The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 224
PT. 17 CH. 22 AL-HAJJ 13. "He calls beside Allah on that which can neither harm him يَدْعُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُ وَمَا لَا يَنْفَعُهُ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الضَّلَلُ الْبَعِيدُ nor benefit him. That is indeed straying far away. يَدْعُوا لَمَنْ ضَرُّةَ أَقْرَبُ مِنْ نَّفْعِهِ He calls on him whose harm. 14 لَبِئْسَ الْمَوْلَى وَلَبِئْسَ الْعَشِيرُ is nearer than his benefit. Evil indeed is the patron, and evil indeed the associate. 2447 "6:72; 10:107; 21:67; 25:56. he stands firm, otherwise he flees away; or the meaning is, he who serves God in doubt or suspense being unsteady like him who is on the ridge of a mountain; or the meaning is, one who serves God in one mode of circumstances i. e. when in ample circumstances and not when in straitened circumstances (Lane). Commentary: The sense of the expression (on the verge) is explained in the very next sentence, viz. if good befall him, he is content therewith; and if there befall him a trial, he returns to his former way. Taking the word in the sense of suspense, the expression would signify that people of weak faith are always in a state of doubt and suspense. If by accepting the message of truth they hope to get some material benefit, they remain and act as believers but if belief is attended with trials and tribulations then they turn back on their heels. Taking this word in the sense of edge or brink, the expression would mean that such people have only a superficial knowledge of religion. They do not enter into its spirit and have no insight into it. Such waverers 2138 and doubters are always deprived of the very benefits they hope to get by their insincere faith. 2447. Commentary: There may seem to be some contradiction between the subject- matter of this and the previous verse. But in reality there is none. The preceding verse only means that false gods are devoid of all power to do any good or ill to anybody, so it is foolish to worship such worthless objects. The present verse, however, means that the moral injury that the worship of false gods does to their votaries is immediate and quite patent inasmuch as the worshippers degrade themselves before lifeless things and thus do a great injury to their dignity and self-respect, but any benefit that they hope to get from it is imaginary and far-fetched. The verse may also signify that the unreal, temporary and insubstantial worldly gain that the idolaters hope to gain by associating themselves with the community of polytheists is nothing compared with the moral and spiritual injury they do to themselves by their worship of the idols.