statements by the scholars on the matter.

The saying, “I inherited it from my forefathers,” and the like: anyone who speaks in this way is denying Allah’s favor by attributing it to someone else; he rejects the blessing and fails to acknowledge it. The verse therefore encompasses everything the scholars have included within its purport.

Overall meaning of the verse: The polytheists concede that the blessings Allah has enumerated for them—in Sūrah al-Naḥl and elsewhere—come from Allah, yet they repudiate that admission by assigning those blessings to their idols, their ancestors, or others. In this they contradict themselves.

Lessons derived from the verse:

1. The polytheists affirm the oneness of lordship (tawḥīd al-rubūbiyyah).
2. Blessings must be attributed to Allah alone.
3. Attributing favors to anyone other than Allah is forbidden, for it constitutes associating partners with Him in lordship.
4. One must observe proper etiquette in speech and refrain from relying on causes themselves.