Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:14 — translation and meaning

الرعد · Verse 14 / 43 · Page 251

ۚ ۖ لَهُ دَعْوَةُ الْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَيْءٍ إِلَّا كَبَاسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَالِغِهِ وَمَا دُعَاءُ الْكَافِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍ

Word by Word

ۚ
ۖ
لَهُ
lahu
To Him
دَعْوَةُ
da'watu
(is) supplication
الْحَقِّ
al-haqi
(of) the truth
وَالَّذِينَ
wa-alladhina
And those whom
يَدْعُونَ
yad'una
they invoke
مِن
min
besides Him
دُونِهِ
dunihi
besides Him
لَا
la
not
يَسْتَجِيبُونَ
yastajibuna
they respond
لَهُم
lahum
to them
بِشَيْءٍ
bishayin
with a thing
إِلَّا
illa
except
كَبَاسِطِ
kabasiti
like one who stretches
كَفَّيْهِ
kaffayhi
his hands
إِلَى
ila
towards
الْمَاءِ
al-mai
water
لِيَبْلُغَ
liyablugha
to reach
فَاهُ
fahu
his mouth
وَمَا
wama
but not
هُوَ
huwa
it
بِبَالِغِهِ
bibalighihi
reaches it
وَمَا
wama
And not
دُعَاءُ
du'au
(is) the supplication
الْكَافِرِينَ
al-kafirina
(of) the disbelievers
إِلَّا
illa
but
فِي
fi
in
ضَلَالٍ
dalalin
error

Transliteration

Lahoo da'watul haqq; wallazeena yad'oona min doonihee laa yastajeeboona lahum bishai'in illaa kabaasiti kaffaihi ilal maaa'i liyablugha faahu wa maa huwa bibaalighih; wa maa du'aaa'ul aafireena illaa fee dalaal

Translation

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].

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

The call of monotheism is for Allah alone and no one shares this with Him. The idols on whom the idolaters call besides Him do not respond to the call of those who call them in any matter. Their calling them is simply like a thirsty person stretching his hand towards water for it to reach his mouth so that he can drink from it. The water is not going to reach his mouth. The call of the disbelievers to their idols is only in vain and far from being right, because they have no power to draw any benefit for them nor ward off any harm from them.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

100% Free App

Join 50,000+ Muslims

Download for free and never miss a prayer again