Transliteration:( Lahoo da'watul haqq; wallazeena yad'oona min doonihee laa yastajeeboona lahum bishai'in illaa kabaasiti kaffaihi ilal maaa'i liyablugha faahu wa maa huwa bibaalighih; wa maa du'aaa'ul kaafireena illaa fee dalaal )
"Calling to Him alone is the truth [37], and those whom they call upon besides Him [38] cannot respond to them at all. They are like one who stretches out his hands towards the water that it may reach his mouth [39], but it will never reach it. And the supplication of the disbelievers is nothing but in vain [40]."
Calling upon Allah Almighty and worshipping Him alone is the truth, while the worship of idols is false and baseless.
Seeking assistance from a ruler, physician, or saints is in essence seeking help from Allah, because they act as means.
This refers to those who call upon idols believing they are divine.
It does not refer to calling upon those connected with Allah.
Proof of this is in verses such as:
"Call them after their fathers" (S33:V5)
"And the Messenger was calling you" (S3:V153)
In Salaah we say: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet"
Just as water doesn't rise to the one who merely stretches hands toward it, idols cannot respond to prayer.
Even Allah Almighty does not respond to the disbeliever who approaches without a proper means.
The right way is to seek Allah through His friends, as in:
"O believers! Fear Allah and seek a means of approach to Him" (S5:V35)
This could mean:
Infidels' prayers are not accepted in this world.
Iblis's prayer for eternal life was rejected—he was granted life only until resurrection.
Prayers made to idols are worthless.
Polytheists are ruined and gain no benefit from their false worship.
However, some partial prayers of disbelievers may be accepted—this verse does not contradict that.
14. For Him is the Word of Truth. And those whom they invoke besides Him, answer them no more than one who stretches forth his hand for water to reach his mouth, but it reaches him not; and the invocation of the disbelievers is nothing but misguidance.
`Ali bin Abi Talib said that Allah’s statement,
(For Him is the Word of Truth.) is in reference to Tawhid, according to Ibn Jarir At-Tabari. Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, and Malik who narrated it from Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir, said that,
(For Him is the Word of Truth.) means, “La ilaha illallah.” Allah said next,
(And those whom they invoke besides Him…), meaning, the example of those who worship others besides Allah,
(like one who stretches forth his hand for water to reach his mouth,) `Ali bin Abi Talib commented, “Like he who stretches his hand on the edge of a deep well to reach the water, even though his hands do not reach it; so how can the water reach his mouth” Mujahid said about,
(like one who stretches forth his hand) “Calling the water with his words and pointing at it, but it will never come to him this way.” The meaning of this Ayah is that he who stretches his hand to water from far away, to either collect some or draw some from far away, will not benefit from the water which will not reach his mouth, where water should be consumed. Likewise, those idolators who call another deity besides Allah, will never benefit from these deities in this life or the Hereafter, hence Allah’s statement,
(and the invocation of the disbelievers is nothing but misguidance.)
(13:14) To Him alone should all prayer be addressed,[23] for those to whom they do address their prayers beside Him are altogether powerless to respond to them. The example of praying to any other than Allah is that of a man who stretches out his hands to water, asking it to reach his mouth, although water has no power to reach his mouth. The prayers of the unbelievers are a sheer waste.
23. “For Him is the supplication of truth,” for Allah alone has the power and the authority to give help and remove difficulties.
[634]- The analogy indicates that false deities will never respond to them at all.
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