Surah al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage ) 22 : 73

Overview (Verses 73 - 76)

Powerless Man

The sūrah now makes a powerful, universal declaration that all deities people associate with God, including the ones to which the wrongdoers appeal for help, are weak and powerless. Their weakness is shown in a bustling and captivating scene: Mankind. An aphorism is set forth; hearken, then, to it. Those beings whom you invoke instead of God cannot create a fly, even though they were to join all their forces to that end. If a fly robs them of anything, they cannot rescue it from him! Weak indeed is the seeker, and weak the sought! (Verse 73) The address is universal, it includes everyone anywhere in the world, and the declaration is loud and clear: “Mankind!” When people have been gathered to listen, they are told that they are about to be given a statement of a general principle, not a particular case applicable on a certain occasion. “An aphorism is set forth; hearken, then, to it.” It is a statement of fact that applies in all situations: “Those beings whom you invoke instead of God cannot create a fly, even though they were to join all their forces to that end.” All false deities, whether they be idols and statues, human beings, traditions and values, to whom you appeal for support and with whom you seek to achieve victory and high esteem, are incapable of creating a fly, even if they muster all their forces, utilize all their knowledge and channel all their resources into one supreme effort. Indeed, the creation of a mere fly, that small and abject creature, defies all the harnessed powers of such false gods.

Creating a fly is just as impossible, for anyone or thing other than God, as creating a camel or an elephant, because the fly also demonstrates the great secret of life. Hence, it is placed on the same level as camels and elephants, with regard to its miraculous creation. The Qur’ānic aphorism, however, cites the case of a little, insignificant fly in order to generate a more profound feeling of powerlessness, without compromising the underlying principle.

The sūrah adds another dimension in describing their powerlessness: “If a fly robs them of anything, they cannot rescue it from him!” (Verse 73) False deities, be they idols or humans, cannot retrieve anything from a fly when it robs them of it. Flies can rob people of that which is precious indeed. At the same time, a fly carries agents of some very serious diseases, such as tuberculosis, typhoid, dysentery and conjunctivitis. It can deprive a person of his eyes or other organs, or indeed deprive him of his life. A weak and contemptible fly can rob a human being of what he can never retrieve.

Here again we note how the Qur’ānic style uses facts in the most effective way. Had the text referred to lions and similar wild animals adding that men cannot rescue anything such animals rob them of, it would have generated an air of strength and force, rather than weakness. Besides, the most powerful animals cannot rob man of anything greater than what a fly can rob him of.

This powerful image stating a clear aphorism concludes with a simple comment: “Weak indeed is the seeker, and weak the sought!” (Verse 73) This comment further emphasizes the effects generated by the verse as a whole. At this moment when we realize how weak and contemptible these false deities are, the sūrah denounces the unbelievers for their faulty concept of God, clearly stating God’s power: “No true understanding of God have they. God is certainly Most Powerful, Almighty.” (Verse 74) How could they understand Him as He really is when they associate with Him such powerless deities that cannot even create a fly? What understanding of God have they, when they see His highly sophisticated creation and yet they consider as equal to Him beings that cannot create even a little fly? They even invoke such powerless creatures which cannot retrieve anything flies take away from them, instead of invoking God. So, how can it be claimed that they have a proper concept of God? This is a damning comment at a point which should arouse feelings of submission to God alone.

The sūrah then mentions that God Almighty chooses His angel messengers to deliver His revelations to prophets, and chooses His human messengers to address mankind. All this is done on the basis of immaculate knowledge and total ability: God chooses message bearers from among the angels and from among men. God hears all and sees all. He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them. To God all things shall return. (Verses 75-76) The choice of both angel and human messenger is made by the Almighty, and it was from the Almighty that Muhammad received the message of Islam. It was God who chose Muhammad to be His Messenger to mankind. How could he be compared to those who rely on deities that are both weak and contemptible? “God hears all and sees all,” and as such “He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them.” His knowledge is perfect, immaculate, complete. Nothing present or absent, near or distant escapes God’s knowledge. “To God all things shall return.” (Verse 76) He is the ultimate arbiter, who has power over all things. 

