Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Ar-Ra'd, Ayah 14

Ar-Ra'd · Ayah 14 · View Ayah
لَهُۥ دَعْوَةُ ٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَىْءٍ إِلَّا كَبَٰسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى ٱلْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَٰلِغِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا دُعَآءُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ
To Him [alone] is the supplication of truth. And those they call upon besides Him do not respond to them with a thing, except as one who stretches his hands toward water [from afar, calling it] to reach his mouth, but it will not reach it [thus]. And the supplication of the disbelievers is not but in error [i.e. futility].

Common Words

27 total25 unique2 repeated
إلا2x
وما2x
له1x
دعوة1x
ٱلحق1x
وٱلذين1x
يدعون1x
من1x
دونه1x
لا1x
يستجيبون1x
لهم1x
بشىء1x
كبسط1x
كفيه1x
إلى1x
ٱلماء1x
ليبلغ1x
فاه1x
هو1x

Ibn Abbas Commentary

(Unto Him is the real prayer) the Religion of the Truth: the confession that there is no god save Allah, which is the declaration of one's sincerity to Allah. (Those unto whom they pray) worship (beside Allah respond to them not at all) of benefit when they call upon them, (save as (if the response to) one who stretcheth forth his hands towards water) from far ((asking) that it may come unto his mouth and it will never reach it) in such state, hard as he may try. Allah says: just as water cannot possibly reach the mouth of such a man, the idols will also not benefit those who worship them. (The prayer of disbelievers) the worship of the disbelievers (goeth (far) astray) it is void and they will not find it.

Other Scholars on This Ayah

Tafsir

76%72%69%Al-JalalaynIbn AbbasIbn Kathir
Scholars largely agree on this ayah

His exalted be He is the call of truth that is the words that constitute it the truth and these are ‘there is no god but God’ lā ilāha illā’Llāh; and those upon whom they call read yad‘ūn or tad‘ūn ‘you call’ those whom they worship apart from Him that is other than Him — namely the idols — do not answer them anything of which they ask; save as is the response to one who stretches forth his hands towards water at the edge of a well calling to it that it may reach his mouth by its rising through the well to reach him but it would never reach it that is reach his mouth ever likewise they the idols will not answer them; and the call of the disbelievers their worship of idols — or their actual supplication — goes only astray it is only in perdition.

Related Hadiths

Jami` at-Tirmidhi#3563Sahih

“Call upon Allah while being certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not respond to a supplication from the heart of one heedless and occupied by play.”

Narrated by Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
Jami` at-Tirmidhi#3691Hasan

“There is not a man who calls upon Allah with a supplication, except that he is answered. Either it shall be granted to him in the world, or reserved for him in the Hereafter, or, his sins shall be ex...

Narrated by Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
Jami` at-Tirmidhi#3589Hasan

“The supplication of Dhun-Nun (Prophet Yunus) when he supplicated, while in the belly of the whale was: ‘There is none worthy of worship except You, Glory to You, Indeed, I have been of the transgress...

Narrated by Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Sa`d narrated from his father, from Sa`d that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
Sunan Ibn Majah#1486Sahih

There are three whose supplications are not turned back: A just ruler, and a fasting person until he breaks his fast. And, the supplication of one who has been wronged is raised by Allah up to the clo...

Narrated by It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
Sunan Abu Dawud#1485Da'if

"One of you is granted an answer (to his supplication) provided he does not say: 'I prayed but I was not granted an answer.'"

Narrated by Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:
Sahih Muslim#6700Sahih

" He (the Holy Prophet) said: He Whom you are sup- plicating is nearer to every one of you than the neck of his camel." And there is no mention of these words:" There is no might and no power but that...

Narrated by Abu Musa, reported. We were along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in an expedition. The rest of the hadith is the same (and there is an addi- tion of these words in that):
Jami` at-Tirmidhi#486Hasan

"Indeed the supplication stops between the heavens and the earth. Nothing of it is raised up until you send Salat upon your Prophet."

Narrated by Umar bin Al-Khattab narrated:
Sunan Ibn Majah#3565

the Prophet (saas) said: "There is nothing more noble to Allah the Glorified, than supplication."

Narrated by It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that :
Sunan an-Nasa'i#1753Sahih

"The Prophet (ﷺ) would not raise his hands in any of his supplications except when praying for rain (Al-Istisqa')." (One of the narrators) Shu'bah said: "I said to Thabit: 'Did you hear it from Anas?'...

Narrated by It was narrated that Anas said:
Sunan Abu Dawud#521Sahih

The supplication made between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected.

Narrated by Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

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