Surah An-Nahl: Verses (22-23)

Your God is One God...

Know that when the Almighty previously invalidated the method of idol and statue worshippers and demonstrated the corruption of their doctrine with overwhelming proofs, He said: {Your God is One God}.

Then, the Almighty mentioned the reason why the disbelievers persisted in affirming polytheism and denying monotheism, saying: {But those who do not believe in the Hereafter—their hearts are denying, and they are arrogant}.

The meaning is that those who believe in the Hereafter, desire eternal reward, and fear eternal punishment, when they hear the proofs, encouragement, and warnings, they fear the punishment, reflect, and contemplate what they hear. Consequently, they benefit from hearing the proofs and return from falsehood to truth.

However, those who do not believe in the Hereafter and deny it have no desire for reward nor fear of punishment. Thus, they remain denying every statement that contradicts their assertion and are too arrogant to return to the opinion of others. Consequently, they remain insistent upon their ignorance and misguidance.

Then the Almighty said: {Undoubtedly, Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal}.

This means that the Almighty knows that their insistence on these corrupt doctrines is not due to any doubt they conceived or any problem they imagined, but rather due to blind imitation, aversion to returning to the truth, passion for supporting the doctrines of their ancestors, arrogance, and haughtiness. For this reason, He said: {Indeed, He does not love the arrogant}. This warning encompasses all the arrogant.

{And when it is said to them, "What has your Lord sent down?" they say, "Legends of the former people."}

{So that they may bear their full burdens on the Day of Resurrection, and some of the burdens of those whom they lead astray without knowledge. Unquestionably evil is that which they bear.}