Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 24

(Ayah 24) ➊ { قُلْ مَنْ يَّرْزُقُكُمْ مِّنَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ قُلِ اللّٰهُ :} After stating in the previous verse that the partners created by the polytheists do not own even a particle in the universe, rather the sole owner of everything is Allah Almighty, now the Prophet (peace be upon him) is commanded to make them admit that it is He alone who provides sustenance to everyone in the universe. Thus, it is said: Ask them, who sends down rain from the sky, who provides heat, energy, and light through the sun, moon, and stars, and who subjugates everything for your benefit to provide food and every necessity of life from the earth for you and your cattle? They all inwardly accept that it is only Allah, so they cannot deny that it is Allah Almighty, but it is also difficult for them to admit it, because this would demolish the edifice of their polytheism, as they cannot justify that sustenance is given by Allah but worship is for someone else. Therefore, inevitably, they will remain silent. So at this point, you yourself declare that it is only Allah Almighty.

➋ { وَ اِنَّاۤ اَوْ اِيَّاكُمْ لَعَلٰى هُدًى … :} That is, we have become two parties: one that acknowledges only Allah as the Provider in the heavens and the earth and worships Him alone; the other that associates with Him such beings who neither own a particle of the universe nor have any power over benefit, harm, or sustenance. And among us, one group is either upon guidance or in clear misguidance. You yourself decide who is upon guidance and who is astray. This does not mean that there is any doubt that those who acknowledge one Lord as the Provider and worship Him alone are upon the truth and their opponents are upon falsehood. Rather, in a most wise manner, both matters are presented before the addressee and justice is sought from him, because he has no option to say that both are astray, nor that both are upon the truth. Inevitably, he will have to admit that the one who, after accepting Allah Almighty as the Creator and Provider of the heavens and the earth, worships Him alone is upon guidance, and the one who accepts Allah Almighty as the Creator and Provider but worships others is certainly in clear misguidance. Therefore, instead of saying with your own mouth that the polytheist is upon falsehood, give him the opportunity to decide and bring him to the point where he himself says that the one who worships only Allah is upon the truth and the one who associates partners with Him is upon falsehood.

➌ From this verse, it is understood that it is wrong to say that everyone is right in their own place, or that all people are correct in their own way. Rather, the truth is one, and whoever is not upon the truth is upon falsehood. Two mutually contradictory statements cannot both be true. For example, it cannot be true that every intoxicant is forbidden and also true that every intoxicant is not forbidden. Nor can four mutually contradictory schools of thought be true in one matter.

24. 1. Obviously, only those will be misguided who consider such things as deities that have no share in providing sustenance from the heavens and the earth, nor can they send down rain, nor can they cause anything to grow. Therefore, only the people of Tawheed are upon the truth, not both.

24. Say, “Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?” Say, “Allah (provides for you).” Surely, either we or you are upon guidance or in clear error [39].

[39] That is, this matter was agreed upon by both parties (i.e., the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Quraysh of Makkah) that the one who provides sustenance is "Allah" alone. Now, it is incumbent upon human beings that worship should be directed only to the One who gives food and continues to give it. Then, after all, for what reason should other deities, who have no share in the creation or distribution of sustenance, be worshipped? The foundation is the same for both: Allah is the Provider, but then two paths have emerged from this. One is us, who say that praise should be sung only for the One who gives food, and the other is you, who, leaving aside the Provider, are singing the praises of others, or are associating partners with Allah in worship without any reason. Now, it is clear that only one of the two parties can be upon the truth, and you yourself should think who can be upon the truth and who upon misguidance.