55: And they worship other than Allah

"And they worship other than Allah" — whose status is exalted, and whose status is as mentioned — "what does not benefit them" if they worship it, "nor does it harm them" if they do not worship it. The intended meaning of this is idols, or everything worshipped other than Allah, the Mighty and Majestic; for there is no created being that possesses independent power over benefit or harm.

"And the disbeliever is ever, against his Lord"—the One whose traces of Lordship, Exalted and Majestic, have been mentioned—"a ẓahīr (helper/supporter)."

This means a muẓāhir (one who aids), as stated by al-Hasan, Mujahid, and Ibn Zayd. The form fa‘īl is used in the sense of mufā‘il (reciprocal actor), which is common; from this are the words nadīm (companion) and jalīs (sitter). Al-muẓāharah means assistance. That is, he aids Satan against his Lord, Glory be to Him, through enmity and polytheism. The term "the disbeliever" is intended as a generic noun; it is an explicit mention (using the noun) in a place where a pronoun would suffice, in order to emphasize their disbelief to them.

It is said: It refers to Abu Jahl, and the verse was revealed concerning him. Ikrimah said: It refers to Iblis, upon him be the curse; the meaning being that he assists the polytheists against his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, by enticing them to disobey Him and commit polytheism against Him. It is also said: The meaning is that he assists [them] against the allies of Allah, the Exalted.

It is permissible for this to be the intended meaning across all possibilities regarding the "disbeliever."

It is said: The meaning of ẓahīr is muhīn (one cast aside), from the expression "I ẓahartu by him," meaning you cast him behind your back. That is: he who worships something other than Allah, the Exalted, which neither benefits nor harms him, is muhīn (insignificant/lowly) before his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, having no character or status with Him, Glory be to Him. This was stated by al-Tabari, in which case fa‘īl is in the sense of maf‘ūl (passive participle). However, the well-known meaning is that ẓahīr means a mu‘īn (helper), not maẓhūr bihi (one cast behind the back).