“Yet they worship, besides Allah, that which has no power to provide them anything from the heavens or the earth, nor are they able. (73) So do not set up comparisons with Allah. Indeed, Allah knows, whereas you do not know. (74)”

“Yet they worship, besides Allah, that which has no power to provide them anything from the heavens”—that is, rain—“or the earth”—that is, vegetation—“at all.” Al-Akhfash said: It is an appositive of “provision”; its meaning is that they possess no power whatsoever, little or great, over provision.

Al-Farrāʾ said: “Anything” is in the accusative because “provision” governs it; that is, they provide nothing. “Nor are they able”: nor do they have power over anything. This mentions the idols’ incapacity to confer benefit or ward off harm.

“So do not set up comparisons with Allah,” meaning, do not posit likenesses for Him: likening Him to His creation and assigning a partner to Him. For He is One, with no equal. “Indeed, Allah knows, whereas you do not know”—that is, He knows the error in the comparisons you make.

“Allah sets forth the parable of a slave owned by another, who has no power over anything, and one whom We have granted from Us a good provision, from which he spends secretly and openly. Are they equal? All praise belongs to Allah! Yet most of them do not know. (75) And Allah sets forth the parable of two men: one of them is mute and has no power over anything, being a burden upon his master; wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Can he be equal to one who enjoins justice and is upon a straight path? (76)”

Then He—exalted is His mention—sets forth a parable for the disbelievers and the believers, saying: