Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (4/242)

“And I have followed the religion of my forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is not for us to associate anything with Allah. This is by Allah’s grace to us and to all people, yet most people are not grateful. (38) My fellow prisoners, are diverse lords better, or Allah—the One, the All-Compelling? (39)”

“And I have followed the religion of my forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”: thus he made clear that he was descended from the prophets. “It is not for us”: that is, it is not fitting for us “to associate anything with Allah”; its meaning is that Allah has protected us from polytheism. “This”—namely, monotheism and knowledge—“is by Allah’s grace to us and to all people,” through the guidance He has made clear to them. “Yet most people are not grateful.”

He then called the two of them to Islam, saying: “My fellow prisoners”: he called them his fellow prisoners because they were in prison, just as the inhabitants of Paradise are called the companions of Paradise, and the inhabitants of the Fire are called the companions of the Fire. “Are diverse lords”—that is, various deities: one made of gold, another of silver, another of iron; one higher, another intermediate, and another lower, differing from one another and unable either to harm or benefit—“better, or Allah—the One, the All-Compelling,” who has no second. The All-Compelling is the One who prevails over all. He then explained the impotence of the idols, saying:

﴿وَاتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ آبَائِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ مَا كَانَ لَنَا أَنْ نُشْرِكَ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ذَلِكَ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ (٣٨) يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ (٣٩) ﴾ . ﴿وَاتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ آبَائِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ﴾ أَظْهَرَ أَنَّهُ مِنْ وَلَدِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ﴿مَا كَانَ لَنَا﴾ مَا يَنْبَغِي لَنَا، ﴿أَنْ نُشْرِكَ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ﴾ مَعْنَاهُ: أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ عَصَمَنَا مِنَ الشِّرْكِ، ﴿ذَلِكَ﴾ التَّوْحِيدُ وَالْعِلْمُ، ﴿مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى النَّاسِ﴾ مَا بَيَّنَ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْهُدَى، ﴿وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ﴾ ثُمَّ دَعَاهُمَا إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالَ: ﴿يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ﴾ جَعَلَهُمَا صَاحِبَيِ السَّجْنِ لِكَوْنِهِمَا فِيهِ، كَمَا يُقَالُ لِسُكَّانِ الْجَنَّةِ: أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ، وَلِسُكَّانِ النَّارِ: أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ، ﴿أَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ﴾ أَيْ: آلِهَةٌ شَتَّى، هَذَا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، وَهَذَا مِنْ فِضَّةٍ، وَهَذَا مِنْ حَدِيدٍ، وَهَذَا أَعْلَى، وَهَذَا أَوْسَطُ، وَهَذَا أَدْنَى، مُتَبَايِنُونَ لَا تَضُرُّ وَلَا تَنْفَعُ، ﴿خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ﴾ الَّذِي لَا ثَانِيَ لَهُ. الْقَهَّارُ: الْغَالِبُ عَلَى الْكُلِّ. ثُمَّ بَيَّنَ عَجْزَ الْأَصْنَامِ فَقَالَ: