Tafsir of Al-Furqan 25:19

(So they have belied you regarding what you say): This is a narration of His (Exalted is He) argument against the worshippers, delivered by way of shifting the address. He turns the speech away from the worshipped beings—once they have finished their response—and directs it toward the worshippers as an exaggeration in rebuking and shaming them. This is based on a conditional statement implied by the response, meaning: God (Exalted is He) then says: "The worshipped beings have belied you, O disbelievers."

Some prominent scholars suggest the Fa (So) is Fasiha (eloquent/explanatory), similar to its usage in the statement of Abbas ibn al-Ahnaf: "They said, 'Khorasan is the furthest extent of what is intended for us, then the return,' and so we have come to Khorasan." The implied meaning here is: "We said," or "God (Exalted is He) said: If you claim that they are gods, then they have belied you."

(Regarding what you say): Meaning, in your statement. This is based on the Ba (in 'bima') being synonymous with 'fi' (in), and 'ma' being a masdariyyah (infinitive particle). The prepositional phrase relates to the verb, and "the saying" refers to "what is said." It is also permissible for 'ma' to be relative (mawsulah), with the pronoun object omitted—meaning: "in that which you say." It is further suggested that the Ba is a connective, and the genitive phrase is an apposition of inclusion (badal ishtimal) for the accusative pronoun in "they belied you." The intended meaning of their statement is their claim that these are gods, or their saying: "These have led us astray." This has been challenged on the grounds that belying them in this statement has no relevance to what follows—namely, their inability to divert [the punishment] or to aid—since the only thing that would follow from being belied is their claim that they are gods and their helpers. However, there is a view to be considered in this, as we shall soon point out, God willing.

It is said: The address is directed to the worshipped beings, meaning: "The worshippers have belied you, O worshipped ones, in your saying: 'Exalted are You! It was not for us to take any protectors besides You,' as they claimed you were gods." The intent is to pass judgment of disbelief upon those liars in a manner that increases the indignation of the worshipped beings against them, making it a consequence of what will follow, God willing. The Fa here is also Fasiha, and the sentence serves as a penalty regarding the reports.

It is also said: It is an address to the believers in this world, meaning: "The disbelievers have belied you, O believers, in this world regarding what you profess of monotheism." The speech was brought forth so that what follows may be derived from it. Both views are as you can see, and the second is the more remote of the two. Abu Haywah recited "yaqulun" (they say) with a ya at the end of the word, which is a narration from Ibn Kathir and Qunbul. In this case, the address in "they belied you" is to the worshippers, and the plural pronoun in it and in "they say" refers to the worshipped, meaning: "The worshipped beings have belied you, O worshippers, by their saying: 'Exalted are You,' etc." The Ba signifies accompaniment or seeking assistance. Here, too, the previous two views apply: either "The worshipped have belied you, O worshippers, by their saying that you are gods," or "The disbelievers have belied you, O believers, in [the matter of] monotheism by their saying that these [whom you speak of] are gods."

(So you cannot): Meaning, O worshippers, you do not possess the power (to divert): i.e., to repel the punishment from yourselves in any way whatsoever, as indicated by the indefiniteness of the word—meaning neither by yourselves nor through an intermediary. It is said: [it means] a stratagem, from the saying, "He exercises sarf (stratagem) in his affairs," meaning he employs schemes. Others say it means repentance, or a ransom. The first is more manifest, for the root of sarf is the turning of a thing from one state to another; applying it to a stratagem, repentance, or ransom is metaphorical. The intent is: You possess no power to repel the punishment before it descends.

(Nor [find] any helper): i.e., not a single individual to aid—meaning assistance neither from yourselves nor from others after it has descended. It is said: "Nasran" is the plural of "Nasir" (helper), like "Sahb" is the plural of "Sahib" (companion), but this is baseless. The Fa serves to sequence the inability [to avert] upon the aforementioned belying, though not in the sense that had there been no belying, the power would have existed in reality; rather, [it is] according to their [the disbelievers'] claim, since they used to believe that these [idols] would repel the punishment from them and aid them. There is an element of mockery toward them in this. The "belying" upon which this consequence is ordered refers to their belying them in their claim that they are gods. It is also permissible that it refers to their belying them in their saying, "These have led us astray," which inherently denies their status as gods, and thus the order of the consequence is complete.

Ali (may God honor his face) and most of the seven reciters read it as "yastati'un" (they cannot) with a ya—meaning: "Your gods cannot divert the punishment from you," or as some say, a stratagem to divert it, "nor [can they] aid you." It is said regarding the meaning of the verse, assuming the previous address was to the believers: God (Exalted is He) intends that these disbelievers are strong in the stubbornness that necessitates punishment, so you [the believers] cannot divert it from them, nor [find] any aid for yourselves against the punishment that strikes them for what they deserve. This is according to Hafs’s reading, "tastati'un" (you cannot) with a ta. As for the reading of the majority, "yastati'un" (they cannot) with a ya, the meaning is: "They [the idols] cannot divert [the punishment] from themselves concerning what they are in, nor [find] aid for themselves regarding the punishment they deserve due to their belying," or "They cannot divert you from the Truth you are upon, nor [find] aid for themselves against the punishment."

(And whoever among you commits injustice): Meaning, whoever disbelieves (and worships another god besides God)—just like these disbelievers—we shall make him taste (in the Hereafter): (a great punishment): Whose magnitude cannot be measured; it is the punishment of the Fire. It is read as "yudhiquhu" (He shall make him taste) so the pronoun refers to God (Exalted is He). It is also said it refers to the masdar (infinitive) of "yazlim" (commits injustice), meaning: "the injustice shall make him taste," and this attribution is metaphorical.

Defining "injustice" (zulm) as disbelief is what is narrated from Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan, and Ibn Jurayj. It is supported by the fact that the context demands it, as the discussion from the beginning of the Surah has been about disbelief and its threat. It is permitted that it implies what encompasses polytheism and all other sins; the threat of punishment does not contradict the possibility of forgiveness regarding someone other than a polytheist, as has been established in its proper place. At-Tayyibi chose the first interpretation and held that the address is still to the disbelievers, as the discussion has been about them from the beginning, and [the phrase] "So they have belied you" has passed, and this verse concerns the terrors and punishments they will undergo from the point of His (Exalted is He) saying: "When it sees them from a far place." The meaning of "Whoever commits injustice" in that case is: "Whoever persists in injustice." In Al-Kashf, the view is that the address is general and injustice is disbelief. "Whoever commits injustice" is a noun used in place of a pronoun to alert [the reader] to their deep immersion in disbelief and their transgression beyond the limits of fairness and justice into pure tyranny and argumentation regarding what they accused the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) of. The original [meaning] was: "So they shall not be able to divert [it], nor [find] aid, and we shall make them taste a great punishment," or "We shall make them taste," based on the different recitations. Construing it as "whoever persists in injustice among you" so that the address is specific to the disbelievers is also correct, but it misses the subtle point we mentioned. It is not hidden that treating it as a noun replacing a pronoun is contrary to the apparent meaning; so contemplate this.