(47–48) “To Him alone is referred the knowledge of the Hour. No fruit emerges from its sheath, nor does any female conceive or give birth, except with His knowledge. On the Day He calls to them, ‘Where are My alleged partners?’ they will say, ‘We declare to You that none of us bears witness to that.’ Those whom they used to invoke before will fail them, and they will know for certain that they have no escape.”

This is a statement concerning the vastness of His knowledge, exalted is He, and His exclusive possession of knowledge to which no one else has access. He therefore says: “To Him alone is referred the knowledge of the Hour.” That is, all creatures—the messengers, the angels, and everyone else—refer knowledge of it to Allah Most High and acknowledge their inability to know it.

“No fruit emerges from its sheath”—that is, the covering from which it emerges. This encompasses the fruits of every tree in settled lands and wildernesses alike. No fruit emerges from any tree without His knowing it in full detail.

“Nor does any female conceive”—whether among the children of Adam or any other kind of animal—except with His knowledge, “or give birth” to what she carries “except with His knowledge.” How, then, could the polytheists equate with Him, exalted is He, that which possesses neither knowledge, hearing, nor sight?

“On the Day He calls to them”—that is, to those who associated partners with Him—on the Day of Resurrection, rebuking them and exposing their falsehood, He will say to them: “Where are My alleged partners,” whom you claimed were My partners, whom you worshipped, on whose behalf you argued, and for whose sake you opposed the messengers?

“They will say,” acknowledging the falsity of their alleged divinity and partnership with Allah: “We declare to You that none of us bears witness to that.” That is: We inform You, our Lord—and bear witness against us—that not one of us now testifies that their divinity or partnership is valid. We have all now acknowledged the falsity of worshipping them and have disavowed them.

He therefore says: “Those whom they used to invoke” besides Allah “will fail them.” That is: ⦗752⦘ Their beliefs and deeds, on which they spent their lives worshipping others besides Allah, will come to nothing. They thought those objects of worship would benefit them, ward off the punishment from them, and intercede for them with Allah. But their efforts will have failed, their expectations will have been overturned, and their alleged partners will avail them nothing. “And they will know for certain”—that is, they will be certain in that situation—“that they have no escape”: no deliverer to save them, no rescuer, and no refuge. This is the fate of those who associate others with Allah. Allah has made it clear to His servants so that they may beware of associating partners with Him.