as his mughīb in matters that displease his Lord. Thus, the special companionship that the believer enjoys with his Lord and God becomes, for this disbeliever and evildoer, companionship with Satan, his own self, his desires, and his pleasures.

This is why He begins the verse with His words: “And they worship besides Allah what can neither benefit nor harm them.” This worship consists of allegiance, love, and approval of their objects of worship, entailing a special companionship with them. He thus supports Allah’s enemies in their hostility and opposition to Him and in whatever incurs His displeasure.

By contrast, His ally, glorified be He, sides with Him against his own self, his devil, and his desires.

This meaning is among the treasures of the Quran for those who understand and grasp it. Allah alone grants success.

[Surah al-Furqān (25): verse 73]
“And those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall before them deaf and blind.” (73)

Muqātil said: “When admonished by the Quran, they do not fall before it deaf, not hearing it, or blind, not seeing it. Rather, they hear, see, and believe in it with certainty.”

Ibn ‘Abbās said: “They are not deaf and blind to them; rather, they are fearful and humble.”

Al-Kalbī said: “They fall before them, hearing and seeing.”

Al-Farrā’ said: “When the Quran is recited to them, they do not remain as they were before, as though they had not heard it. That is what ‘falling’ means here. I have heard the Arabs say, ‘He sat insulting me,’ just as you might say, ‘He stood insulting me,’ or, ‘He set about insulting me.’”

According to this explanation, the meaning is that they do not become deaf and blind when confronted with them.

Al-Zajjāj said: “The meaning is that when the verses of their Lord are recited to them, they fall down prostrating and weeping, hearing and seeing, as they have been commanded.”

Ibn Qutaybah said: “That is, they do not disregard them as though they were deaf and had not heard them, or blind and had not seen them.”