Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 40

(Ayah 40) ➊ {وَ يَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيْعًا ثُمَّ يَقُوْلُ لِلْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةِ…:} Its conjunction is with {’’ وَ لَوْ تَرٰۤى اِذِ الظّٰلِمُوْنَ مَوْقُوْفُوْنَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ ‘‘}. After mentioning the disassociation of the arrogant from the weak, and depicting their miserable state on that Day, now the disassociation of the angels from them is mentioned, describing their humiliation and helplessness on that Day.

➋ Mufassir Abdul Rahman Kilani (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “The polytheists, whether from the Prophetic era, before it, or after it, did not say that we worship these idols or these graves. Rather, behind their beliefs was an entire fabricated philosophy. For example, those who worshipped the sun would first create an imaginary image or depiction of the sun’s spirit, then make a statue according to that imaginary image, then believe that the spirit of the sun remains constantly connected to that statue, and that when they worship the statue of the sun, in reality, they are not worshipping the idol but the sun deity. The polytheists had made many such goddesses and gods. These statues were not only of manifestations of nature but also of certain attributes, and those attributes would be attributed to planets. For example, such-and-such is the goddess of knowledge, such-and-such is the goddess of wealth, etc. Then some polytheists would make imaginary statues of angels and worship them. A large number of the Arab polytheists were such that they considered angels to be the daughters of Allah, and would make statues of Lat, Manat, and Uzza and worship them, believing that they were not worshipping the idols but the angels whose spirits remained attached to those statues or idols. Similarly, grave-worshippers also believe that they are not worshipping the grave itself, but all their devotions and offerings are for the occupant of the grave, whose spirit remains attached to the grave. Since among all these objects of worship, angels are the superior creation, therefore, on the Day of Resurrection, to shame the polytheists and fill them with regret, Allah Almighty will question them: Did these people worship you? Did you tell them to worship you, or did you ever wish for such a thing? And although this question will be addressed to the angels, the purpose will be to disgrace and silence those who worshipped them.”

➌ On the Day of Resurrection, this question will not only be asked of the angels but also of all those beings who were worshipped in the world. In Surah Al-Furqan it is said: « وَ يَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ وَ مَا يَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ فَيَقُوْلُ ءَاَنْتُمْ اَضْلَلْتُمْ عِبَادِيْ هٰۤؤُلَآءِ اَمْ هُمْ ضَلُّوا السَّبِيْلَ » [ الفرقان : ۱۷ ] “And the Day He will gather them and those whom they worshipped besides Allah, then He will say: Did you mislead these My servants, or did they themselves stray from the path?” And in Surah Al-Ma’idah it is said: « وَ اِذْ قَالَ اللّٰهُ يٰعِيْسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ءَاَنْتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُوْنِيْ وَ اُمِّيَ اِلٰهَيْنِ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ» [ المائدۃ : ۱۱۶ ] “And when Allah will say: O ‘Isa son of Maryam! Did you say to the people: Take me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?”

40. 1. To humiliate and disgrace the polytheists, Allah will ask the angels, just as it is mentioned regarding Hazrat Isa (عليه السلام) that Allah will also ask him, "Did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother (Maryam) as gods besides Allah'?" (وَاِذْ قَال اللّٰهُ يٰعِيْسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ءَاَنْتَ قُلْتَ للنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُوْنِيْ وَاُمِّيَ اِلٰــهَيْنِ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ ۭ قَالَ سُبْحٰنَكَ مَا يَكُوْنُ لِيْٓ اَنْ اَقُوْلَ مَا لَيْسَ لِيْ ۤ بِحَقٍّ ڲ اِنْ كُنْتُ قُلْتُهٗ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهٗ ۭ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِيْ نَفْسِيْ وَلَآ اَعْلَمُ مَا فِيْ نَفْسِكَ ۭاِنَّكَ اَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوْبِ) 5. Al-Ma'idah:116) Hazrat Isa (عليه السلام) will say, "O Allah, You are pure; how could I say what I had no right to say?" In the same way, Allah will also ask the angels, as has passed in Surah Al-Furqan (وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ فَيَقُوْلُ ءَ اَنْتُمْ اَضْلَلْتُمْ عِبَادِيْ هٰٓؤُلَاۗءِ اَمْ هُمْ ضَلُّوا السَّبِيْلَ) 25. Al-Furqan:17), "Was it at your command that they worshipped you?"

40. And on the Day when Allah will gather them all together, then He will say to the angels [62], "Was it you these people used to worship?"

[62]
The Common Aspect Between Idol Worship and Grave Worship:

Whether the polytheists were from the time of the Prophet ﷺ, before him, or after him, they did not say that they worship these idols or these graves. Rather, behind their belief was an entire fabricated philosophy. For example, those who worship the sun first create an imaginary concept or image of the sun's spirit, then they make a statue according to this imaginary image. Then they believe that the spirit of the sun remains connected to this statue at all times, and when they worship the statue of the sun, in reality, they are not worshipping the idol itself but are worshipping the sun deity. The polytheists had made many such goddesses and gods. Then these statues were not only of the manifestations of nature but also of certain attributes. And these attributes were also attributed to the planets. For example, such-and-such is the goddess of knowledge, such-and-such is the goddess of wealth, and so on. Then some polytheists would make imaginary statues of angels and worship them. A large number of the polytheists of Arabia were such that they considered the angels to be the daughters of Allah. And when they made statues of Lat, Manat, and Uzza and worshipped them, they believed that they were not worshipping these idols but rather the angels whose spirits remained connected to these statues or idols. In the same way, grave worshippers also believe that they are not worshippers of the grave itself, but all their devotions and offerings are for the occupant of the grave, whose spirit remains connected to his grave.

The Question About Divinity to the Angels:

Since among all these objects of worship, the angels are the most superior creation, therefore, on the Day of Resurrection, Allah Almighty will question them to shame them and to fill them with regret: Did these people worship you? Did you tell them to worship you? Or did you have any such desire? It should be clear that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah Almighty will ask such questions not only from the angels but also from other objects of worship, and such a question regarding Hazrat Isa ؑ is mentioned in detail and explicitly in the Quran.