The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 162
PT. 17 CH. 21 AL-ANBIYA' 21. They glorify Him night and day; and they flag not. 2361 يُسَبِّحُونَ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ ) اَمِ اتَّخَذُوا الِهَةً مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ هُمُ Have they taken gods from. 22 يُنشِرُونَ the earth who raise the dead?2362 لَوْ كَانَ فِيْهِمَا الِهَةً إِلَّا اللهُ لَفَسَدَتَا If there had been in them. 23 فَسُبْحن اللهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا other gods beside Allah, then (the heavens and the earth) surely both would have gone to was. means, the eye became weak and fatigued from looking too long. means, tired, fatigued or jaded by much travel; grieving or regretting most intensely (Lane & Aqrab). See also 17:30. Commentary: The verse means to say that because whatever is in the heavens and the earth belongs to God, it is inconceivable that He should have allowed His servants to suffer spiritual death for lack of heavenly guidance. No sane person would destroy his own handiwork, much less God, the Source of all wisdom. This is why from time immemorial He has been sending His Messengers to guide man to truth. The verse further gives some marks of the true servants of God. They are not tired of serving God and humanity. They do not accept a prophet under a momentary impulse and then lose heart under the stress of hardships and privations. Once they accept the truth, they stick to it through thick and thin. Their zeal and enthusiasm for the service of truth never flag or fail. They never weary of serving God's creatures and glorifying Him. On the contrary, the worship of God is a source of delight for them and a means of relief from worries and anxieties for them (13:29). "The cheer of my eyes is in Prayer," the Holy Prophet is reported to have said (Nasā'ī). 2361. Important Words: فتر they flag is derived from) يفترون They sayi. e. the thing remitted or became still after vehemence or it became gentle after vehemence. als means, he flagged or became remiss in his work. means, the heat abated or flagged after being intense and vehement. means, the revelation stopped or its coming discontinued (Lane & Aqrab). See also 5:20. 2362. Commentary: Creating or raising the dead to life is the exclusive attribute and prerogative of God. Neither Jesus nor any other person can share in this Divine attribute. The reference to this attribute is intended to smash the divinity of Jesus which, in particular, forms the subject matter of these 2076 verses.