O mankind that is to say O people of Mecca a similitude is being struck so listen to it and it is that truly those on whom you call whom you worship besides God that is other than Him and these are the idols will never create a fly dhubāb is a generic noun the singular of which is dhubāba for both the masculine and the feminine even if they rallied together to do so to create it. And if a fly should take away something from them such as a drop of the scents or the saffron in which they drench themselves they would not be able to recover that from it because of their complete incapacity so how can they worship those whom they suppose to be partners of God exalted be He? An odd thing — which He has expressed by striking a similitude. Feeble is the seeker the worshipper and the thing sought the thing worshipped!
