Maarif-ul-Quran (En) - Al-Hajj : 73
یٰۤاَیُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوْا لَهٗ١ؕ اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ تَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ لَنْ یَّخْلُقُوْا ذُبَابًا وَّ لَوِ اجْتَمَعُوْا لَهٗ١ؕ وَ اِنْ یَّسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَیْئًا لَّا یَسْتَنْقِذُوْهُ مِنْهُ١ؕ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَ الْمَطْلُوْبُ
O people, here is a parable set forth to you, so listen to it carefully: All those whom you invoke besides Allah can never create (even) a fly, even though they all join hands together for that. And if a fly snatches something away from them, they cannot release it there from. (Equally) feeble are the invoker and the invoked.
Commentary Illustrating the futility of polytheism and idol-worship by citing a parable Generally the words ضُرِبَ مَثَلُ are used for quoting an incident as an example. However, it is not used here in that sense but the foolishness of idol worship has been illustrated by citing a parable. The infidels are told that the idols from which they seek the gratification of their desires are so utterly helpless that all of them together cannot create a humble thing like a fly. Indeed they cannot even protect the offerings of eatables, which their worshippers bring them daily, against the inroads of flies. Then how can they protect you from any calamity? The stupidity and foolishness of the idol-worshippers has been described at the end of the verse by the words ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ (Feeble are the invoker and the invoked - 22:73) meaning thereby that if the object of worship is so utterly weak and powerless, those worshipping it must be more so.
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