Ali bin Abi Talib said that Allah's statement,
[لَهُ دَعْوَةُ
الْحَقِّ]
(For Him is the Word of Truth.) is in reference to Tawhid, according to Ibn
Jarir At-Tabari. Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, and Malik who narrated it from Muhammad
bin Al-Munkadir, said that,
[لَهُ دَعْوَةُ
الْحَقِّ]
(For Him is the Word of Truth.) means, "La ilaha illallah.'' Allah said next,
[وَالَّذِينَ
يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ]
(And those whom they invoke besides Him...), meaning, the example of those
who worship others besides Allah,
[كَبَـسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ
إِلَى الْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ]
(like one who stretches forth his hand for water to reach his mouth,) `Ali
bin Abi Talib commented, "Like he who stretches his hand on the edge of a deep
well to reach the water, even though his hands do not reach it; so how can the
water reach his mouth'' Mujahid said about,
[كَبَـسِطِ
كَفَّيْهِ]
(like one who stretches forth his hand) "Calling the water with his words and
pointing at it, but it will never come to him this way.'' The meaning of this
Ayah is that he who stretches his hand to water from far away, to either collect
some or draw some from far away, will not benefit from the water which will not
reach his mouth, where water should be consumed. Likewise, those idolators who
call another deity besides Allah, will never benefit from these deities in this
life or the Hereafter, hence Allah's statement,
[وَمَا دُعَآءُ
الْكَـفِرِينَ إِلاَّ فِى ضَلَـلٍ]
(and the invocation of the disbelievers is nothing but misguidance.)
[وَللَّهِ يَسْجُدُ
مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَظِلَـلُهُم بِالْغُدُوِّ
وَالاٌّصَالِ ]
(15. And unto Allah falls in prostration whoever is in the heavens and the
earth, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and in
the afternoons.)