Surah Al-A'raf, Ayah 198

Idols do not create, help, or have Power over Anything

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,

أَيُشْرِكُونَ مَا لاَ يَخْلُقُ شَيْئاً وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ

(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,

The verse 196 has said:

إِنَّ وَلِيِّيَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْكِتَابَ ۖ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿196﴾

"Surely my protector is Allah who has revealed the Book and who does protect the righteous."

The Arabic word ولی rendered here as 'protector' also means helper. The word ~ISJI (The Book) here refers to the Holy Qur'an, and the word صَلِحِین (the righteous), according to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas J.II L, , here refers to all those who do not take any one equal to Allah, including the prophets and other faithful Muslims:

The Holy Prophet ﷺ has been asked to declare that he was not fearful of their opposition in the least since Allah, who had revealed the Qur'an to Him was his protector and helper. It may be noted that out of all the divine attributes of Allah, this verse spoke specially of His revelation to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It is because the only reason of their hostility to the Holy Prophet was his invitation to the message of the Holy Qur'an. He was therefore, sure to have been helped and protected by Allah. The next sentence provides us with a general rule that Allah does not only help and protect His messengers, who have special favours of Allah, but also helps and protects all the Muslims who are righteous.

However, this is not restricted only to known types of idols. This is the condition of all things—things which are given the status of objects of worship—from one’s native country and community to personalities, whether dead or alive, to whom those feelings are attached, whereas in reality, these feelings should be attached to the one and only God. All come into the same category (that is, it amounts to according them the status of God.) What is the reality of all these things? None has its own power; none of them has legs, hands or eyes of its own making. Every ‘leg-owner’ has been given a leg; if this limb is snatched away, he cannot make another leg again. Every ‘hand owner’ has been given a hand; if this hand does not remain with him, he cannot make another hand. Every ‘eye-owner’ has had an eye gifted to him; if this eye is lost, it is not possible for him to make another eye for himself. God alone is man’s Sustainer and Saviour. In this world He remains invisible but in the world of the Hereafter, He will reveal Himself, then man will see with his own eyes that it was God who alone was the provider and the sustainer of human beings. It was only because of his foolishness that he had attributed this to other supposed deities. These associates have no power of their own to take care even of themselves, so what can they do for others? It is God alone who helps His servants in this world and it is He who will also help His faithful servants in the world to come.