The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 287
PT. 13 AR-RA'D CH. 13 لَهُ دَعْوَةُ الْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ Unto Him is the true prayer. 15 دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَجِيْبُونَ لَهُمْ بِشَيْءٍ إِلَّا "And those on whom they call beside Him answer them not at all, except as he is answered كَبَاسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا who stretches forth his two هُوَ بِبَالِغِهِ وَمَا دُعَاءُ الْكَفِرِينَ إِلَّا hands toward water that it may في ضَالِ reach his mouth, but it reaches it not. And the prayer of the disbelievers is but a wasted. 1626 thing "35:14; 40:21. 40:51. but a prophecy of punishment for answered who stretches forth his two disbelievers. The words (severe in punishing) may also be rendered as "strong in planning" thus hinting that God is not only severe in punishing but it is also impossible to frustrate His plans. 1626. Commentary: The Quranic expression 3d rendered in the text as, Unto Him is the true prayer, may be translated in several ways (1) God alone is worthy of worship; (2) it is praying to God alone that can be useful or beneficial for man; (3) the voice of God alone rises in support of truth i. e. the teaching which is really true and useful for man and is free from defects and untruths can come from God alone; (4) the Voice of God alone must prevail i. e. no one can frustrate God's purpose and stand in His way; for the word (true) also means, that which prevails and becomes established. The words, except as hands toward water that it may reach his mouth, but it reaches it not, embody a great principle. Just as he who ascribes lower status to a higher thing remains deprived of its higher benefits, similarly, he who ascribes higher status to a lower thing deprives himself of its true benefits. The man who looks upon a spurious coin as a genuine one will practically suffer as much as he who unwittingly treats a genuine coin as a spurious one. Idolaters think that their gods will answer their prayers and come to their help, but they can never do so. he is 1495 In like manner, those who ascribe divine powers to things created by God deprive themselves of even their limited uses. How can those who look upon fire and water as gods think of bringing them under their control? And how can those who look upon Prophets as gods derive from them the real good which they could derive from them by following them as heavenly Messengers? The verse thus says that the right