And His saying:

“Who is more astray than the one who calls upon, instead of Allah, those who will never answer him until the Day of Resurrection, while they are unaware of his supplication? 5 And when all people are gathered, they will be enemies to them and will reject their worship.” (Al-Ahqaf 46:5–6)

Gloss of key words and phrases
• man ʾaḍall: no one is more misguided.
• min dūni Allāh: other than Allah.
• lā yastajību lahu: unable to respond by granting what he asks.
• wa-hum: i.e., the ones being invoked.
• ʿan duʿāʾihim: the supplication addressed to them by the polytheists.
• ghāfilūn: unaware of that supplication, for they are either dead, inanimate objects, or angels occupied with what they were created to do.
• wa-idhā ḥushira n-nās: when the people are assembled on the Day of Resurrection.
• kānū: the alleged deities called upon apart from Allah.
• lahum aʿdāʾ: they will disown and show enmity toward their worshippers.
• kāfirīn: denying the worship offered to them.

Overall meaning of the two verses: Allah rules that none are more misguided than those who invoke created beings incapable of answering them in this world and unaware of their pleas. Then, when the Resurrection comes and mankind is gathered, those very beings will repudiate and oppose their callers. The polytheist, therefore, suffers misery in both abodes: no response in this life, and a denial of his worship in the Hereafter when he needs it most.

Relevance of the two verses to this chapter: they pronounce judgment on whoever supplicates other than Allah, namely that he