An eleventh point: this surah contains two kinds of statements:

The first concerns his disavowal of what they worship and their disavowal of the One he worships. This always holds true.

The second declares that he has his religion and they have theirs.

Does this mean leaving them alone and refraining from confronting them, such that it is subject to abrogation by the sword or restriction to certain disbelievers? Or does the verse retain its general scope and force, neither abrogated nor restricted?

These, then, are ten questions concerning this surah. We have already discussed one: the use of mā (“what”) rather than man (“who”).

Let us now discuss the remaining nine, drawing upon Allah’s bounty, seeking help through His power and might, and disavowing error before Him. Whatever is correct comes from Him alone, without partner; whatever is mistaken comes from us and Satan, and Allah and His Messenger are free of it.

As for the second question—the purpose of repeating the verbs—several explanations have been offered.

One is that His words, “I do not worship what you worship,” negate this in both the present and the future. The phrase “you are worshippers of what I worship” is its counterpart, meaning: you do not do so. His words, “Nor am I a worshipper of what you have worshipped,” mean: I never did so before revelation came. This is why their worship is expressed in the past tense: “what you have worshipped.” It is as though he said: I have never worshipped what you have worshipped. His words, “Nor are you worshippers of what I worship,” are its counterpart, meaning: you have never in the past worshipped the One whom I worship at all times.

On this interpretation, there is no repetition at all. The verses comprehensively negate such worship on his part and theirs in the past, present, and future, using the most concise, succinct, and lucid wording. This, Allah willing, is the best explanation offered. Let us therefore confine ourselves to it and not go beyond it to another. For the interpretations