Surah An-Nahl, Ayah 73
Quran 16:73 · The Bee · Makki · Para 14 · Page 275
وَیَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ مَا لَا یَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًا مِّنَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضِ شَیْـًٔا وَّلَا یَسْتَطِیْعُوْنَ ۟ۚ
Transliteration
WayaAAbudoona min dooni Allahi mala yamliku lahum rizqan mina assamawatiwal-ardi shay-an wala yastateeAAoon
Saheeh International
And they worship besides Allāh that which does not possess for them [the power of] provision from the heavens and the earth at all, and [in fact], they are unable.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
These idolaters worship, besides Allah, idols who have no power to provide them with any provision from the heavens or the earth and they will never be able to do so because they are inanimate objects that have no life or knowledge.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) on 16:73–16:74
And they worship others besides Allah such as do not have power to grant them any provision from the heavens or the earth nor the ability to do so (73)So do not give examples on behalf of Allah. Truly, Allah knows and you know not (74)
Denouncing the Worship of anything besides Allah
Allah tells us about the Mushrikin who worship others besides Him, even though He alone is the bountiful Provider, the Creator and Sustainer, without partners or associates, but they still worship idols and make rivals for Him. He says:
مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًا مِّنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ شَيْئًا
(such as do not have power to grant them any provision from the heavens or the earth) meaning, nobody can cause rain to fall, or make plants and trees grow. They cannot do these things for themselves, even if they wanted to. Thus Allah says:
فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ
(So do not give examples on behalf of Allah.) meaning, do not set up rivals to Him or describe anything as being like Him.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
(Truly, Allah knows and you know not.) meaning, He knows and bears witness that there is no god but Him, but you are ignorant and associate others in worship with Him.