هٰؤُلاءِ قَومُنَا اتَّخَذوا مِن دونِهِ آلِهَةً ۖ لَولا يَأتونَ عَلَيهِم بِسُلطانٍ بَيِّنٍ ۖ فَمَن أَظلَمُ مِمَّنِ افتَرىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا

These – our people – have taken gods besides Him. Why do they not bring any clear authority regarding them? So who is a greater wrongdoer than he who fabricates a lie against Allah?

EXEGESIS

Sulṭān (authority) literally means the power to overcome others physically or intellectually.^{‎[1]Raghib, p. 420.} Here it carries the meaning of clear reason and evidence;^{‎[2]Tibyan, 7/16; Tabari, 15/138.} that is the evidence with which falsehood and baseless speculations can be overcome.

Iftarā (fabricates) comes from fary, literally meaning to cut leather for stitching and mending. Ifrāʾ is used when the product is ruined. Iftirāʾ is used for both meanings, but usually for the latter. In the Quran it is generally used to refer to polytheism and oppression.^{‎[3]Raghib, p. 634.} Here it means to allege something about God that is false.

The him in ʿalayhim (regarding them) is a third person masculine human plural, whereas the word ālihah (gods) should usually be referred to with the third person feminine singular hā. As such, many exegetes have said that the meaning here is ʿalā ʿibādatihim (their worship), or ʿalā ittikhādhihim (their taking) where the word ‘worship’ or ‘taking’ has been omitted.^{‎[4]Tibyan, 7/16; Tabrisi, 6/700; Tabari, 15/138; Zamakhshari, 2/707; Baghawi, 2/182; Muhit, 7/149.} Although some have considered it permissible that the pronoun suffix him is referring to ālihah because the polytheists regarded them as living beings.^{‎[5]For example Qurtubi, 10/366; Mizan, 13/250. Tabatabai considers it evidence that this is because those gods are representations of people, angels, or jinn.}

EXPOSITION

These – our people – have taken gods besides Him: this is a continuation of what the believing youths said, however this – and the next verse – is perhaps stated in another setting, when they were amongst each other and had left the presence of the emperor/ruler (or their people).^{‎[6]Alusi, 8/210.} Although it is more likely that they said this to the emperor, describing the beliefs of their people and criticising them.^{‎[7]Muhit, 7/149.}

Why do they not bring any clear authority regarding them: as the emperor had decreed that all should sacrifice to the Roman gods, by force if necessary, the youths challenged this by exclaiming that if they are required to believe in something they should be given clear evidence as to why they should accept these idols as their gods. If their detractors could offer no proof for their faith, why should they accept it?

This verse is also indication that it is not allowed to simply follow others in religion (taqlīd), but rather one must do so based on evidence.^{‎[8]Tibyan, 7/16; Tabrisi, 6/700; Zamakhshari, 2/707; Razi, 21/442.} Combined with the next statement to follow, they are in effect pointing out that if one speaks about God without clear authority they are fabricating lies against Him.^{‎[9]Mizan, 13/252.} This brings to mind the earlier discussion in verse 5 of this surah, which pointed out that speaking falsehoods about God, even if it be due to ignorance, is still to be considered lying about Him.

So who is a greater wrongdoer than he who fabricates a lie against Allah: this is a testament to the wisdom of the youths, about whom God has said We had enhanced them in guidance (verse 13), for they understood that the most dangerous and severe wrongdoing is to attribute lies against God.^{‎[10]Mizan, 13/252.} Furthermore, such lies are not only against Allah, but fabricating lies regarding God is also wrongdoing with regards to one’s fellow man, as it is dragging them to misguidance and creating a host of problems in society.^{‎[11]Nemuneh, 12/362.}

This is also both a criticism and a warning, a criticism levelled against those who claimed the Roman pantheon to be gods for fabricating stories and myths that were dangerous and misleading because of the claims they made about God, and a warning that in bringing the clear authority they should not fabricate lies. This latter echoes the sentiment in the beginning of the surah, And to warn those who say: ‘Allah has taken a son’ (verse 4).

The connection of all we said to the main theme is obvious as well, as God gives the ‘true account’ not only about others but about Himself as well, and those who speak contrary to that are speaking that which is not true.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Rāzī argues based on this verse that a lack of evidence for something is proof that it does not exist, as opposed to some who have said that lack of evidence is not proof that it does not exist.^{‎[12]Razi, 21/442.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.^{‎[13]Matthew 12:32.}
2. But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal condemnation.^{‎[14]Mark 3:29.}

[1] Raghib, p. 420.
[2] Tibyan, 7/16; Tabari, 15/138.
[3] Raghib, p. 634.
[4] Tibyan, 7/16; Tabrisi, 6/700; Tabari, 15/138; Zamakhshari, 2/707; Baghawi, 2/182; Muhit, 7/149.
[5] For example Qurtubi, 10/366; Mizan, 13/250. Tabatabai considers it evidence that this is because those gods are representations of people, angels, or jinn.
[6] Alusi, 8/210.
[7] Muhit, 7/149.
[8] Tibyan, 7/16; Tabrisi, 6/700; Zamakhshari, 2/707; Razi, 21/442.
[9] Mizan, 13/252.
[10] Mizan, 13/252.
[11] Nemuneh, 12/362.
[12] Razi, 21/442.
[13] Matthew 12:32.
[14] Mark 3:29.