﴿ لَهُۥ دَعْوَةُ ٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَىْءٍ إِلَّا كَبَٰسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى ٱلْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَٰلِغِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا دُعَآءُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ ﴾

“Unto Him [alone] is due all prayer aiming at the Ultimate Truth, since those [other beings or powers] whom men invoke instead of God cannot respond to them in any way - [so that he who invokes them is] but like one who stretches his open hands towards water, [hoping] that it will reach his mouth, the while it never reaches him. Hence, the prayer of those who deny the truth amounts to no more than losing oneself in grievous error.”

(Unto Him is the real prayer) the Religion of the Truth: the confession that there is no god save Allah, which is the declaration of one's sincerity to Allah. (Those unto whom they pray) worship (beside Allah respond to them not at all) of benefit when they call upon them, (save as (if the response to) one who stretcheth forth his hands towards water) from far ((asking) that it may come unto his mouth and it will never reach it) in such state, hard as he may try. Allah says: just as water cannot possibly reach the mouth of such a man, the idols will also not benefit those who worship them. (The prayer of disbelievers) the worship of the disbelievers (goeth (far) astray) it is void and they will not find it.