64. Say: "Is it other than Allah that you order me to worship, O you ignorant ones?"

Meaning: After all the proofs that necessitate worshiping Him, the Exalted, alone, is it other than Allah that you order me to worship? "Other" (ghayr) is an object placed before "to worship" (a‘bud). "You order me" (ta’murūni) is an interpolation to indicate that they ordered him—may the Exalted bestow peace and blessings upon him—to do so immediately following that, saying to him: "Touch some of our gods, and we will believe in your God," due to the extremity of their stupidity. For this reason, they were addressed with the descriptor of ignorance.

It is permissible that "to worship" (a‘bud) is in the position of an object for "you order me," on the basis that the original construction was "you order me to worship," but "to" (an) was elided and the verb remained in the indicative mood, as was said regarding his (the poet's) saying: O you who chides me: "Would that I attended the battle!"

The reading of those who recite "to worship" (a‘bud) in the accusative case supports this. "Other" (ghayr) is in the accusative case via what is indicated by "you order me to worship," meaning: "Do you make me a worshiper of other than Allah?" It is not valid for it to be in the accusative case via "worship" (a‘bud), because the relative clause (ṣilah) does not govern what precedes it, and the implied element is treated as if it were present. Some have said: It is governed by it, and an (the particle), after its elision, has its restrictive effect—which prevents governance—annulled.

Ibn Kathīr recited "you order me" (ta’murūni) with assimilation and a fatḥah on the yā’. Ibn ‘Āmir recited it as "you order me" (ta’murūnani) with the manifestation of both nūns, in accordance with the original form. Nāfi‘ recited it as "you order me" (ta’murūni) with a single nūn marked with a kasrah and a fatḥah on the yā’. There is a dispute regarding the determination of which of the two nūns was elided: it is said it was the second, because it is the one that caused the repetition; and it is said it was the first, because it is an inflectional letter susceptible to change.