Tafsir of Fatir 35:3-4

6

"Remember.... you": "Do not be ungrateful: do not forget that whatever you have has been given by Allah". In other words, this sentence is meant to warn that whoever worships another than Allah, or regards a blessing as a favor done by another than Allah, or thanks another than Allah for a favor received, or prays to another than Allah for the grant of a blessing, is ungrateful".

7

There is a subtle gap between the first and the second sentence, which is being filled by the context itself. To understand this, one may visualize the scene like this: The polytheists are being addressed. The speaker asks the audience: 'Is there another creator beside Allah, who might have created you, and might be arranging provisions for you from the earth and heavens ?" After this question the speaker waits for the answer. But there is no reply from anywhere. No one replies that there is another one beside Allah, who is their creator and sustainer. This by itself shows that the audience also believe that there is none beside Allah, who could be their creator and sustainer. Then the speaker says: "If so, then He alone can be the Deity also and no one else. How have you been so deceived ? Why have you taken these others as your deities, when Allah alone is your Creator and Sustainer?"

8

"If they ...liar": `If they do not believe that there is no one worthy of worship but Allah, and accuse you of having made a false claim to Prophethood."

9

That is, "It is not for the people to give the verdict that whomsoever they call a liar should in actual fact become a liar. The judgment rests with Allah. He shall in the end decide who was the liar, and shall bring the real liars to their evil end."