وَإِنْ تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَى لَا يَتَّبِعُوكُمْ سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْكُمْ أَدَعَوْتُمُوهُمْ أَمْ أَنْتُمْ صَامِتُونَ ﴿۱۹۳﴾ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ فَادْعُوهُمْ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿۱۹۴﴾ أَلَهُمْ أَرْجُلٌ يَمْشُونَ بِهَا أَمْ لَهُمْ أَيْدٍ يَبْطِشُونَ بِهَا أَمْ لَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا أَمْ لَهُمْ آذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا قُلِ ادْعُوا شُرَكَاءَكُمْ ثُمَّ كِيدُونِ فَلَا تُنْظِرُونِ ﴿۱۹۵﴾

﴾193﴿ Wa in tad'oohum ilalhudaa laa yattabi'ookum; sawaaa'un 'alaikum a-da'awtumoohum 'am antum saamitoon
﴾194﴿ Innal lazeena tad'oona min doonil laahi 'ibaadun amsaalukum fad'oohum fal yastajeeboo lakum in kuntum saadiqeen
﴾195﴿ 'A lahum arjuluny yamshoona bihaa 'am lahum 'aidiny yabtishoona bihaaa 'am lahum a'yunuy yubsiroona bihaaa 'am lahum aazaanuny yasma'oona bihaa; qulid'oo shurakaaa'akum thumma keedooni falaa tunziroon

﴾193﴿ And if you call upon these partners for guidance, they cannot reach you. It is the same for you whether you call upon them or remain silent
﴾194﴿ Indeed Those whom you call upon (for your needs) besides Allah are servants like you (in need) So call upon them, and they should provide something for you, if you are truthful
﴾195﴿ Do they have feet with which they walk? Do they have hands with which they grasp? Do they have eyes with which they see Do they have ears with which they hear? Say, Call upon your partners (to harm me), then plot against me, so do not give me respite

[193] In this verse and the one that follows, there is a refutation of shirk in supplication (shirk fī al-du‘ā). The pronoun (هُمْ) refers to the false deities that are worshipped besides Allah—whether idols, graves, or others taken as intercessors.
(إِلَى الْهُدَى) – Refers to seeking guidance and good, just as one seeks such things from Allah, and He responds. But these so-called gods can neither hear nor respond to such requests. If they are idols, they are lifeless. If they are graves, the people in them are deceased and unable to act. Thus, they cannot grant guidance, benefit, or even respond in any way. A secondary interpretation is that the pronoun (هُمْ) refers to the stubborn disbelievers (mushrikīn) themselves. But this view is distant from the context, as the flow of verses is clearly discussing false deities and invalid objects of worship.
[194] This verse is a clear refutation of those who worship created beings—whether they are alive or dead—and ask them to fulfill their needs. A similar message is found in verse 102 of Surah al-Kahf. It is a direct response to those who commit shirk through worship (‘ibādah), especially those who worship servants of Allah (al-‘ibād), as the wording here specifically refers to servants, highlighting that servanthood is fundamentally incompatible with being worshipped. Even if the intended referents were idols, as some scholars like Sharbīnī and Fakhr al-Rāzī explained, the point remains: "You shape these idols in human form, but even if they were real, living human beings, they still wouldn’t be able to fulfill your needs—just like yourselves." (فَادْعُوهُمْ) – This is a statement of rebuke and challenge, not encouragement. It’s as if saying: “Go ahead and call upon them—see what they can do!” Thus, the verse is not limited to idols, but includes all false objects of worship—saints, spirits, prophets, graves—anyone besides Allah, whether dead or alive.
[195] This verse is also a refutation of shirk in control and power (shirk fī al-taṣarruf), and it further emphasizes the helplessness of the false deities mentioned in the previous verse. It negates four essential abilities, which are necessary for helping others:
1. They cannot walk with their feet.
2. They cannot grasp with their hands.
3. They cannot see with their eyes.
4. They cannot hear with their ears.
Yet despite this complete inability, people still call upon them for help—saying "Yā Madad!" This verse negates specific physical functions, not just metaphorically but based on the actual physical features of their idols. If the “gods” are idols, then their bodies were crafted by their own worshippers, yet they lack real function. If they are dead saints or humans, their bodies—if not decayed—still lack those abilities, making it irrational to turn to them for aid. Since these four faculties are essential for assisting anyone, Allah specifically denied their presence to emphasize their complete incapacity. (قُلِ ادْعُوا شُرَكَاءَكُمْ) – This is a direct challenge and a confident rebuttal to the polytheists. They used to threaten the Prophet (peace be upon him), saying: “Don’t speak against our gods—otherwise, they will harm you.” The response given here is powerful: “Then go ahead—call upon them to harm me, and gather all your forces. Don’t give me any respite—I am not afraid.” This shows the absolute confidence of tawḥīd and the complete falsehood of shirk.