(19–25) “Have you considered al-Lāt and al-Uzzā, * and Manāt, the third, the other? * Are males for you and females for Him? * That, then, is an unfair division! * They are nothing but names that you and your forefathers have given them, for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow nothing but conjecture and what their souls desire, although guidance has certainly come to them from their Lord. * Or is man to have whatever he wishes? * To Allah belong the Hereafter and the present life.”
After Allah, Exalted is He, mentioned the guidance and religion of truth brought by Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the command to worship Allah and affirm His oneness, He explained the falsity of the polytheists’ practice of worshipping beings that possess none of the attributes of perfection and can neither benefit nor harm. They are merely names devoid of any reality, coined by the polytheists and their ignorant, misguided forefathers. They invented false names for them which they did not deserve, thereby deceiving themselves and other misguided people. Deities of this kind do not deserve even an atom’s weight of worship.
The polytheists claimed that the names they gave these rivals to Allah were derived from attributes those beings actually possessed. Thus, they derived “al-Lāt” from al-Ilāh (the God worthy of worship), “al-Uzzā” from al-Azīz (the Almighty), and “Manāt” from al-Mannān (the Bestower), thereby distorting the names of Allah and boldly committing polytheism against Him. Yet these are mere names devoid ⦗820⦘ of any reality, and anyone possessing even the slightest measure of reason knows that ascribing such qualities to them is false.
“Are males for you and females for Him?” That is: Do you assign daughters to Allah, as you claim, while reserving sons for yourselves?
“That, then, is an unfair division!” That is, an unjust and inequitable one. [What injustice could be greater than a division] that entails preferring the created servant over the Creator? [Exalted is He, far above what they say!]
His words, “They are nothing but names that you and your forefathers have given them, for which Allah has sent down no authority,” mean that Allah has sent down no proof or evidence establishing the validity of your doctrine. Anything for which Allah has sent down no authority is false and corrupt and must not be adopted as religion. They themselves follow no proof that gives them certainty regarding the position they have embraced. They have been led to their claim only by corrupt conjecture, worthless ignorance, and their souls’ desire for polytheism and innovations that accord with their whims. Yet they have no reason to resort to conjecture, such as the absence of knowledge and guidance.
Allah, Exalted is He, therefore says, “Although guidance has certainly come to them from their Lord.” That is, guidance showing them the truth concerning monotheism, prophethood, and every matter that people need. Allah has explained all of these in the fullest and clearest manner and in the way that most directly points to what is intended. He has established proofs and evidence that require them and everyone else to follow this guidance. After such clarification and proof, no one has any excuse or argument left.
Since the path they follow amounts to nothing more than conjecture and ultimately leads to everlasting misery and perpetual punishment, persisting in this condition is the height of folly and the gravest injustice. Despite this, they indulge in wishful thinking and are deluded by themselves.
Allah, Exalted is He, therefore rebukes anyone who falsely claims that he will obtain whatever he wishes, saying: “Or is man to have whatever he wishes? To Allah belong the Hereafter and the present life.” He grants from both to whomever He wills and withholds from whomever He wills. Matters are not governed by their wishes and do not conform to their desires.