Thus, in the present and future he disavows whatever the polytheists worship at any time. He denies that he may worship their object of worship and makes clear that such a thing cannot occur, is unfitting, and is impermissible. He thus denies both its religious permissibility and its possible occurrence.

Such language is used only of reprehensible actions, as when someone is invited to commit an injustice or an indecency and says:

“Would I do such a thing? I am not one who would ever do that!”

This is more emphatic than saying, “I will never do it.” It is like His words:

“You will not follow their direction of prayer, nor will they follow one another’s direction of prayer.”

This conveys a refusal to perform the act out of hatred and aversion to it, unlike saying, “I will not do it.” A person may refrain from something for another purpose while still loving it. Thus, when he says, “I am not a worshipper of what you have worshipped,” this expresses hatred, aversion, and loathing for their object of worship and for their worship of it. This is disavowal.

Hence, disavowal is used as the opposite of allegiance: one says, “Give your allegiance to so-and-so and disavow so-and-so.” As Allah Most High says:

“When they said to their people, ‘We disavow you and whatever you worship besides Allah’”—to the end of the verse.

As for His words concerning the disbelievers:

“Nor are you worshippers of what I worship,”

this addresses disbelievers as a class, even if they later embrace Islam. It addresses them so long as they remain disbelievers. Once they embrace Islam, it no longer applies to them, for they are then believers, not disbelievers.