“That is because, when Allah alone was invoked, you disbelieved; but when partners were associated with Him, you believed. So judgment belongs to Allah, the Most High, the Great. (12)

“He is the One who shows you His signs and sends down provision for you from the sky. Yet none takes heed except those who turn to Allah. (13)

“So call upon Allah, devoting your religion sincerely to Him, however much the disbelievers may detest it. (14)

“The Raiser of ranks, Lord of the Throne, sends down revelation by His command upon whomever He wills of His servants, so that he may warn of the Day of Meeting. (15)

“The Day when they will come forth, with nothing about them hidden from Allah. ‘To whom belongs all dominion today?’ To Allah, the One, the Supreme Subduer. (16)”

Allah, exalted is He, says: “That is because, when Allah alone was invoked, you disbelieved.” There is an omitted phrase here which is understood from the wording. Its intended sense is: You were answered that there is no way to that, and that this punishment and everlasting abode in the Fire are yours because, when Allah alone was invoked, you disbelieved. When it was said, “There is no god but Allah,” [you disbelieved] (1), and said, “Has he made all the gods into one god?” (Sad 38:5). “But when partners were associated with Him”: when someone other than Him was associated with Him, “you believed”—that is, you affirmed that association. “So judgment belongs to Allah, the Most High, the Great,” above whom none is higher and none greater.

“He is the One who shows you His signs and sends down provision for you from the sky”: that is, rain, which is the cause of provision. “Yet none takes heed”: none is admonished by these signs, “except those who turn to Allah,” returning to Allah, exalted is He, in all their affairs.

“So call upon Allah, devoting your religion sincerely to Him”: that is, obedience and worship. “However much the disbelievers may detest it.”

“The Raiser of ranks”: the One who raises the ranks of the prophets and Allah’s righteous allies in Paradise. “Lord of the Throne”: its Creator and Owner. “Sends down revelation”: He calls it spirit because hearts are brought to life by it just as bodies are brought to life by spirits. “By His command”: Ibn Abbas said, “From His decree.” It was also said, “From His word.” Muqatil said, “By His command.” “Upon whomever He wills of His servants, so that he may warn”: that is, so that the Prophet may warn through revelation, “of the Day of Meeting.” Ya'qub recited it in the second person, meaning: so that you, Muhammad, may warn of the Day of Meeting—the Day on which the inhabitants of heaven and the inhabitants of earth will meet. Qatadah and Muqatil said: on it, all creatures will meet their Creator. Ibn Zayd said: the servants will meet one another. Maymun ibn Mihran said: the wrongdoer, the wronged, and the adversaries will meet. It was also said: the worshippers and those whom they worshipped will meet; and it was said: a person will meet his deeds. (2)

“The Day when they will come forth”: emerging from their graves, exposed, with nothing concealing them. “With nothing about them hidden from Allah”: nothing of their deeds or their conditions will be hidden from Him. Allah, exalted is He, will say on that Day, after creation has perished: “To whom belongs all dominion today?”