Overview (Verses 73 - 76)

Powerless Man

The sūrah now makes a powerful, universal declaration that all deities people associate with God, including the ones to which the wrongdoers appeal for help, are weak and powerless. Their weakness is shown in a bustling and captivating scene: Mankind. An aphorism is set forth; hearken, then, to it. Those beings whom you invoke instead of God cannot create a fly, even though they were to join all their forces to that end. If a fly robs them of anything, they cannot rescue it from him! Weak indeed is the seeker, and weak the sought! (Verse 73) The address is universal, it includes everyone anywhere in the world, and the declaration is loud and clear: “Mankind!” When people have been gathered to listen, they are told that they are about to be given a statement of a general principle, not a particular case applicable on a certain occasion. “An aphorism is set forth; hearken, then, to it.” It is a statement of fact that applies in all situations: “Those beings whom you invoke instead of God cannot create a fly, even though they were to join all their forces to that end.” All false deities, whether they be idols and statues, human beings, traditions and values, to whom you appeal for support and with whom you seek to achieve victory and high esteem, are incapable of creating a fly, even if they muster all their forces, utilize all their knowledge and channel all their resources into one supreme effort. Indeed, the creation of a mere fly, that small and abject creature, defies all the harnessed powers of such false gods.

Creating a fly is just as impossible, for anyone or thing other than God, as creating a camel or an elephant, because the fly also demonstrates the great secret of life. Hence, it is placed on the same level as camels and elephants, with regard to its miraculous creation. The Qur’ānic aphorism, however, cites the case of a little, insignificant fly in order to generate a more profound feeling of powerlessness, without compromising the underlying principle.

The sūrah adds another dimension in describing their powerlessness: “If a fly robs them of anything, they cannot rescue it from him!” (Verse 73) False deities, be they idols or humans, cannot retrieve anything from a fly when it robs them of it. Flies can rob people of that which is precious indeed. At the same time, a fly carries agents of some very serious diseases, such as tuberculosis, typhoid, dysentery and conjunctivitis. It can deprive a person of his eyes or other organs, or indeed deprive him of his life. A weak and contemptible fly can rob a human being of what he can never retrieve.

Here again we note how the Qur’ānic style uses facts in the most effective way. Had the text referred to lions and similar wild animals adding that men cannot rescue anything such animals rob them of, it would have generated an air of strength and force, rather than weakness. Besides, the most powerful animals cannot rob man of anything greater than what a fly can rob him of.

This powerful image stating a clear aphorism concludes with a simple comment: “Weak indeed is the seeker, and weak the sought!” (Verse 73) This comment further emphasizes the effects generated by the verse as a whole. At this moment when we realize how weak and contemptible these false deities are, the sūrah denounces the unbelievers for their faulty concept of God, clearly stating God’s power: “No true understanding of God have they. God is certainly Most Powerful, Almighty.” (Verse 74) How could they understand Him as He really is when they associate with Him such powerless deities that cannot even create a fly? What understanding of God have they, when they see His highly sophisticated creation and yet they consider as equal to Him beings that cannot create even a little fly? They even invoke such powerless creatures which cannot retrieve anything flies take away from them, instead of invoking God. So, how can it be claimed that they have a proper concept of God? This is a damning comment at a point which should arouse feelings of submission to God alone.

The sūrah then mentions that God Almighty chooses His angel messengers to deliver His revelations to prophets, and chooses His human messengers to address mankind. All this is done on the basis of immaculate knowledge and total ability: God chooses message bearers from among the angels and from among men. God hears all and sees all. He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them. To God all things shall return. (Verses 75-76) The choice of both angel and human messenger is made by the Almighty, and it was from the Almighty that Muhammad received the message of Islam. It was God who chose Muhammad to be His Messenger to mankind. How could he be compared to those who rely on deities that are both weak and contemptible? “God hears all and sees all,” and as such “He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them.” His knowledge is perfect, immaculate, complete. Nothing present or absent, near or distant escapes God’s knowledge. “To God all things shall return.” (Verse 76) He is the ultimate arbiter, who has power over all things.