Allah admonishes the idolators who worshipped idols, rivals and images besides Him, although these objects were created by Allah, and neither own anything nor can they bring harm or benefit. These objects do not see or give aid to those who worship them. They are inanimate objects that neither move, hear, or see. Those who worship these objects are better than they are, for they hear see and have strength of their own. Allah said,

﴿ط£ظژظٹظڈط´ظ’ط±ظگظƒظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ…ظژط§ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط®ظ’ظ„ظڈظ‚ظڈ ط´ظژظٹظ’ط¦ط§ظ‹ ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظڈط®ظ’ظ„ظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(Do they attribute as partners to Allah those who created nothing but they themselves are created) meaning, `Do you associate with Allah others that neither create, nor have power to create anything' Allah said in another Ayah,

﴿ظٹط£ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط³ظڈ ط¶ظڈط±ظگط¨ظژ ظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ظŒ ظپظژط§ط³ظ’طھظژظ…ظگط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ طھظژط¯ظ’ط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ…ظگظ† ط¯ظڈظˆظ†ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظ„ظژظ† ظٹظژط®ظ’ظ„ظڈظ‚ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط°ظڈط¨ظژط§ط¨ط§ظ‹ ظˆظژظ„ظژظˆظگ ط§ط¬ظ’طھظژظ…ظژط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژط¥ظگظ† ظٹظژط³ظ’ظ„ظڈط¨ظ’ظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ط°ظ‘ظڈط¨ظژط§ط¨ظڈ ط´ظژظٹظ’ط¦ط§ظ‹ ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژظ†ظ‚ظگط°ظڈظˆظ‡ظڈ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈ ط¶ظژط¹ظڈظپظژ ط§ظ„ط·ظ‘ظژط§ظ„ظگط¨ظڈ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظژط·ظ’ظ„ظڈظˆط¨ظڈ - ظ…ظژط§ ظ‚ظژط¯ظژط±ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ط­ظژظ‚ظ‘ظژ ظ‚ظژط¯ظ’ط±ظگظ‡ظگ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظ„ظژظ‚ظژظˆظگظ‰ظ‘ظŒ ط¹ظژط²ظگظٹط²ظŒ ﴾

(O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): Verily, those on whom you call besides Allah, cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought. They have not estimated Allah His rightful estimate. Verily, Allah is All-Strong, Almighty) ﴿22:73-74﴾. Allah states that if all false gods of the disbelievers gather their strength, they would not be able to create a fly. Rather, if the fly steals anything from them, no matter how insignificant, and flew away, they would not be able to retrieve it. Therefore, if an object is this weak, how can it be worshipped and invoked for provisions and aid This is why Allah said,

﴿ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط®ظ’ظ„ظڈظ‚ظڈ ط´ظژظٹظ’ط¦ط§ظ‹ ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظڈط®ظ’ظ„ظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(... who created nothing but they themselves are created) these worshipped objects themselves were created and made. Prophet Ibrahim Al-Khalil proclaimed,

﴿ط£ظژطھظژط¹ظ’ط¨ظڈط¯ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ…ظژط§ طھظژظ†ظ’ط­ظگطھظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

("Worship you that which you (yourselves) carve'') ﴿37:95﴾ Allah said next,

﴿ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژط·ظگظٹط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ†ظژطµظ’ط±ظ‹ط§﴾

(No help can they give them) those who worship them,

﴿ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ ط£ظژظ†ظپظڈط³ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژظ†طµظڈط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(nor can they help themselves) nor are they able to aid themselves against those who seek to harm them. For instance, Allah's Khalil, peace be upon him, broke and disgraced the idols of his people, just as Allah said he did,

﴿ظپظژط±ظژط§ط؛ظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ط¶ظژط±ظ’ط¨ط§ظ‹ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظ…ظگظٹظ†ظگ ﴾

