“The Lord is real, and the servant is real—
If only I knew who bears the duty!
If you say, ‘The servant,’ he is dead;
Or if you say, ‘The Lord,’ how can He be charged with duty?”

A third category consists of those who turn away both from worshipping Allah and from seeking His help. They comprise two groups: the worldly and the religious. The religious among them follow a corrupt religion: they worship others besides Allah and seek help from others besides Him, following their conjectures and desires.

“They follow nothing but conjecture and what their souls desire, although guidance has already come to them from their Lord.”

The worldly among them seek what they desire of this fleeting life through whatever they regard as means to that end. Know that a distinction must be made between someone who may turn away from worshipping Allah and seeking His help, and someone who worships another and seeks help from someone other than Him.

Section

Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says at the beginning of the surah:

“All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds.”

He thus began with these two names: Allah and the Lord. “Allah” is the God who is worshipped, so this name is most fitting in worship. Hence we say: “Allah is the Greatest,” “All praise is for Allah,” “Glory be to Allah,”