(41–44) “Whenever they see you, they take you only as an object of ridicule: ‘Is this the one Allah has sent as a messenger? * He nearly led us astray from our gods, had we not remained steadfast in worshipping them.’ But they will know, when they see the punishment, who has strayed farther from the way. * Have you seen the one who takes his own desire as his god? Are you then to be a guardian over him?”
That is, when these people who deny you, stubbornly oppose the signs of [Allah] (1), and behave arrogantly on earth see you, O Muhammad, they mock and scorn you. They say disparagingly and belittlingly, “Is this the one Allah has sent as a messenger?” In other words, they claim that it is neither fitting nor appropriate for Allah to send this man. This stems from the severity of their injustice and obstinacy and their reversal of the truth. Their words imply that the Messenger—far be it from him—was utterly base and contemptible, and that it would have been more fitting had messengership been given to someone else.
“They said, ‘Why was this Quran not sent down to a great man from one of the two cities?’” Such words could proceed only from the most ignorant and misguided of people, or from someone exceedingly obstinate who feigns ignorance. His aim is to promote the falsehood he holds by disparaging the truth and the one who brought it. The truth, however, is that anyone who reflects upon the qualities of Muhammad ibn Abd Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—will find him the foremost man in the world, its most resolute leader, preeminent in intellect, knowledge, discerning wisdom, sound judgment, noble character, excellent traits, chastity, courage, generosity, and every virtue. He will also find that anyone who scorns and hates him has amassed a degree of foolishness, ignorance, misguidance, contradiction, injustice, and aggression found in no one else. It is sufficient proof of such a person’s ignorance and misguidance that he disparages this magnificent Messenger and noble leader.
Their purpose in disparaging and mocking him was to reinforce their adherence to falsehood and to deceive those of weak intellect (2). Thus they said, “He nearly”—this man—“led us astray from our gods” by declaring the gods to be one God. “Had we not remained steadfast in worshipping them,” he would have led us astray. They claimed—may Allah disgrace them—that monotheism is misguidance and that their polytheism is guidance. They therefore urged one another to remain steadfast in it: “The chiefs among them went forth, saying, ‘Carry on, and remain steadfast in worshipping your gods.’”
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Here they said, “Had we not remained steadfast in worshipping them.” Steadfastness is praiseworthy in every context except this one, for this is steadfastness in pursuing the causes of wrath and amassing ever more firewood for Hell. The believers, by contrast, are as Allah says of them: “They urge one another to the truth and urge one another to steadfastness.” Since their words amounted to a judgment that they were rightly guided and that the Messenger was astray, and since it had become clear that they were beyond remedy, He threatened them with punishment. He informed them that, at that time, “when they see the punishment,” they will know with true certainty “who” it is that “has strayed farther from the way.” “On that Day the wrongdoer will bite his hands and say, ‘If only I had taken a path with the Messenger!’” and the following verses.
Can there be any misguidance greater than that of a person who has made [his desire] (3) his god and object of worship, doing whatever he desires? That is why He says, “Have you seen the one who takes his own desire as his god?” Do you not marvel at his condition and see the misguidance in which he is mired, while he assigns himself the loftiest ranks?
“Are you then to be a guardian over him?” That is, you have no control or authority over him. You are only a warner; you have discharged your duty, and his reckoning rests with Allah.