Tafsir of Al-Mu'minoon 23:23

{غيره} (other than Him): In the nominative case (rafʿ) based on the position [of the pronoun], and in the genitive case (jarr) based on the wording. The sentence is an istiʾnaf (resumption) that functions as a justification for the command to worship.

{أفلا تتقون} (Will you not then fear?): Will you not fear rejecting the worship of Allah, who is your Lord, your Creator, and your Provider? Gratitude for His blessings—which you cannot count—is an obligation upon you. Will you then go and worship someone other than Him who possesses no right to worship whatsoever?

{أن يتفضل عليكم} (that he might seek superiority over you): That he might seek to gain favor over you and rule over you, as in the Almighty’s saying: {And that you two might have greatness in the land} (Yunus: 78).

{بهذا} (by this): A reference to Noah (peace be upon him), or to what he spoke to them regarding the exhortation to worship Allah. That is: "We have never heard of such speech," or "We have never heard of such a person who claims, while being a human, that he is a Messenger of Allah." How astonishing is the state of misguidance! They were not satisfied with a human for prophethood, yet they were satisfied with a stone for divinity.

Their saying {ما سمعنا بهذا} (We have not heard of this) indicates that they and their forefathers had been in a long period of ignorance. Or, they were lying in that claim due to their immersion in error and their eagerness to repel the truth by any means possible, without distinguishing between truth and falsehood. Do you not see how they accused him of madness, even though they knew he was the most sound of people in intellect and the most balanced in speech? Al-jinn (madness) refers to insanity or the jinn, meaning: "He is possessed by jinn who confuse him."

{حتى حين} (until a time): That is, endure him and be patient with him for a while, until his affair reveals its outcome. If he recovers from his madness, [fine]; otherwise, you may kill him.

{He said, "My Lord, support me because they have denied me." So We inspired to him, "Construct the ship under Our observation and Our inspiration, and when Our command comes and the oven overflows, put into it from each [creature] two mates and your family, except those for whom the decree [of destruction] has preceded among them. And do not address Me concerning those who have wronged; indeed, they are to be drowned." And when you have boarded the ship, you and those with you, then say, "Praise to Allah, who saved us from the wrongdoing people." And say, "My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best to accommodate [us]." Indeed in that are signs, and indeed, We were to test [them].}