“Or do they say, ‘He has fabricated it’? Rather, they do not believe. Then let them produce a discourse like it, if they are truthful. Or were they created from nothing, or are they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they have no certainty. Or do they possess the treasuries of your Lord, or are they the controllers?” (33–37)

“Or do they say, ‘He has fabricated it’?” That is, that he has composed the Quran of his own accord. Fabrication is the contriving of speech, and it is used only in reference to lying. The matter is not as they claimed; rather, “they do not believe” in the Quran out of arrogance.

Allah then confronted them with the decisive proof, saying: “Then let them produce a discourse like it”—that is, like the Quran in its composition and eloquence of expression—“if they are truthful” in claiming that Muhammad speaks it of his own accord.

“Or were they created from nothing?” Ibn Abbas said: “Without a Lord.” Its meaning is: Were they created without anything that created them, and thus came into existence without a Creator? This is impossible, for the relation of a created being to its Creator is inherent in the very meaning of the term. If they deny the Creator, it cannot be that they exist without one. “Or are they themselves the creators?”—that is, the creators of themselves. This is even more manifestly false, for how can that which has no existence create?

Once both possibilities have been disproved, the proof is established against them that they have a Creator; so let them believe in Him. This meaning was mentioned by Abu Sulayman al-Khattabi.

Al-Zajjaj said: Its meaning is: Were they created without purpose, so that they are neither held to account nor given commands? Ibn Kaysan said: Were they created in vain and left neglected, neither commanded nor forbidden? It is like someone saying, “I did such-and-such for nothing,” meaning, for no purpose. Or are they the creators of themselves, such that no command from Allah is binding upon them?

“Or did they create the heavens and the earth,” so that they themselves would be the creators? The matter is not so. Rather, “they have no certainty.”

“Or do they possess the treasuries of your Lord?” Ikrimah said: This means prophethood. Muqatil said: Are the keys of your Lord’s bestowal of messengership in their hands, so that they may place it wherever they wish? Al-Kalbi said: The treasuries of rain and provision. “Or are they the controllers?” That is, those vested with authority and tyrannical power. Ata said: Are they sovereign masters who prevail over all, such that they are not subject to command or prohibition, and may do whatever they wish?

It may be read with either sin or sad. Ibn Amir read it with sin here and in the word bimusaytir (“a controller”); Hamzah read both with a blended zay articulation; Ibn Kathir read it here with sin and bimusaytir with sad; while the remaining reciters read both with sad.