10-31 Say: Who gives you sustenance from the heaven and the earth, or who controls the hearing and the sight, and who brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living? And who regulates the affair? They will say: Allah. Say then: Will you not then guard against evil?a
قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ وَمَن يُخْرِجُ ٱلْحَىَّ مِنَ ٱلْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَيِّتَ مِنَ ٱلْحَىِّ وَمَن يُدَبِّرُ ٱلْأَمْرَ ۚ فَسَيَقُولُونَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ فَقُلْ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ (۳۱)
10-31a: يَمْلِكُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ – The meaning is: Who is the Creator who brought these powers into being and who is the guardian of their security (R).
Polytheists confess there is One God: It is stated in the last section that in adversity, it is human nature to turn to God and to forget false deities. This is then used to draw attention to the perilous time when one would have to face the consequences of one’s deeds, and even their made-up deities will reject them. The same subject is continued. Attention is drawn to the Oneness of God and that an idol worshipper’s nature spontaneously gives testimony to God’s Unity and he has to admit that certain works can only be attributed to God. These works include the giving of sustenance from heaven and the earth, where heavenly sustenance is revelation, and the earthly sustenance is the grant of physical resources. Alternatively, heavenly sustenance is rainwater that comes from above and earthly sustenance is the herbage that grows on earth from this water. Similarly, who controls hearing and seeing, that is human powers, of which hearing and seeing are a prime example. Then mention is made of bringing forth living from the dead and vice versa and this could be physical, or the reference may be to the rise and fall of nations. To summarize, all these affairs are in the control of Allah and He runs the affairs of th world as He wishes. One who worships Jesus, or a tree or a stone admits that that all the described affairs pertain to Allah. Hence how can the other deities be deserving of worship. This is further clarified in the next verse.
10-32 Such then is Allah, your true Lord. And what is there after the truth but error? How then are you turned away!
فَذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۖ فَمَاذَا بَعْدَ ٱلْحَقِّ إِلَّا ٱلضَّلَـٰلُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُصْرَفُونَ (۳۲)
10-33 Thus does the word of thy Lord prove true against those who transgress that they believe not.a
كَذَٰلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ فَسَقُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (۳۲)
10-33a: فَسَق – It is used in its ordinary sense, that is acting in violation of human nature. There is a reference in the previous verses about human nature and those who act against it also reject the other covenant, that is, revelation or shariah.
10-34 Say: Is there anyone among your associate-gods who produces the first creation, then reproduces it? Say: Allah produces the first creation, then He reproduces it. How are you then turned away!a
قُلْ هَلْ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَبْدَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ ۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يَبْدَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ (۳۴)
10-34a: Origination of creation and its reproduction: Reproduction can here mean life after death and it is pointed out that no one, including their associate gods has the ability to create or reproduce. The meaning can also be that if in the first instance they cannot create, then how can they have any power regarding the second life which is even more wonderous, full of Allah’s marvels, and is a reality. Another interpretation is that by خَلْق is meant the act by which the creation first came into being and by يُعِيد is meant its reproduction according to a particular rule. An example is that the creation of the first man is بدء (origination) and then the proliferation of the human species by reproduction is according to another rule which is اعادہ (to repeat). The meaning of the verse then is quite clear.
10-35 Say: Is there any of your associate-gods who guides to the Truth? Say: Allah guides to the Truth. Is He then Who guides to the Truth more worthy to be followed, or he who finds not the way unless he is guided? What is the matter with you? How do you judge?a
قُلْ هَلْ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يَهْدِى لِلْحَقِّ ۗ أَفَمَن يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَن يُتَّبَعَ أَمَّن لَّا يَهِدِّىٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُهْدَىٰ ۖ فَمَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ (۳۵)
10-35a: يَهْدِىٓ – In reality it is يَهْتدِى and the meaning of اھتداء is to find guidance. ھَدۡی also means to take away, as in: ھَدَیۡتهٗ الی الطریق یا للطریق or ھدیت العروس الیٰ زوجہا . The meaning of ھدی and اھتدی have been taken here to be merely transfer from one place to another, as stated in: لا یقدران ینتقل عن مکانه (LA) which means that the person does not have the ability to go from one place to another on his own unless some others take him. An example from the Quran where the word is used in the sense of guide is: أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ هُدًۭى (or find guidance at the fire) (20:10) where the meaning of هُدًۭى is finding directions for the way (LA). In another place, it is stated: فَٱهْدُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلْجَحِيمِ (then lead them to the way of hell) (37:23). Another Quranic verse is: أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلْقَهُۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ (gives to everything its creation, then guides (it)) (20:50) where the meaning is to guide so that one progresses within one’s sphere of ability. See Al Fatiha note 1-5.
