, the one who upholds the amending of the species by the leave of the Truth.

إن وليِّيَ الله، الذي يتولى حفظي ونصري، هو الذي نزَّل عليَّ القرآن بالحق، وهو يتولى الصالحين مِن عباده، وينصرهم على أعدائهم ولا يخذلهم.

"إن وليي الله الذي نزل الكتاب وهو يتولى الصالحين" أي الله حسبي وكافيني وهو نصيري وعليه متكلي وإليه ألجأ وهو وليي في الدنيا والآخرة وهو ولي كل صالح بعدي وهذا كما قال هود عليه السلام لما قال له قومه "إن نقول إلا اعتراك بعض آلهتنا بسوء قال إني أشهد الله واشهدوا أني بريء مما تشركون من دونه فكيدوني جميعا ثم لا تنظرون إني توكلت على الله ربي وربكم ما من دابة إلا هو آخذ بناصيتها إن ربي على صراط مستقيم" وكقول الخليل "أفرأيتم ما كنتم تعبدون أنتم وآباؤكم الأقدمون فإنهم عدو لي إلا رب العالمين الذي خلقني فهو يهدين" الآيات وكقوله لأبيه وقومه "إنني براء مما تعبدون إلا الذي فطرني فإنه سيهدين وجعلها كلمة باقية في عقبه لعلهم يرجعون".

ثم بين لهم الأسباب التى دعه إلى تحديهم وتبكيتهم فقال ( إِنَّ وَلِيِّيَ الله الذي نَزَّلَ الكتاب وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصالحين ) .أى : قل يا محمد لهؤلاء الضالين إننى ما تحديتكم وطلبت كيدكم وكيد أصنامكم - إن كنتم أنتم وهم تقدرون على ذلك على سبيل الفرض - إلا لأنى معتز بالله وحده ، فهو ناصرى ومتولى أمرى ، وهو الذى نزل هذا القرآن لأخرجكم به من الظلمات إلى النور ، وقد جرت سنته - سبحانه - أن يتولى الصالحين وأن يجعل العاقبة لهم .قال الحسن البصرى : إن المشركين كانوا يخوفون الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم بآلهتهم فقال - تعالى - ( قُلِ ادعوا شُرَكَآءَكُمْ ) الآية - ليظهر لكم أنه لا قدرة لها على إيصال المضار إلى بوجه من الوجوه . وهذا كما قال هود - عليه السلام - لقومه رداً على قولهم . ( إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعتراك بَعْضُ آلِهَتِنَا بسواء قَالَ إني أُشْهِدُ الله واشهدوا أَنِّي برياء مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِي جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ لاَ تُنظِرُونِ )

القول في تأويل قوله : إِنَّ وَلِيِّيَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي نَـزَّلَ الْكِتَابَ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصَّالِحِينَ (196)قال أبو جعفر: يقول تعالى ذكره لنبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم: قل، يا محمد، للمشركين من عبدة الأوثان = " إن وليي"، نصيري ومعيني وظهيري عليكم (1) =(الله الذي نـزل الكتاب) عليّ بالحق, وهو الذي يتولى من صلح عمله بطاعته من خلقه.------------------الهوامش :(1) انظر تفسير (( الولي )) فيما سلف من فهارس اللغة ( ولى ) .

قوله : ( إن وليي الله الذي نزل الكتاب ) يعني القرآن ، أي أنه يتولاني وينصرني كما أيدني بإنزال الكتاب ، ( وهو يتولى الصالحين ) قال ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما : يريد الذين لا يعدلون بالله شيئا فالله يتولاهم بنصره فلا يضرهم عداوة من عاداهم

هذا من المأمور بقوله ، وفصلت هذه الجملة عن جملة { ادعوا شركاءكم } [ الأعراف : 195 ] لوقوعها موقع العلة لمضمون التحدي في قوله { ادعوا شركاءكم } [ الأعراف : 195 ] الآية الذي هو تحقق عجزهم عن كيده ، فهذا تعليل لعدم الاكتراث بتألبهم عليه واستنصارهم بشركائهم ، ولثقته بأنه منتصر عليهم بما دل عليه الأمر والنهي التعجيزيان . والتأكيد لرد الإنكار .والولي الناصر والكافي ، وقد تقدم عند قوله تعالى : { قل أغير الله أتخذ ولياً } [ الأنعام : 14 ].وإجراء الصفة لاسم الله بالموصولية لما تدل عليه الصلة من علاقات الولاية ، فإن إنزال الكتاب عليه وهو أميٌّ دليل اصطفائه وتوليه .والتعريف في الكتاب للعهد ، أي الكتاب الذي عهدتموه وسمعتموه وعجزتم عن معارضته وهو القرآن ، أي المقدار الذي نزل منه إلى حد نزول هذه الآية .وجملة : { وهو يتولى الصالحين } معترضة والواو اعتراضيه .ومجيء المسند فعلاً مضارعاً لقصد الدلالة على استمرار هذا التولي وتجدده وأنه سنّة إلهية ، فكما تولى النبي يتولى المؤمنين أيضاً ، وهذه بشارة للمسلمين المستقيمين على صراط نبيهم صلى الله عليه وسلم بأن ينصرهم الله كما نصر نبيه وأولياءهُ .والصالحون هم الذين صلحت أنفسهم بالإيمان والعمل الصالح .

