Al-Ahqaf: (27) And We destroyed what...

Translation and Exegesis

And We destroyed what was around you, O disbelievers of Mecca...

It is understood that what is meant by "what was around you" are the towns surrounding you, O disbelievers of Mecca, referring to the towns of 'Ad and Thamud in Yemen and the Levant.

{And We varied the signs}: We made them clear to them.

{so that they might}: Meaning, so that the people of those towns might return (to the truth). Thus, "varying the signs" refers to the terrifying events that occurred before the destruction.

Al-Jubba'i said: The statement {so that they might return} means so that they might turn away from their disbelief. This indicates that Allah intended for them to return and did not intend for them to persist (in disbelief).

The response to this is that Allah did what, if another did it, it would be for the aforementioned intention (of guidance). However, we hold this interpretation because of the evidence indicating that He, the Glorified, wills all created things.

Then Allah, the Exalted, said: {Then why did not those whom they took besides Allah as intermediaries (to draw near) help them?}

Al-Qurbān (قربان) is what one uses to draw near to Allah the Exalted. Meaning, they took these idols/deities as intercessors by which they sought closeness to Allah, as stated when they said: {These are our intercessors with Allah} (Yunus: 18), and {We only worship them so that they may bring us nearer to Allah in station} (Az-Zumar: 3).

Regarding the grammatical analysis of the verse, there are several views:

1. The view of the author of Al-Kashshāf: One of the two objects of ittakhadha (took) is omitted and refers back to alladhīna (those whom), and the second object is ālihatan (gods). Qurbānan (intermediaries) is in the state of ḥāl (circumstantial accusative).
   • Objection: The verb that takes two objects is not complete unless both objects are explicitly mentioned. A ḥāl implies the completion of the statement, and placing the ḥāl between the two objects is contrary to the usual order.

2. The view of some scholars: Qurbānan is the second object, placed before the first object, which is ālihatan.
   • Objection: This leads to the sentence lacking a pronoun referring back to alladhīna (those whom).

3. The view of some verifiers: One of the two objects of ittakhadhū is implied, referring back to alladhīna. Qurbānan is made the second object, and ālihatan is treated as ‘aṭf bayān (apposition/elucidation).

Once the grammatical discussion is understood, the intended meaning is to state that those whom Allah destroyed—did those whom they worshipped, claiming they brought them closer to Allah to intercede for them—actually help them?

{Nay, they were lost to them}: Meaning, they were absent from helping them. This points to the impossibility of their deities being their helpers.

Then Allah, the Exalted, said: {And that was their falsehood}

Meaning, that impossibility (of them being helped) is the result (athar) of their falsehood (ifk), which is their taking them as gods. It is the fruit of their polytheism and their fabrication of lies against Allah by attributing partners to Him.

The author of Al-Kashshāf mentioned that {ifkahum} (their falsehood) is read with a sukūn (vowelization) on the fā’ and kāf (i.e., ifkahum), similar to ḥadhar and ḥidhr.

It is also read with a fatḥa on the fā’ and kāf (i.e., afkahum), meaning that this taking (of false gods), whose effect and fruit is this (failure to help), turned them away from the truth.

It is also read with a shadda (doubling) on the fā’ for emphasis: affakahum, meaning "it made them liars" (āfikīn), or it means "their saying of falsehood" (qawluhum al-ifk), similar to saying "a lying statement" (qawl kādhib).

Then He said: {and what they used to invent}

The implied meaning is: And that (failure of help) was their falsehood and their invention in attributing partners to Allah, the Exalted. And Allah knows best.

Quranic Text (Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:29-32)

{And [mention, O Muhammad], when We directed to you a group of the Jinn to listen to the Qur'an. And when they attended it, they said, "Be silent and listen." And when it was concluded, they went back to their people as warners.}

{They said, "O our people, indeed we have heard a Scripture revealed after Moses, confirming what came before it, guiding to the truth and to a straight path.}

{O our people, respond to the caller of Allah and believe in Him. He will forgive for you of your sins and protect you from a painful punishment.}

{And whoever does not respond to the caller of Allah, he will not escape on earth, and there will be no protectors for him besides Him. Those are in manifest error.}