Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 24

(Ayah 24) ➊ { اَمِ اتَّخَذُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِهٖۤ اٰلِهَةً:} This statement is repeated to clarify the extremely abhorrent and false nature of shirk (associating partners with Allah).
➋ { قُلْ هَاتُوْا بُرْهَانَكُمْ:} Before this, two rational proofs for the falsehood of shirk were mentioned, one {’’ لَوْ كَانَ فِيْهِمَاۤ اٰلِهَةٌ ‘‘} and the other {’’ لَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ ‘‘}; in this verse, two transmitted (scriptural) proofs are given, and the disbelievers are challenged to present any rational or transmitted proof of their own. Clearly, the disbelievers have neither any rational nor transmitted proof for shirk; their only capital is mere conjecture and the desires of the self (Surah An-Najm: 23, 28; Yunus: 66), or blind following of forefathers (Az-Zukhruf: 21–24), and neither of these is a proof or evidence.
➌ { هٰذَا ذِكْرُ مَنْ مَّعِيَ وَ ذِكْرُ مَنْ قَبْلِيْ:} These are two transmitted proofs for the truth of tawheed (monotheism) and the falsehood of shirk. {’’ مَنْ مَّعِيَ‘‘} (those who are with me) refers to the Muslims who have believed in the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and by their mention is meant the Noble Qur’an, which is an admonition for this ummah, as He said: «{ لَقَدْ اَنْزَلْنَاۤ اِلَيْكُمْ كِتٰبًا فِيْهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ اَفَلَا تَعْقِلُوْنَ }» [الأنبیاء : ۱۰ ] “Indeed, We have sent down to you a Book in which is your mention (your admonition); will you not then understand?” {’’ وَ ذِكْرُ مَنْ قَبْلِيْ ‘‘} (and the admonition of those before me) refers to the previous scriptures revealed to earlier nations, such as the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, and the Scrolls of Abraham, etc. The meaning is that this Noble Qur’an and the previous scriptures are within your reach; if there is any proof for shirk in any of them, then show it. The testimony of all previous people of knowledge is that there is no deity except Allah, as He said: «{ شَهِدَ اللّٰهُ اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ وَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُ وَ اُولُوا الْعِلْمِ قَآىِٕمًۢا بِالْقِسْطِ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيْزُ الْحَكِيْمُ }» [ آل عمران : ۱۸ ] “Allah bears witness that there is no deity except Him, and so do the angels and those of knowledge, maintaining justice. There is no deity except Him, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” In the Noble Qur’an, the demand for a transmitted proof of shirk from the disbelievers is mentioned in several verses. See Surah Al-Ahqaf (3) and Az-Zukhruf (45).
➍ {بَلْ اَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ الْحَقَّ :} The meaning of the word {’’ بَلْ ‘‘} is that do not expect, by presenting rational or transmitted proofs before these people, that they will accept, because they are ignorant and have no knowledge of the truth. {’’ وَالنَّاسُ أَعْدَاءٌ لِمَا جَهِلُوْا ‘‘} (People are enemies of what they do not know). {’’ اَكْثَرُهُمْ ‘‘} shows that not all of them are like this; rather, among them are some who know the truth but do not accept it out of stubbornness, and it also hints at those whose natures, upon knowing the truth, become inclined to accept it, like Umar bin Khattab and other such companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and it is upon the hope of such people that the resolve of the callers to truth remains firm.
➎ { فَهُمْ مُّعْرِضُوْنَ:} In this, the reason for their ignorance is stated: they do not pay attention to discovering the truth, nor do they reflect on any proof, as He said: «{ وَ كَاَيِّنْ مِّنْ اٰيَةٍ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ يَمُرُّوْنَ عَلَيْهَا وَ هُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُوْنَ }» [ یوسف : ۱۰۵ ] “And how many a sign within the heavens and earth do they pass over while they, therefrom, are turning away.”