Al-An'am: 71
"Say, shall we call upon..."
Meaning: Shall we worship, besides Allah, that which has no power to benefit us nor harm us?
"...and turn back on our heels..."
Meaning: Returning to polytheism after Allah has saved us from it and guided us to Islam.
"...like one whom the devils have enticed..."
Meaning: Like one whom the rebellious jinn and ghouls have led away.
"...in the earth..."
Meaning: In the desolate wilderness.
"...confused..."
Meaning: Lost, straying from the path, not knowing what to do.
"...he has companions..."
Meaning: A group of friends.
"...calling him to guidance..."
Meaning: Calling him to show him the straight path—or the straight path itself is named "guidance." They say to him, "Come to us," but he has wandered off into the wilderness following the jinn, neither answering them nor coming to them.
This is based on what the Arabs claimed and believed: that jinn entice humans and ghouls take control of them, similar to His saying: "Like the one whom Satan has smitten with his touch" (Al-Baqarah: 275). Thus, He likens the one who strays from the path of Islam, following the footsteps of Satan while the Muslims call him to it, yet he pays them no heed.
"Say, 'Indeed, the guidance of Allah...'"
Which is Islam.
"...is the [only] guidance..."
It is the only guidance; whatever is beyond it is error and misguidance. "And whoever desires other than Islam as religion..." (Al-Imran: 85). "And what is there after the truth except error?" (Yunus: 32).
If you ask: What is the grammatical position of the Kaf (the "like" in "like one whom...")?
I say: It is in the accusative case as a state (hal) for the pronoun in "we turn back on our heels." Meaning: Shall we turn back while resembling the one whom the devils have enticed?
If you ask: What is the meaning of istahwathu (enticed)?
I say: It is in the form istif'al from hawa (to fall/wander) in the earth, meaning he became distracted/lost in it. It is as if the meaning is: they sought his destruction and were eager for it.
If you ask: What is the grammatical position of "and that we be commanded"?
I say: It is in the accusative case, conjoined to the position of His saying: "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the guidance," on the basis that both are things said. It is as if it were said: Say this statement, and say "we are commanded to submit."
If you ask: What is the meaning of the Lam in "to submit"?
I say: It is a Lam of causation for the command, meaning: We were commanded and told "submit" for the sake of our submission.
If you ask: If this was revealed regarding Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), why was it said to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), "Say, shall we call upon?"
I say: Because of the unity that existed between the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the believers, especially between him and al-Siddiq Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
"And that you establish prayer and fear Him. And it is He to whom you will be gathered. And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in truth. And the day He says, 'Be,' and it is, His word is the truth. And His is the dominion [on] the day the Horn is blown. [He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed; and He is the Wise, the Acquainted."