(Then he turned upon them, striking (them) with (his) right hand,) ﴿37:93﴾ and,

﴿ظپظژط¬ظژط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¬ظڈط°ظژط§ط°ط§ظ‹ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظƒظژط¨ظگظٹط±ط§ظ‹ ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ظژط¹ظژظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگ ظٹظژط±ظ’ط¬ظگط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(So he broke them to pieces, (all) except the biggest of them, that they might turn to it.) ﴿21:58﴾ Mu`adh bin `Amr ibn Al-Jamuh and Mu`adh bin Jabal, may Allah be pleased with both of them, were still young when they embraced Islam after the Messenger of Allah came to Al-Madinah. So they were attacking the idols of the idolators at night, breaking, disfiguring them and using them as fuel for needy widows. They sought to give a lesson to their people to make them aware of their error. `Amr bin Al-Jamuh, who was one of the chiefs of his people, had an idol that he used to worship and perfume. The two Mu`adhs used to go to that idol, turn it on its head and tarnish it with animal waste. When `Amr bin Al-Jamuh would see what happened to his idol, he would clean it, perfume it and leave a sword next to it, saying, "Defend yourself.'' However, the two young men would repeat their actions, and he would do the same as before. Once, they took the idol, tied it to a dead dog and threw it in a well while tied to a rope! When `Amr bin Al-Jamuh saw this, he knew that his religion was false and said, "By Allah! Had you been a god who has might, you would not end up tied to a dog on a rope!'' `Amr bin Al-Jamuh embraced Islam, and he was strong in his Islam. He was later martyred during the battle of Uhud, may Allah be pleased with him, give him pleasure. and grant him Paradise as his dwelling. Allah said,

﴿ظˆظژط¥ظگظ† طھظژط¯ظ’ط¹ظڈظˆظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ‡ظڈط¯ظژظ‰ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژطھظ‘ظژط¨ظگط¹ظڈظˆظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(And if you call them to guidance, they follow you not.) Allah says, these idols do not hear the calls of those who worship them. Therefore, the result is the same, whether calling the idols or shunning them. Ibrahim, peace be upon said,

﴿ظٹط£ظژط¨ظژطھظگ ظ„ظگظ…ظژ طھظژط¹ظ’ط¨ظڈط¯ظڈ ظ…ظژط§ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط³ظ’ظ…ظژط¹ظڈ ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط¨ظ’طµظگط±ظڈ ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظڈط؛ظ’ظ†ظگظ‰ ط¹ظژظ†ظƒظژ ط´ظژظٹظ’ط¦ط§ظ‹﴾

("O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything'') ﴿19:42﴾ Next, Allah states that the idols were created, just as those who worship them. Rather, the people are better than the idols, because they are able to hear, see and exert harm. The idols, on the other hand, have no such powers. Allah said next,

﴿ظ‚ظڈظ„ظگ ط§ط¯ظ’ط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط´ظڈط±ظژظƒظژط¢ط،ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(Say: "Call your (so-called) partners (of Allah)) invoke the idols for aid against me and do not give me respite, even for an instant, and give it your best effort,

﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ظˆظژظ„ظگظٹظ‘ظگظ‰ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظ‰ ظ†ظژط²ظ‘ظژظ„ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژظ€ط¨ظژ ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ظٹظژطھظژظˆظژظ„ظ‘ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„طµظ‘ظژظ€ظ„ظگط­ظگظٹظ†ظژ ﴾

(Verily, my protector is Allah Who has revealed the Book (the Qur'an), and He protects the righteous.) Allah's support is sufficient and He will suffice for me, He is My supporter, I trust in Him and take refuge with Him. He is my protector, in this life and the Hereafter, and the protector of every righteous believer after me. Similarly, the people of Hud said,

﴿ط¥ظگظ† ظ†ظ‘ظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ„ظڈ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط§ط¹ظ’طھظژط±ظژط§ظƒظژ ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¶ظڈ ط،ظژط§ظ„ظگظ‡ظژطھظگظ†ظژط§ ط¨ظگط³ظڈظˆط،ظچ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظگظ‰ ط£ظڈط´ظ’ظ‡ظگط¯ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ط´ظ’ظ‡ظژط¯ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط£ظژظ†ظ‘ظگظ‰ ط¨ظژط±ظگظ‰ط،ظŒ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ…ظ‘ظژط§ طھظڈط´ظ’ط±ظگظƒظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ظ…ظگظ† ط¯ظڈظˆظ†ظگظ‡ظگ ظپظژظƒظگظٹط¯ظڈظˆظ†ظگظ‰ ط¬ظژظ…ظگظٹط¹ظ‹ط§ ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ظ„ط§ظژ طھظڈظ†ط¸ظگط±ظڈظˆظ†ظگ - ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظگظ‰ طھظژظˆظژظƒظ‘ظژظ„ظ’طھظڈ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظ‰ ظˆظژط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ظ…ظگظ† ط¯ظژط¢ط¨ظ‘ظژط©ظچ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ط،ط§ط®ظگط°ظŒ ط¨ظگظ†ظژط§طµظگظٹظژطھظگظ‡ظژط¢ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظ‰ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ طµظگط±ظژط·ظچ ظ…ظ‘ظڈط³ظ’طھظژظ‚ظگظٹظ…ظچ ﴾

("All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil (madness). '' Hud replied: "I call Allah to witness, and bear you witness that I am free from that which you ascribe ﴿as partners in worship, with Him (Allah)﴾. So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving (living) creature but He has the grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on a path that is straight) ﴿11:54-56﴾. Ibrahim Al-Khalil proclaimed (to his people),

