Quran Universe
16:73

وَيَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمۡلِكُ لَهُمۡ رِزۡقٗا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ

WayaAAbudoona min dooni Allahi ma la yamliku lahum rizqan mina alssamawati waalardi shayan wala yastateeAAoona

And they worship besides Allah 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.

Word by word
  1. وَيَعۡبُدُونَAnd they worship
  2. مِنother than
  3. دُونِother than
  4. ٱللَّهِAllah
  5. مَاwhich
  6. لَاnot
  7. يَمۡلِكُpossesses
  8. لَهُمۡfor them
  9. رِزۡقٗاany provision
  10. مِّنَfrom
  11. ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِthe heavens
  12. وَٱلۡأَرۡضِand the earth
  13. شَيۡـٔٗا[anything]
  14. وَلَاand not
  15. يَسۡتَطِيعُونَthey are able
An-Nahl · 16:73Makkah

They cannot make a single drop of rain.

Worshipping what provides nothing

What they turned to
the idolsowns no provision
cannot give
rainnot one drop
cropsnot one leaf
Who actually provides
the thing I lean oncannot even help itself
Allah aloneCreator and Sustainer

The people of Makkah depended on rain and crops, yet worshipped idols. Ibn Kathir says these could not make rain fall or plants grow, not even for themselves if they wanted to. Only Allah is the Provider.

The job offer, the boss's mood, the client who keeps the business alive. You check your inbox like it holds your whole future. None of them can send rain. They are channels, not sources.

My income depends on this boss, this client, this market.

People and markets are channels. The provision itself comes only from Allah.

Try this

Before checking work messages tomorrow morning, say one short dua asking Allah for provision.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

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.