Helplessness of false deities: The third thing to which attention is drawn (The first is Divine control of all affairs Verse 31, second is Creation, Verse 34) is the giving of guidance. The guidance is not given by any idol or false deity, and it is only Allah who guides. In the statements about false deities: لَّا يَهِدِّىٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُهْدَىٰ (he who finds not the way unless guided) (10:35) or عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ ۖ (are slaves like yourself) (7:194) the purport is that humans taken as deities themselves need guidance. Alternatively, in accordance with the other meaning of هدى , the purport is taking them from one place to another, that is they are not able to walk themselves. Another interpretation is that what is meant is the common guidance that is given to living and non-living and to the intelligent and dumb and that the giver of even this basic intelligence is God.
10-36 And most of them follow naught but conjecture. Surely conjecture will not avail aught against the Truth. Truly Allah is Knower of what they do.a
وَمَا يَتَّبِعُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ إِلَّا ظَنًّا ۚ إِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِى مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ (۳۶)
10-36a: The worship of deities beside Allah is a conjecture because their worshippers think that perhaps they might receive some benefit from them or that they may be saved from some loss. In contrast to this, truth is a proven reality. It follows that the Quran stops people from following conjectures and calls them to things that are proven true.
10-37 And this Qur’an is not such as could be forged by those besides Allah, but it is a verification of that which is before it and a clear explanation of the Book, there is no doubt in it, from the Lord of the worlds.a
وَمَا كَانَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ أَن يُفْتَرَىٰ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ (۳۷)
10-37a: There are two things in particular that are stated in this verse which show that the Quran is not a fabrication. First, it verifies the previous scriptures in that it fulfills the prophecies that were made a thousand years ago in them. These prophecies were not made by the Holy Prophet. Second, it completes the previous scriptures in that the things that were confusing and ambiguous were explained by the Quran, for example the issue of life after death or the issue of the attributes of Allah. Previous scriptures give a very abridged version of these issues. Similarly, previous scriptures did not provide reasoned arguments and proofs for their beliefs. The next verse further strengthens this argument by saying that if the disbelievers still consider the Quran to be a fabrication, then they should bring a single verse like that in the Quran. For this see 2-23a. The mention of the Quran here is from the point of view that it has arguments for the Unity of Allah.
10-38 Or say they: He has forged it? Say: Then bring a chapter like it, and invite whom you can besides Allah, if you are truthful.
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ ۖ قُلْ فَأْتُوا۟ بِسُورَةٍۢ مِّثْلِهِۦ وَٱدْعُوا۟ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ (۳۸)
10-39 Nay, they reject that, whose knowledge they cannot compass and whose final sequel has not yet come to them. Even thus did those before them reject; then see what was the end of the wrongdoers.a
بَلْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِمَا لَمْ يُحِيطُوا۟ بِعِلْمِهِۦ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِهِمْ تَأْوِيلُهُۥ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (۳۹)
10-39a: يُحِيطُوا۟ بِعِلْمِهِۦ – It is only Allah whose knowledge fully encompasses everything. See 2-255b but man also is granted knowledge of things to the extent that it is acceptable to Allah, as stated in وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ (And they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He pleases) (2:255). The purport here in knowledge they cannot compass is that they do not deliberate because whatever knowledge a person gets is through deliberation.
تَأْوِيلُ – For its meaning see 3-7b. It can mean the actual reality or the final result. The purport here is the final sequel.
Quranic knowledge and the lack of deliberation by those belying the Quran: After asking those who claim that the Quran is a forgery to bring one verse like it, attention is drawn to the knowledge of the Book. They called it a forgery but are quite unaware of its knowledge and have never reflected on the excellence of the topics in it. If they had reflected, the beauty of it would have captured their hearts. It is the height of foolishness to call a thing false without having any knowledge of it. Because the knowledge that they cannot compass includes the sense that it is a reality, the meaning of تَأْوِيلُ here is the final result or sequel. The last words of the verse address the result of belying the Quran, namely كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (what was the end of the wrongdoers). To summarize, if they had deliberated on the knowledge of the Quran, they would not have belied it but since they have belied it, their end would be in accordance with what they have already been informed.
10-40 And of them is he who believes in it, and of them is he who believes not in it. And thy Lord best knows the mischief-makers.
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يُؤْمِنُ بِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مَّن لَّا يُؤْمِنُ بِهِۦ ۚ وَرَبُّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ (۴۰)
Bayan-ul-Quran 