His words and deeds. His words convey truth, sound direction, sincere counsel, and guidance, while His deeds embody wisdom, justice, mercy, and benefit. This is the soundest interpretation of the verse, and many commentators mention no other. Those who mention other interpretations present this one first, then relate the others afterward, as al-Baghawī does. He affirms it unequivocally as the interpretation of the verse, then says:

“Al-Kalbī said: ‘He guides you to a straight path.’”

I say: His guiding us to the path necessarily follows from His being, glorified is He, on the straight path. He guides through His deeds and words, and He is on the straight path in His deeds and words. Thus, this does not contradict the interpretation that He, glorified is He, is on the straight path.

He said: “It is also said that this refers to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who commands justice and is on a straight path.”

I say: This is true and does not contradict the first interpretation. Allah is on the straight path, and so is His Messenger, for he commands and does only what that path entails and requires. According to this interpretation, the parable concerns the leader and guide of the disbelievers—the idol, which is mute and incapable of providing guidance or any good—and the leader of the righteous, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who commands justice and is on a straight path.

According to the first interpretation, the parable concerns the object of the disbelievers’ worship and the One whom the righteous worship.

The two interpretations necessarily imply one another. Some commentators mention one, and others mention the other; both are intended by the verse. He said: “It is also said that the two men represent the believer and the disbeliever. ʿAtiyyah relates this from Ibn ʿAbbās.”

ʿAtāʾ said: “The mute man is Ubayy ibn Khalaf, and the one who commands justice refers to Hamzah, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, and ʿUthmān ibn Mazʿūn.” «1»