Tafsir of Ar-Rum 30:35

"Or have We sent down to them an authority..."

The shift from the second person to the third person is intended to signal a turning away from them and to enumerate their offenses to others by way of reproach. The 'am (Or) is disjunctive (munqati'ah).

Sultan refers to a proof or argument; thus, "sending down" is a metaphor for teaching or informing. His saying—Exalted is He—"...so that it speaks" means it indicates [that their polytheism is correct]. Here, you may consider all the possibilities that they have considered in their saying "the state of affairs spoke" (nataqat al-hal). It is also permissible that "authority" (sultan) be understood as "possessor of authority," meaning a sovereign who carries with him a proof, in which case there is no metaphor at the beginning or the end.

The sentence "so that it speaks" is the response to the interrogation contained within the 'am, for the meaning is: "Nay, have We sent down to them an authority, so that it speaks [regarding what they used to associate with Him]." This means: regarding their association of partners with Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He.

Its validity is established:

1. If ma is an infinitive particle (masdariyyah) and the pronoun in bihi refers to Allah, the Exalted.
2. Or [it refers] to the matter for which they associate partners and [claim] His divinity, if ma is a relative pronoun (mawsulah) and the pronoun in bihi refers to it [the matter], with the letter ba serving as a causative agent.

The intended meaning is to negate that they have any firm grip or support to rely upon in their polytheism.