If they are hypocrites, they are inwardly disbelievers, so the address applies to them.

This is like saying:

“Say: O you who wage war, dispute, fight, and show hostility!”

The address applies to them so long as they retain these characteristics. So long as a disbeliever remains a disbeliever, he does not worship Allah; rather, he worships Satan, whether he openly professes this or not, as in the case of the Jews. For the Jews do not worship Allah; rather, they worship Satan, because worship of Allah can only be through what He has prescribed and commanded. Although they claim to worship Him, those altered and forbidden practices are things He detests, hates, and forbids; they are therefore not worship.

Thus, anyone who disbelieves in Muhammad does not worship what Muhammad worships so long as he remains a disbeliever. The present-tense verb encompasses what continues without interruption. Hence, so long as he remains a disbeliever, he does not worship the One whom Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—worships, whether in the present or the future. He did not say of them:

“Nor do you worship what I worship.”

Rather, He used a nominal sentence to make clear that your very souls, wicked and disbelieving as they are, are devoid of worship of the God of Muhammad. They cannot worship Him so long as they remain disbelieving, for they can be His worshippers only by worshipping Him