22-73 O people, a parable is set forth, so listen to it. Surely those whom you call upon besides Allah cannot create a fly, though they should all gather for it. And if the fly carry off aught from them, they cannot take it back from it. Weak are (both) the invoker and the invoked.a
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌۭ فَٱسْتَمِعُوا۟ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُوا۟ ذُبَابًۭا وَلَوِ ٱجْتَمَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ ۖ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ ٱلذُّبَابُ شَيْـًۭٔا لَّا يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ۚ ضَعُفَ ٱلطَّالِبُ وَٱلْمَطْلُوبُ (۷۳)
22-73a: يَسْلُبْ – اَلسَّلۡبُ is to snatch something from someone by overcoming them and اَلسَّلَبُ is the thing that is snatched (R).
ٱلطَّالِبُ – مطلوب – طَلَب means to seek something and to endeavor to gain it. طَلَب is also used in the sense of رَغِبَ inclined to it (LA). In this verse طالب is taken to mean false deities and مطلوب is the fly, but the correct interpretation is that by طالب is meant worshipper and by مطلوب is meant the worshipped, as narrated by Sidi Boushaki, Al-Dahhak ibn Muzahim and others (RM). طَلَب quest can be for a specific item, or to imply, as in فَلَن تَسْتَطِيعَ لَهُۥ طَلَبًۭا …so that thou art unable to find it (18:41) (R).
This verse explains the extreme weakness of false deities by stating that if all objects or people taken as deities were to combine their efforts, they would not be able to create a fly. In fact, their helplessness is further manifested by the fact that if a fly was to snatch something from them, they will be unable to take it back. When the one worshipped is so susceptible, imagine how powerless the worshippers are! Hence the verse states that the worshipped and worshipper are both weak. The verse does not seem to refer to idols, but to people who have been taken as deities. As is made clear in verse 22:75, in the context of discussing this weakness, neither the worshippers of false deities, nor any form of falsehood can compete with the truth.
22-74 They estimate not Allah with His due estimation. Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.
مَا قَدَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ (۷۴)
22-75 Allah chooses messengers from angels and from men. Surely Allah is Hearing, Seeing.a
ٱللَّهُ يَصْطَفِى مِنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ رُسُلًۭا وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌۭ (۷۵)
22-75a: Angels and humans being chosen as messengers is mentioned in the context of Divine Unity since humans have been taken as gods. We are told that the highest spiritual status of a human is that of being a messenger, and there is nothing above that. The angels are Allah’s creation, yet the status given to them is also that of being messengers. Nobody is a partner in His Divinity.
22-76 He knows what is before them and what is behind them. And to Allah are all affairs returned.
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ (۷۶)
22-77 O you who believe, bow down and prostrate yourselves and serve your Lord, and do good that you may succeed.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱرْكَعُوا۟ وَٱسْجُدُوا۟ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ وَٱفْعَلُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ۩
PROSTRATION
22-78 And strive hard for Allah with due striving. He has chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion — the faith of your father Abraham. He named you Muslims before and in this, that the Messenger may be a bearer of witness to you, and you may be bearers of witness to the people; so keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and hold fast to Allah. He is your Protector; excellent the Protector and excellent the Helper!a
وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِۦ ۚ هُوَ ٱجْتَبَىٰكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍۢ ۚ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّىٰكُمُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِى هَـٰذَا لِيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ ٱلنَّصِيرُ (۷۸)
22-78a: Muslims urged to strive the utmost in the way of Allah: After rebutting polytheism, the Muslims are now urged to strive in spreading monotheism. Verse 22:77 mentions the completion of the soul’s development. Only a nation whose individuals fully develop their souls can succeed in spreading the name of Allah. Hence in this verse after giving the command to perfect the soul, we are advised to strive in the way of Allah with a striving befitting the noble objective before it. Half-hearted and incomplete efforts are not even good enough for success in worldly matters, let alone in matters of religion. The words هُوَ ٱجْتَبَىٰكُمْ He has chosen you conveys that Allah has chosen the Muslims to spread the Oneness of Allah. The contrast of choosing messengers in verse 22:75 with choosing the Muslim nation in this verse shows clearly that the work that messengers did has now been granted to the Muslim nation. The statement that Allah has named the believers Muslims in previous scriptures and فِى هَـٰذَا in this Quran indicates that complete submission to Allah should be the guiding principle, because they have been given this honorary title. The reason is also explained: that Muslims become the leaders and teachers of people just as the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) teaches Muslims about the Unity of Allah. Refer to 2-143a
