The Holy Quran 22:73 — Surah Al-Hajj

Arabic text

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَٱسْتَمِعُوا۟ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُوا۟ ذُبَابًا وَلَوِ ٱجْتَمَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ ۖ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ ٱلذُّبَابُ شَيْـًٔا لَّا يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ۚ ضَعُفَ ٱلطَّالِبُ وَٱلْمَطْلُوبُ

Translation

O people! An example (indicating the helplessness of all false gods) has been given, so listen attentively to it. Indeed those (gods) that you worship besides Allaah can never even create (something as little and insignificant as) a fly (which Allaah has created in great abundance) even though all of them join forces in this effort. (In fact), If a (weak and insignificant) fly has to steal anything from them (from these gods), they (are so helpless that they) cannot (even) retrieve it. The seeker (the Mushrikeen) and the sought (their gods) are both weak (feeble and helpless).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

A Parable of Shirk: this parable is given to show the hideousness and ugliness of shirk (associating partners with Allah) in contrast to tawhid (the oneness of Allah); it should be listened to attentively and understood with reflection, so that you refrain from such a base and contemptible act.

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.