(51–52) “I did not call them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor even their own creation; nor would I ever take those who lead others astray as assistants. On the Day He says, ‘Call upon those whom you claimed to be My partners,’ they will call upon them, but they will receive no answer. And We will place between them a gulf of destruction.”
Allah Most High says: I did not call the devils [and these misleaders] to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation—that is, I did not bring them to witness it or consult them about it. How, then, could they have created any part of it? Rather, Allah alone creates and governs, and exercises wisdom and ordains all things. He is the Creator of everything and disposes of it in His wisdom. How, then, can devils be made His partners, taken as allies, and obeyed as Allah is obeyed, when they created nothing, witnessed no act of creation, and gave Allah Most High no assistance?! Hence He says, “Nor would I ever take those who lead others astray as assistants”—that is, as helpers or supporters of Allah in any matter. It is neither proper nor befitting for Allah to assign them any share in governing creation, for they strive to mislead created beings and set them against their Lord. They therefore deserve to be kept far away, not brought near.
After describing those who associated partners with Him in this world, utterly refuting their polytheism and declaring those who practice it ignorant and foolish, He informs us of their condition with their alleged partners on the Day of Resurrection. Allah will say to them, “Call upon those whom you claimed to be My partners”—that is, according to the implications of your false claim, for in truth Allah has no partner on earth or in heaven. In other words: Call upon them so that they may benefit you and deliver you from these hardships. “They will call upon them, but they will receive no answer,” because on that Day all judgment and sovereignty belong to Allah. No one will possess so much as an atom’s weight of benefit for himself or anyone else.
“And We will place between them”—that is, between the polytheists and their alleged partners—“a gulf of destruction”: a place of ruin that separates them and distances each group from the other. The enmity of the alleged partners toward those who associated them with Allah will then become evident, as will their rejection and disavowal of them. As Allah Most High says, “When humanity is gathered, they will become their enemies and will disavow their worship.”