| An-Nahl (The Bees): (86 - 87) And when those who...

This section is a continuation of the warning to the polytheists.

Regarding the term "partners" (shurakā') in the verse, there are two main opinions:

First Opinion: Allah will resurrect the idols that the polytheists used to worship.

• The purpose of their resurrection is for the polytheists to witness them in a state of utmost humiliation and insignificance.
• Furthermore, the idols will deny the polytheists, which will increase their grief and regret.
• The idols are described as "partners" for two reasons:
  1. The disbelievers themselves called them partners of Allah.
  2. The disbelievers allocated a share of their wealth to them.

Second Opinion: The intended "partners" are the devils who led the disbelievers to disbelief. This is the view of Al-Hasan.

• Al-Hasan favored this view because the verse states that those "partners" will cast back the saying: "Indeed, you are liars" toward those who associated them (with Allah). Since idols are inanimate objects, they cannot utter such a statement.
• However, this view is considered distant (weak) because Allah is capable of granting life, intellect, and speech to those idols, making it possible for them to say this.
• The verse then recounts the polytheists saying when they see these "partners": "Our Lord, these are the partners we used to invoke besides You."

If it is asked: What is the benefit of the polytheists saying this?

We answer: There are two perspectives:

1. Abu Muslim Al-Isfahani's view: The polytheists' intention is to shift the blame onto these idols, hoping this will save them from Allah's punishment or lessen it. At this point, the idols will deny them. Al-Qadi views this as unlikely, as the disbelievers will have certain knowledge in the Hereafter that punishment will befall them, and there will be no rescue, ransom, or intercession.
2. The polytheists say this out of astonishment that these idols are present, even though the idols bear no sin, and it serves as an acknowledgment that they were mistaken in worshipping them.

Then, Allah recounts that the idols deny them, saying: {فَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلَ إِنَّكُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ} (So they cast back to them the saying: "Indeed, you are liars").

• This means Allah creates life, intellect, and speech in those idols so they can utter this statement.
• The phrase {إِنَّكُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ} (Indeed, you are liars) is a substitute (badal) for the preceding statement (the polytheists' claim). The meaning is: "So they cast back to them the saying: 'Indeed, you are liars.'"

If it is asked: The polytheists only pointed to the idols and said, "These are our partners whom we used to invoke besides You," and they were truthful in all of that (i.e., they did invoke them). So how could the idols say, "You are liars"?

We answer: There are several interpretations:

• The most sound view is that their statement, "These are our partners," means: "These are the ones whom we claimed were partners of Allah in divinity." The idols then deny them regarding the establishment of this partnership.
• Another view is that the idols are saying, "You are liars in your claim that we deserve worship." This is supported by Allah's statement: {كَلَّا سَيَكْفُرُونَ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ} (Nay, they will deny their worship of them) (Surah Maryam: 82).

Then Allah states: {وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَى اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ السَّلَمَ} (And they will submit to Allah that Day).

• Al-Kalbī said: Both the worshipper and the worshipped submit, acknowledging Allah's Lordship and disavowing the partners and rivals.
• {وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ} (And lost from them was what they used to invent).
  • One interpretation: What Satan beautified for them—that Allah has a partner, a consort, or a child—will vanish from them.
  • Another interpretation: What they hoped for—that their gods would intercede for them with Allah—will be nullified.

{الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ زِدْنَاهُمْ عَذَابًا فَوْقَ الْعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُوا يُفْسِدُونَ} (Those who disbelieved and barred [people] from the way of Allah, We will increase them in punishment over the punishment because of the corruption they used to cause.)