Here Allah mentioned a debate with the idolators, refuting a false notion they have
over their Shirk and the things that they prohibited. They said, surely, Allah has
full knowledge of the Shirk we indulge in, and that we forbid some kinds of wealth.
Allah is able to change this Shirk by directing us to the faith, - they claimed
- and prevent us from falling into disbelief, but He did not do that. Therefore
- they said Allah indicated that He willed, decided and agreed that we do all this.
They said,
﴿لَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَآ أَشْرَكْنَا
وَلاَحَرَّمْنَا مِن شَىْءٍ﴾
("If Allah had willed, we would not have taken partners (in worship) with Him, nor
would our fathers, and we would not have forbidden anything.") Allah said in another
Ayah,
﴿وَقَالُواْ لَوْ شَآءَ الرَّحْمَـنُ
مَا عَبَدْنَـهُمْ﴾
(And they said: "If it had been the will of the Most Gracious (Allah), we should
not have worshipped them (false deities)") ﴿43:20﴾. Similar is mentioned in Surat
An-Nahl. Allah said next,
﴿كَذَلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ﴾
(Likewise belied those who were before them,) for by using and relying on this understanding,
the misguided ones before them were led astray. This notion is false and ungrounded,
for had it been true, Allah would not have harmed them, destroyed them, aided His
honorable Messengers over them, and made them taste His painful punishment.
﴿قُلْ هَلْ عِندَكُم مِّنْ عِلْمٍ﴾
(Say: "Have you any knowledge...") that Allah is pleased with you and with your
ways,
﴿فَتُخْرِجُوهُ لَنَآ﴾
(that you can produce before us.) and make it plain, apparent and clear for us.
However,
﴿إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ الظَّنَّ﴾
(Verily, you only follow the Zann) doubts and wishful thinking,
﴿وَإِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ تَخْرُصُونَ﴾
(and you do nothing but lie) about Allah in the false claims that you utter. Allah
said next,
﴿قُلْ فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَـلِغَةُ
فَلَوْ شَآءَ لَهَدَاكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴾
(Say: "With Allah is the perfect proof and argument; had He so willed, He would
indeed have guided you all.") Allah said to His Prophet
﴿قُلْ﴾
(Say) O Muhammad, to them,
﴿فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَـلِغَةُ﴾
("With Allah is the perfect proof and argument. ..") the perfect wisdom and unequivocal
proof to guide whom He wills and misguide whom He wills.
﴿فَلَوْ شَآءَ لَهَدَاكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾
(had He so willed, He would indeed have guided you all.) All of this happens accordng
to His decree, His will, and His choice. So in this way, He is pleased with the
believers, and angry with the disbelievers. Allah said in other Ayat,
﴿وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ
عَلَى الْهُدَى﴾
(And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together (all) on true guidance,)
﴿6:35﴾ and
﴿وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لآمَنَ مَن
فِى الاٌّرْضِ﴾
(And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together.)
﴿10:99﴾ and,
﴿وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ
أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلاَ يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ ﴾
إِلاَّ مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ وَلِذلِكَ
خَلَقَهُمْ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبّكَ لاَمْلاَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ
أَجْمَعِينَ-﴾
(And if your Lord had so willed, He could surely have made mankind one Ummah, but
they will not cease to disagree. Except him on whom your Lord has bestowed His mercy
and for that did He create them. And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled: "Surely,
I shall fill Hell with Jinns and men all together.") ﴿11:118-119﴾ Ad-Dahhak said,
"No one has an excuse if he disobeys Allah. Surely, Allah has the perfect proof
established against His servants.'' Allah said,
﴿قُلْ هَلُمَّ شُهَدَآءَكُمُ﴾
(Bring forward your witnesses,) produce your witnesses,
﴿الَّذِينَ يَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ
حَرَّمَ هَـذَا﴾
(who can testify that Allah has forbidden this.) which you have forbidden and lied
and invented about Allah in this regard,
﴿فَإِن شَهِدُواْ فَلاَ تَشْهَدْ مَعَهُمْ﴾
(Then if they testify, do not testify with them.) because in this case, their testimony
is false and untrue,
﴿وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَ الَّذِينَ
كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَـتِنَا وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ وَهُم بِرَبِّهِمْ
يَعْدِلُونَ﴾
(And do not follow the vain desires of those who belie Our Ayat, and such as believe
not in the Hereafter, and they hold others as equal with their Lord.) by associating
others with Allah in worship and treating them as equals to Him.
﴿قُلْ تَعَالَوْاْ
أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلاَّ تُشْرِكُواْ بِهِ شَيْئاً وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ
إِحْسَاناً وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلَـدَكُمْ مِّنْ إمْلَـقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ
وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ الْفَوَحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ
النَّفْسَ الَّتِى حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ ذلِكُمْ وَصَّـكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ
تَعْقِلُونَ ﴾
(151. Say: "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not
anything in worship with Him; be kind and dutiful to your parents; kill not your
children because of poverty -- We provide sustenance for you and for them. Come
not near to Al-Fawahish (immoral sins) whether committed openly or secretly; and
kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause. This He has commanded
you that you may understand.")