بَلْ نَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ وَلَكُمُ الْوَيْلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ ﴿۱۸﴾ وَلَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَلَا يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ ﴿۱۹﴾ يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ ﴿۲۰﴾ أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا آلِهَةً مِنَ الْأَرْضِ هُمْ يُنْشِرُونَ ﴿۲۱﴾ لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آلِهَةٌ إِلَّا اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ﴿۲۲﴾ لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ ﴿۲۳﴾

﴾18﴿ Bal naqzifu bilhaqqi 'alal baatili fa yadmaghuhoo fa izaa huwa zaahiq; wa lakumul wailu mimmaa tasifoon
﴾19﴿ Wa lahoo man fis samaawaati wal ard; wa man 'indahoo laa yastakbiroona 'an 'ibaada tihee wa laa yastahsiroon
﴾20﴿ Yusabbihoona laila wannahaara laa yafturoon
﴾21﴿ Amit takhazooo aalihatam minal ardi hum yunshiroon
﴾22﴿ Law kaana feehimaaa aalihatun illal laahu lafasadataa; fa-Subhaanal laahi Rabbil 'Arshi 'ammaa yasifoon
﴾23﴿ Laa yus'alu 'ammaa yaf'alu wa hum yus'aloon

﴾18﴿ Rather, We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes its head, and behold, it vanishes. And woe to you for what you ascribe (to Allah)
﴾19﴿ And to Allah belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those who are near Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they grow weary
﴾20﴿ They glorify Allah night and day, and they do not weaken
﴾21﴿ Have they taken gods from the earth who can resurrect the dead
﴾22﴿ Had there been gods besides Allah in the heavens and the earth, they would have surely been ruined. So exalted is Allah, Lord of the Throne, above what they ascribe to Him
﴾23﴿ He (Allah) is not questioned about what He does, but they (the creation) will be questioned

[18] This is a transition (iḍrāb) from the previous meaning — that it is not amusement or vain play; rather, these signs are for establishing the truth and refuting falsehood.
The ḥaqq (truth) is the Qur'an, and the bāṭil (falsehood) is their lies — such as attributing absurdity (ʿabath) and a child (walad) to Allah the Exalted.
The ḥaqq represents proof and clear evidence, while the bāṭil refers to the doubts and speculations of the deniers.
The phrase (مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ) refers to what they attribute to Allah — such as claiming He has a child or engages in play.
[19] In this verse is the second brief rational proof, along with a mention of the angels’ incapacity — which serves as a transmitted (naqlī) proof.
It also contains the negation of divinity (ulūhiyyah) and sonship (walādah) from the angels.
The phrase (وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ) — “those who are with Him” — refers to the angels.
[20] This describes the state of servitude (ʿubūdiyyah) of the angels.
It is narrated from Kaʿb al-Aḥbār that the constant glorification (tasbīḥ) of the angels is like a human being taking a breath — it causes neither fatigue, nor distraction from other tasks.
There are three reasons why someone might stop doing something:
1. Arrogance (istikbār)
2. Exhaustion
3. Laziness or negligence And none of these three traits exist in the angels.
[21] This is a warning (zajr) against associating partners with Allah from things other than the earth — such as idols, saints, or the dead and living.
(Yunshirūn) is from nushūr, meaning giving life — either the first time or bringing back to life again, as mentioned in Sūrat al-Furqān (verse 3).
[22] This is a refutation of taking other gods (āliha) besides Allah, as mentioned in the previous verse. There are two interpretations of this: First interpretation: Based on the view that ilāh refers to one with independent power, will, and control. The fasād (corruption) here refers to the collapse or disruption of the orderly system.
So the meaning becomes: if there were multiple independent controllers in the heavens and the earth, the heavens and the earth would not exist, or their order would be ruined.
The reasoning is that either both gods would create independently — which is false, since one effect cannot have two independent causes — or one would be dominant, making the other redundant, which results in tarjīḥ bi-lā murajjih (preference without reason), something invalid in rational theology.
Thus, this contradicts the concept of divinity.
It is also said that if there were many gods, conflict (tamānuʿ — mutual hindrance) would arise, and this would invalidate divine authority.
This reasoning is further supported in Surah al-Mu’minūn (23:91).
From this, it is clear that this is a definitive and certain proof of Tawḥīd (Oneness of Allah).
Therefore, the statement of Taftazānī in Sharḥ al-ʿAqā’id — that this is only a persuasive and speculative argument — is incorrect, and scholars like those of Rūḥ al-Maʿānī and others have refuted it.
Second interpretation: Based on the view that the intended āliha are those whom the polytheists associated with Allah — as in Surah al-Isrāʾ (17:42).
These āliha are powerless, and one who is powerless cannot maintain the system of the heavens and the earth.
So the meaning becomes: if these weak gods of the polytheists (who today as well believe that aqṭāb and ghawths manage worldly affairs) were in charge of the heavens and the earth, the system would collapse, because they are weak and incapable.
(Fa-subḥān) — This is the conclusion drawn from the previous reasoning. (Rabb al-ʿArsh) — Indicates that Allah is the One who governs and sustains the system, and He has not handed over that role to anyone else. (Yaṣifūn) — Refers to what they falsely attribute to Him, such as having a child or partners.
[23] This is another proof of Tawḥīd (Oneness of Allah): that the gods of the polytheists — besides Allah — are powerless, while Allah alone possesses independent and absolute power.
(Lā yusʾalu ʿammā yafʿal) — “He is not questioned about what He does” — means that none can object to His actions, because every act of His is based on wisdom.
And He is not subject to being held accountable or judged.