﴿ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ ط£ظژظپظژط±ظژط،ظژظٹظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ظƒظڈظ†ظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’ طھظژط¹ظ’ط¨ظڈط¯ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ط£ظژظ†طھظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط،ظژط§ط¨ظژط¢ط¤ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒظ‚ظ’ط¯ظژظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ظپظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¹ظژط¯ظڈظˆظ‘ظŒ ظ„ظگظ‰ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژظ€ظ„ظژظ…ظگظٹظ†ظژ - ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظ‰ ط®ظژظ„ظژظ‚ظژظ†ظگظ‰ ظپظژظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ظٹظژظ‡ظ’ط¯ظگظٹظ†ظگ ﴾

(Do you observe that which you have been wershipping, You and your ancient fathers. Verily, they are enemies to me, save the Lord of all that exists. Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me.'') ﴿26:75-78﴾ He also said to his father and his people,

﴿ظˆظژط¥ظگط°ظ’ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ ط¥ظگط¨ظ’ط±ظژظ‡ظگظٹظ…ظڈ ظ„ط§ظ‘ظ‹ط¨ظگظٹظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ظگظ‡ظگ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظ†ظگظ‰ ط¨ظژط±ظژط¢ط،ظŒ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ…ظ‘ظژط§ طھظژط¹ظ’ط¨ظڈط¯ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظ‰ ظپظژط·ظژط±ظژظ†ظگظ‰ ظپظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط³ظژظٹظژظ‡ظ’ط¯ظگظٹظ†ظگ - ظˆظژط¬ظژط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‡ظژط§ ظƒظژظ„ظگظ…ظژط©ظ‹ ط¨ظژظ€ظ‚ظگظٹظژط©ظ‹ ظپظگظ‰ ط¹ظژظ‚ظگط¨ظگظ‡ظگ ظ„ظژط¹ظژظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژط±ظ’ط¬ظگط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

("Verily, I am innocent of what you warship. Except Him Who did create me; and verily, He will guide me.'' And he made it a legacy lasting among his offspring, that they may turn back (to Allah).) ﴿43:26-28﴾ Allah said here,

﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ طھظژط¯ظ’ط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ…ظگظ† ط¯ظڈظˆظ†ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ﴾

(Verily, those whom you call upon besides Allah) until the end of the Ayah, reiterating what has been said earlier, but He uses direct speech this time,

﴿ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژط·ظگظٹط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ†ظژطµظ’ط±ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ ط£ظژظ†ظپظڈط³ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژظ†طµظڈط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(cannot help you nor can they help themselves.) The Ayah,

﴿ظˆظژط¥ظگظ† طھظژط¯ظ’ط¹ظڈظˆظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ‡ظڈط¯ظژظ‰ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط³ظ’ظ…ظژط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظˆظژطھظژط±ظژط§ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژظ†ط¸ظڈط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظڈط¨ظ’طµظگط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ﴾

(And if you call them to guidance, they hear not and you will see them looking at you, yet they see not.) is similar to another Ayah,

﴿ط¥ظگظ† طھظژط¯ظ’ط¹ظڈظˆظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژط³ظ’ظ…ظژط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¯ظڈط¹ظژط¢ط،ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call.) ﴿35:14﴾. Allah said next,

﴿ظˆظژطھظژط±ظژط§ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژظ†ط¸ظڈط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ظˆظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظڈط¨ظ’طµظگط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(and you will see them looking at you, yet they see not.) meaning, they have eyes that stare as if they see, although they are solid. Therefore, the Ayah treated them as if they had a mind ﴿saying, Tarahum, instead of Taraha﴾, since they are made in the shape of humans with eyes drawn on them.

﴿ط®ظڈط°ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژظپظ’ظˆظژ ظˆظژط£ظ’ظ…ظڈط±ظ’ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظڈط±ظ’ظپظگ ظˆظژط£ظژط¹ظ’ط±ظگط¶ ط¹ظژظ†ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¬ظژظ€ظ‡ظگظ„ظگظٹظ†ظژ - ظˆظژط¥ظگظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ظٹظژظ†ظژط²ظژط؛ظژظ†ظ‘ظژظƒظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ط´ظ‘ظژظٹظ’ط·ظژظ€ظ†ظگ ظ†ظژط²ظ’ط؛ظŒ ظپظژط§ط³ظ’طھظژط¹ظگط°ظ’ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط³ظژظ…ظگظٹط¹ظŒ ط¹ظژظ„ظگظٹظ…ظŒ ﴾

(199. Show forgiveness, enjoin Al-'Urf (the good), and turn away from the foolish (don't punish them). ) (200. And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytan, then seek refuge with Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower.)