Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 28

(Ayah 28) ➊ {وَ يَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيْعًا: } In this verse as well, a disgrace of the disbelievers is mentioned, that on the Day when We will gather all the jinn and mankind, from the beginning to the end, Muslims and disbelievers, righteous and wicked (see Kahf: 47, Maryam: 93, 94), on that Day those who committed shirk and those whom they associated as partners will all be gathered together. Allah Almighty has used the plural form "We" here to express His greatness and majesty, that "We" will gather them. Otherwise, there is no doubt in Allah Almighty being One and Unique; the entire Quran was revealed to explain that He is absolutely One, without any partner.

➋ { ثُمَّ نَقُوْلُ لِلَّذِيْنَ اَشْرَكُوْا …:} Then We will say to those who committed shirk: "You and those whom you associated as partners, stay in your places," so that the reality of your shirk and your partners becomes clear to you.

➌ { فَزَيَّلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ :} The separation between them means, firstly, that Muslims and disbelievers will be separated, as He said: «{ وَ امْتَازُوا الْيَوْمَ اَيُّهَا الْمُجْرِمُوْنَ }» [ یٰسٓ : ۵۹ ] "And separate yourselves this Day, O you criminals!" and see Surah Rum (14 to 16, 43). Another meaning is that those who committed shirk and those whom they declared as partners will be ordered to stay in their respective places, and then they will be made to converse. The polytheists will say to them: "We used to worship you in the world, call upon you in times of difficulty, consider you owners of benefit and harm, and on the Day of Resurrection, we hoped to take refuge with you and be saved from punishment."

➍ {وَ قَالَ شُرَكَآؤُهُمْ مَّا كُنْتُمْ اِيَّانَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ :} Those partners will say: "You did not worship us; we do not know whom you used to worship." Among those who were worshipped in the world, some were those who wanted to be worshipped, like Pharaoh, Iblis, etc., and some were those who did not want this, rather they forbade anyone from being made a partner with Allah, like the Prophets and the righteous. Now, when Allah Almighty will gather everyone, all those who were worshipped and revered will clearly disassociate themselves from their worshippers—those who wanted to be worshipped, as mentioned in Surah Baqarah (165 to 167), and those who forbade the worship of others besides Allah, like Masih (Jesus) and other Prophets and righteous people. All of them will have several reasons to disown and disassociate from their worshippers and callers, the first of which is that these polytheists used to consider others besides Allah as All-Knowing, aware of their conditions, and able to hear their pleas, and thus would call day and night: "O Ali, O Hasan, O Husain, O Dastgir, O Data, O Shakar Ganj," etc., whereas these personalities had no knowledge that anyone was calling them. Thus, Allah Almighty said: «{ وَ مَنْ اَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَّدْعُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ مَنْ لَّا يَسْتَجِيْبُ لَهٗۤ اِلٰى يَوْمِ الْقِيٰمَةِ وَ هُمْ عَنْ دُعَآىِٕهِمْ غٰفِلُوْنَ (5) وَ اِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوْا لَهُمْ اَعْدَآءً وَّ كَانُوْا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كٰفِرِيْنَ }» [ الأحقاف : ۵، ۶ ] "And who is more astray than one who calls upon, besides Allah, those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, and they are unaware of their supplication. And when the people are gathered, they will be enemies to them and will deny their worship."

The second reason is that these people believed that others besides Allah could also bring benefit or harm, whereas the Quran was revealed to explain that no one besides Allah can bring benefit or harm, for example, see Surah Yunus (106, 107), Zumar (38), Mu’minun (86 to 89), Jinn (21), and many other verses. Therefore, all the partners will say: "We had no authority at all; we do not know whom you used to call upon; in any case, you were not calling us." The third reason is that the polytheists, in reality, only worshipped the helpers of their own imagination, whereas all those whom they called upon, not a single one was a partner of Allah or owner of any authority. Now, after worshipping their own imagination and attaching their names, those personalities will be angry with them. See Surah Yunus (66). The fourth reason is that due to the shirk of these wrongdoers, those Prophets and righteous people will have to appear before Allah on the Day of Resurrection and will be questioned, and they will present their excuse of innocence and unawareness. So, because of their shirk and the questioning, what will pass over their hearts and the anxiety of being summoned—we cannot even estimate how much they will be disgusted with them and how great enemies they will be. See Surah Ma’idah (116 to 118). As for those kings, pirs, and devils who wanted to be worshipped and led them to shirk, they themselves will be caught up in their own calamity; they will not be able to help them at all, even Satan will say: "Did I send any army against you? I only invited you; you did not have to accept. Now I cannot help you in any way, nor can you help me." See Surah Ibrahim (21, 22).

➎ From all this detail, it is clear that shirk is not just calling upon stone idols or graves, but calling upon those personalities whose idols or graves they are. Otherwise, what was the need to make idols? They could have worshipped any stone. The offerings and prostrations at the idol or grave clearly mean the worship of those personalities whose idols or graves they are. See the commentary of Surah Nuh, verse (23).