Al-Furqan 25:55
The Criterion · Juz 19 · Page 364
وَيَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُهُمۡ وَلَا يَضُرُّهُمۡۗ وَكَانَ ٱلۡكَافِرُ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ ظَهِيرٗا ٥٥
But they worship rather than Allāh that which does not benefit them or harm them, and the disbeliever is ever, against his Lord, an assistant [to Satan].
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 25:55–57
God has placed man in a world in which every thing and indeed the entire atmosphere bear testimony to the unity of God. But man does not avail of the light of guidance from it. He goes so far astray that he builds the system of his life on the basis of polytheism instead of the unity of God. If a servant of God takes up the task of proclaiming the unity of God, he meets with dire opposition. However, the preacher of Truth is not allowed to go to the extent of indulging in violence. He has to pursue his mission keeping himself within the sphere of advice and admonition or persuasion. If his call is not being effective, it is not his duty to add violence to his preaching. The only additions he can make consist of praying to God, ending all material or worldly quarrels unilaterally and influencing people’s hearts by selflessness and good behaviour.
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25:44
أَمۡ تَحۡسَبُ أَنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ يَسۡمَعُونَ أَوۡ يَعۡقِلُونَۚ إِنۡ هُمۡ إِلَّا كَٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ بَلۡ هُمۡ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا ٤٤
Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except like livestock.1 Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., cattle or sheep, that follow without question wherever they are led. ↩
25:45
أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَيۡفَ مَدَّ ٱلظِّلَّ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ لَجَعَلَهُۥ سَاكِنٗا ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَا ٱلشَّمۡسَ عَلَيۡهِ دَلِيلٗا ٤٥
Have you not considered your Lord - how He extends the shadow, and if He willed, He could have made it stationary? Then We made the sun for it an indication.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., showing the existence of a shadow or making it apparent by contrast. ↩
25:46
ثُمَّ قَبَضۡنَٰهُ إِلَيۡنَا قَبۡضٗا يَسِيرٗا ٤٦
Then We [retract and] hold it with Us for a brief grasp.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., when the sun is overhead at noon. ↩
25:47
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ لِبَاسٗا وَٱلنَّوۡمَ سُبَاتٗا وَجَعَلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ نُشُورٗا ٤٧
And it is He who has made the night for you as clothing1 and sleep [a means for] rest and has made the day a resurrection.2
25:48
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَرۡسَلَ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ بُشۡرَۢا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ رَحۡمَتِهِۦۚ وَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ طَهُورٗا ٤٨
And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy [i.e., rainfall], and We send down from the sky pure water
25:49
لِّنُحۡـِۧيَ بِهِۦ بَلۡدَةٗ مَّيۡتٗا وَنُسۡقِيَهُۥ مِمَّا خَلَقۡنَآ أَنۡعَٰمٗا وَأَنَاسِيَّ كَثِيرٗا ٤٩
That We may bring to life thereby a dead land and give it as drink to those We created of numerous livestock and men.
25:50
وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَٰهُ بَيۡنَهُمۡ لِيَذَّكَّرُواْ فَأَبَىٰٓ أَكۡثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَّا كُفُورٗا ٥٠
And We have certainly distributed it among them that they might be reminded,1 but most of the people refuse except disbelief.
1 translator’s note
- Of Allāh's ability to bring the dead to life. ↩
25:51
وَلَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَبَعَثۡنَا فِي كُلِّ قَرۡيَةٖ نَّذِيرٗا ٥١
And if We had willed, We could have sent into every city a warner.1
1 translator’s note
- However, Allāh willed that Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) be sent as the final messenger for all peoples of the earth until the Day of Resurrection. ↩
25:52
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ وَجَٰهِدۡهُم بِهِۦ جِهَادٗا كَبِيرٗا ٥٢
So do not obey the disbelievers, and strive against them with it [i.e., the Qur’ān] a great striving.
25:53
۞ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي مَرَجَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ هَٰذَا عَذۡبٞ فُرَاتٞ وَهَٰذَا مِلۡحٌ أُجَاجٞ وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَهُمَا بَرۡزَخٗا وَحِجۡرٗا مَّحۡجُورٗا ٥٣
And it is He who has released [simultaneously] the two seas [i.e., bodies of water], one fresh and sweet and one salty and bitter, and He placed between them a barrier and prohibiting partition.
25:54
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ مِنَ ٱلۡمَآءِ بَشَرٗا فَجَعَلَهُۥ نَسَبٗا وَصِهۡرٗاۗ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ قَدِيرٗا ٥٤
And it is He who has created from water [i.e., semen] a human being and made him [a relative by] lineage and marriage. And ever is your Lord competent [concerning creation].
25:55
وَيَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُهُمۡ وَلَا يَضُرُّهُمۡۗ وَكَانَ ٱلۡكَافِرُ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ ظَهِيرٗا ٥٥
But they worship rather than Allāh that which does not benefit them or harm them, and the disbeliever is ever, against his Lord, an assistant [to Satan].