Ar-Raʿd: 16
{Say, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, "Allah."}
This is a narration of their admission and a confirmation of it against them. For when he says to them, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?", they have no choice but to say, "Allah." It is like His saying: {Say, "Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Great Throne?" They will say, "Allah."} (Al-Mu'minun: 86).
This is like a debater saying to his opponent, "Is this your statement?" If he says, "This is my statement," he replies, "This is your statement," narrating his admission to establish it against him and to secure it from him. Then he says to him, "Then such-and-such follows from this statement of yours."
It is also possible that it is a prompting; meaning: if they hesitate to answer, prompt them, for they will accept the prompting and will not be able to deny it.
{Have you then taken besides Him protectors?}
After you have known Him to be the Lord of the heavens and the earth, have you taken protectors besides Him? You have made what should have been a cause for monotheism—your knowledge and admission—a cause for polytheism.
{Who possess no benefit or harm for themselves?}
They are unable to benefit themselves or ward off harm from themselves. How, then, could they do so for others? Yet you have preferred them over the Creator, the Provider, the Rewarder, and the Punisher. How manifest is your misguidance!
{Or have they attributed to Allah partners who created like His creation?}
"Or" (am) here implies denial. "Who created" is an adjective for the "partners." It means: they have not taken for Allah partners who are creators, who have created like the creation of Allah, {so that the creation seemed similar to them}—such that they would say, "These were capable of creation just as Allah was capable of it, so they deserve worship, and we take them as partners to Him and worship them as He is worshipped, since there is no difference between a creator and a creator."
Rather, they have taken for Him partners who are incapable, who cannot do what the created can do, let alone what the Creator can do.
{Say, "Allah is the Creator of all things."}
There is no creator other than Allah. It is not valid for Him to have a partner in creation, so He cannot have a partner in worship.
The One who is unique in Lordship.
Who cannot be overcome; everything other than Him is subject to His Lordship and is subdued.
{He sent down from the sky, rain, and valleys flowed according to their capacity, and the torrent carried a rising foam. And from that which they heat in the fire, desiring adornment or utensils, is a foam like it. Thus does Allah present [the example of] truth and falsehood. As for the foam, it vanishes, [being] cast off; but as for that which benefits the people, it remains on the earth. Thus does Allah present the examples.}
