Here it begins with the hazards of polytheism, which will make the conducts of polytheists futile and of no value. Polytheism is like a tempest: It comes at once, and destroys all the works that have been done as services to God, as if a violent wind takes away some ashes or dusts, that are upon a stone!:-
``It has been revealed to you and to those before you that if you associate any partner with God, your acts will seriously become futile, and you will be the loser.''
Here in this verse, though the prophets are addressed; but people are the object of the warning, because a prophet will never become a polytheist.
From beginning of the world, the Message of the Creator to His creatures, was that of UNITY and God's Oneness. It has been renewed again and again by God's Messengers like, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad (SA).
They all have taught and preached this tenet, that associating a partner with God, will spoil all our services, rendering them futile and fruitless!
We therefore should worship Allah alone, and give thanks to Him by respecting His gifts that are no less than infinite, and use them in a proper way as far as it is possible for us.
In the last verse above, a reason is brought forth, to show the cause of becoming a polytheist:-
``They did not recognize Allah as He deserves to be recognized.''
If they only knew that He is a Being Infinite in all aspects and respects, Who has created all the creatures, and Who maintains them and cares for them, they would easily come to know that, no compeer can ever be ascribed to Him:-
``In the Resurrection Day the whole earth is in His grasp, and the heavens too are rolled up in His right hand.''
As to the meaning of the Arabic, ``GHABZATOHO'', Allameh Usuf Ali has understood it to mean:-
``The whole earth will be no more to God than a small thing that a man might enclose in the hollow of his hand, nor will the heavens with vast expansion, be more than a scroll which a man might roll up with his right handِthe hand of power and action.''
