Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:14

A Parable for the Weakness of the False Gods of the Polytheists

`Ali bin Abi Talib said that Allah's statement,

(For Him is the Word of Truth.) is in reference to Tawhid, according to Ibn Jarir At-Tabari. Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, and Malik who narrated it from Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir, said that,

(For Him is the Word of Truth.) means, "La ilaha illallah." Allah said next,

(And those whom they invoke besides Him...), meaning, the example of those who worship others besides Allah,

(like one who stretches forth his hand for water to reach his mouth,) `Ali bin Abi Talib commented, "Like he who stretches his hand on the edge of a deep well to reach the water, even though his hands do not reach it; so how can the water reach his mouth" Mujahid said about,

(like one who stretches forth his hand) "Calling the water with his words and pointing at it, but it will never come to him this way." The meaning of this Ayah is that he who stretches his hand to water from far away, to either collect some or draw some from far away, will not benefit from the water which will not reach his mouth, where water should be consumed. Likewise, those idolators who call another deity besides Allah, will never benefit from these deities in this life or the Hereafter, hence Allah's statement,

(and the invocation of the disbelievers is nothing but misguidance.)

Ayat ini menjelaskan bahwa hanya Allah yang memiliki wewenang untuk mengabulkan doa yang benar. Ada pula yang menafsirkan: hanya kepada Allah saja seruan yang benar tentang ketauhidan, kemurnian, dan keikhlasan dalam ibadah. Berhala-berhala yang disembah kaum musyrik tidak dapat mengabulkan permintaan mereka sedikit pun. Meminta sesuatu kepada berhala ibarat orang yang ingin minum, tetapi hanya dengan membuka kedua telapak tangannya ke dalam air. Ia berharap supaya air itu naik sendiri ke dalam mulutnya. Padahal air itu tentu tidak akan mungkin masuk dengan sendirinya ke dalam mulutnya tanpa ditampung dulu dengan kedua telapak tangan. Demikian pula berhala-berhala yang mereka sembah, jangankan memenuhi permintaan penyembahnya, ditanya saja mereka tidak dapat menjawab. Doa dan ibadah orang-orang kafir kepada berhala hanya sia-sia belaka. Bila mereka berdoa kepada Allah, doanya tidak dikabulkan karena mereka tidak meyakini kekuasaan-Nya. Jika mereka berdoa kepada berhala-berhala, sedikit pun mereka tidak bisa mendengar apalagi mengabulkan permintaannya.