إِنَّ وَلِيِّيَ اللَّهُ الذي يتولاني فيجلب لي المنافع ويدفع عني المضار. الَّذِي نـزلَ الْكِتَابَ الذي فيه الهدى والشفاء والنور، وهو من توليته وتربيته لعباده الخاصة الدينية. وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصَّالِحِينَ الذين صلحت نياتهم وأعمالهم وأقوالهم، كما قال تعالى: اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ فالمؤمنون الصالحون - لما تولوا ربهم بالإيمان والتقوى، ولم يتولوا غيره ممن لا ينفع ولا يضر - تولاهم اللّه ولطف بهم وأعانهم على ما فيه الخير والمصلحة لهم، في دينهم ودنياهم، ودفع عنهم بإيمانهم كل مكروه، كما قال تعالى: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا .

إن وليي الله الذي نزل الكتاب أي الذي يتولى نصري وحفظي الله . وولي الشيء : الذي يحفظه ويمنع عنه الضرر . والكتاب : القرآن .وهو يتولى الصالحين أي يحفظهم . وفي صحيح مسلم عن عمرو بن العاص قال : سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جهارا غير مرة يقول : ألا إن آل أبي - يعني فلانا - ليسوا لي بأولياء إنما وليي الله وصالح المؤمنين . وقال الأخفش : وقرئ " إن ولي الله الذي نزل الكتاب " يعني جبريل . النحاس . هي قراءة عاصم الجحدري . والقراءة الأولى أبين ; لقوله : وهو يتولى الصالحين .

But how surprising it is that in this world, where there are so many arguments in favour of one God, man makes polytheism his religion. By this miraculous harmony between two human beings, a child is born. Now some hold the belief that this has happened due to the blessing of some living or dead saint, some attribute it to certain supposed deities; some say that it was the result of some action and reaction between certain blind forces of matter, while others thought that it was the result of their own striving that had come to them in the shape of a beautiful baby. Behind the idols of stone or metal set up by polytheists is the ‘philosophy’ that these are external manifestations and in them their alleged god has become incarnate. By this token, the worship of these manifestations amounts to the worship of the god whom they are supposed to represent. However, at the level of the common people, polytheism takes the shape of people considering these idols themselves as holy. These idols are not capable of walking or talking or seeing or hearing, but superstitious man presumes they will be of use to him and will fulfil his needs.

The verse 196 has said: إِنَّ وَلِيِّيَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْكِتَابَ ۖ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿196﴾ "Surely my protector is Allah who has revealed the Book and who does protect the righteous." The Arabic word ولی rendered here as 'protector' also means helper. The word ~ISJI (The Book) here refers to the Holy Qur'an, and the word صَلِحِین (the righteous), according to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas J.II L, , here refers to all those who do not take any one equal to Allah, including the prophets and other faithful Muslims: The Holy Prophet ﷺ has been asked to declare that he was not fearful of their opposition in the least since Allah, who had revealed the Qur'an to Him was his protector and helper. It may be noted that out of all the divine attributes of Allah, this verse spoke specially of His revelation to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It is because the only reason of their hostility to the Holy Prophet was his invitation to the message of the Holy Qur'an. He was therefore, sure to have been helped and protected by Allah. The next sentence provides us with a general rule that Allah does not only help and protect His messengers, who have special favours of Allah, but also helps and protects all the Muslims who are righteous. The last sentence وَ ھوَ یَتَوَلَّی اَلصَّلحِین "He helps and protects the righteous" has given us a general principle that in addition to helping the prophets who hold the highest status among all the people, Allah helps and protects all the Muslims who act righteously. Therefore, the opposition or hostility of any one does not harm a true Muslim in the real sense of the word. Most often he is made to triumph over his enemies in this very world. If, for some good reason, he does not overcome and is apparently defeated, this, too, does not go to damage his real objective. His failure in this world is, in fact, his success in true sense, because the main objective of his life is to seek Allah's pleasure and to obey Him in each and every activity of his life. His failure, being from Allah draws him nearer to his objective of seeking Allah's pleasure.

(Lo! my Protecting Friend is Allah) my Protector and Helper is Allah (who revealeth the Scripture) Who sent Gabriel to me with the Scripture. (He befriendeth the righteous) He protects the righteous.