Continuation of the exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “Say, ‘Call upon those you claim [to be gods] besides Allah. They do not possess the weight of an atom in the heavens or on the earth, and they have no share in them, nor do they have any helper from them.”

Can these deities benefit them? Do they benefit them? It is impossible for them to benefit them, and this is because the causes of benefit are absent from several angles:
First: They do not possess the weight of an atom in the heavens or on the earth, whether independently or in partnership. They have no assistance by which they could aid Allah the Exalted. It appears that they have no intercession except after Allah’s permission. So Allah the Exalted made clear that the causes of benefit in these deities are absent. His saying: This clause is introductory to explain the state of these deities. The weight of an atom of good or evil. Is this correct? They do not possess the weight of an atom, neither in the heavens nor on the earth. Do they possess less than the weight of an atom, or not less than the weight of an atom? Yes, because if the estimation is intended for exaggeration, then it has no implication, whether in abundance or in scarcity. So here, means “and not less than it,” which is clear. Good. In terms of abundance, And for this reason, He said in the verse of the hypocrites: [Al-Munafiqun:6] So when the qualifier is for exaggeration, whether in scarcity or abundance, it has no implication. Therefore, they do not possess the weight of an atom or less than it, in the heavens or on the earth. If they did possess that, you would say, “We will cling to them, perhaps they will give us from what they possess.” Correct? No? Good. Do they have a share in the heavens or on the earth? No. If they had a share, you would say, “Perhaps they will give us from their portion.” And for this reason, He said: Share. This is superfluous in wording but not in meaning. And thus, is a postponed subject, and its predicate is the prepositional phrase that was advanced: They have nothing in the heavens or on the earth. Exalted. From the deities. We also say regarding its grammar what we said about , namely, is superfluous in wording but not in meaning, and is a postponed subject. The word “helper” means the one who assists, as He said: [Al-Isra:88] So they have no assistance with Allah by which they could indicate to Allah, saying, “Give us in exchange for our assistance so that we may benefit whom? Those who call upon us.” They have no help with Allah, and they have no helper from them who assists.