or to Malik’s Lord. Then they will call upon their Lord and say: “Our Lord, our wretchedness overcame us, and we were a people astray. Our Lord, bring us out of it; and if we return, then we shall indeed be wrongdoers.” He said: Then He will remain silent toward them for twice the duration of the worldly life, after which He will answer them: “Remain despised therein, and do not speak to Me.” He said: By Allah, after that the people will not utter a single word; there will be nothing but exhaling and inhaling in the Fire of Hell. Their voices are likened to the sounds of donkeys: beginning with exhaling and ending with inhaling.” (1)

“Certainly, We brought you the truth, but most of you are averse to the truth. (78) Or have they resolved upon a plan? Then We too have firmly determined a plan. (79) Or do they think that We do not hear their secrets and their private counsels? Indeed, We do, and Our messengers are with them, recording. (80) Say: ‘If the Most Merciful had a son, I would be the first of the worshippers.’ (81) Exalted is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the Throne, far above what they describe. (82) So leave them to indulge in vain discourse and play until they meet the Day which they have been promised. (83)”

“Certainly, We brought you the truth”: that is, We sent Our Messenger to you, O people of Quraysh, with the truth; “but most of you are averse to the truth.”

“Or have they resolved upon a plan?” That is, have they firmly settled upon a plot against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him? “Then We too have firmly determined a plan”: We shall firmly determine a matter in requital for them. Mujahid said: “If they plot evil, I shall plot against them in like manner.”

“Or do they think that We do not hear their secrets and their private counsels?” That is, what they conceal from others and what they whisper among themselves. “Indeed”: We hear that and know it. “And Our messengers”—that is, the recording angels—“are with them, recording.”

“Say: ‘If the Most Merciful had a son, I would be the first of the worshippers.’” That is, if the Most Merciful had a son, as you claim and allege, then I would be the first to worship Him; yet He is One, having no partner and no child. It is related from Ibn Abbas that “if” means “there has not been”: the Most Merciful has no child, and I am the first of those who bear witness to that. Thus, he understood “if” here in the sense of negation.

Al-Suddi said: Its meaning is: If the Most Merciful had a son, I would be the first to worship Him on that basis; but He has no child.

It has also been said that “the worshippers” means those who are affronted: that is, I am the first to disavow and deny what you have said.

It is also said to mean: I am the first to be angered for the Most Merciful at the claim that He has a child. In Arabic usage, the verb can mean to be affronted and angered.

Some have said: In Arabic, one does not use the form ‘abada to derive ‘abid, “worshipper”; rather, the proper form is ‘abd, “servant.”

Then He declared Himself far above such claims, saying: “Exalted is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the Throne, far above what they describe”—that is, far above the falsehoods they utter.

“So leave them to indulge” in their falsehood, “and play” in their worldly life, “until they meet the Day which they have been promised”: that is, the Day of Resurrection.