[3381] Protective homes and useful artifacts are bounties which are the fruits of human brains, which is a favour from God Almighty (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3382] Homes in which to settle, find comfort, protection from harsh weather and harmful creatures, and to keep away from prying eyes, etc. (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3383] This is how fruitful the human brain can be to make life easy and accommodating when put to good use.
[3384] Ilā ḥīn (until a while) could be until one’s death or until one is no longer in possession of them (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah); or until these things are no longer useful due to wear and tear (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, Ibn al-Jawzī).
[3385] God further inspires humans to find benefits for what He makes available in their surroundings (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3386] All shadowy things: trees, mountains, houses, clouds, etc. (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Saʿdī). They are reminded of the especially great bounty of shade in the extremely hot weather that pertains in Arabia (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
[3387] Caves and grottoes sheltering humans from the weather and their enemies (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3388] Armour that protects against harm from weapons (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī).
[3389] Being thankful for God’s favours (Aya 78) leads to considering His Signs and Believing (Aya 79) and sincere Belief, which is based on ponderous consideration, leads to unhesitating, unquestioning submission to the Will of God.
[3390] The scope of the Noble Prophet’s mission is reiterated (cf. Aya 35 above) to alleviate his suffering from stubbornness and the snobbishness of his people (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3391] Their interaction with the world led them to realize the Truth but their stubbornness and snobbishness stood between them and Believing!
[3392] No reason but only fear can bring these ardently Denying folks to their senses; the Day of Judgement and what happens on it is evoked to this end (cf. al-Rāzī).
[3393] This is their Messenger who is to bear witness as to how his nation answered his call (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “How ˹will they fare˺, when we bring forward a witness from every nation, and We bring you ˹Muhammad˺ as witness against these!” (4: 41).
[3394] The following is a description of how desperate the state of the Associators will be on that grievous Day (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “This is the Day when they utter not ˹a thing˺; *nor are they allowed so that they may apologize!” (77: 35-36).
[3395] The description of the Associators as al-ladhīna ẓalamū is an incriminating one, which befits their sentence once it has been pronounced after their Judgement and they are about to taste their Punishment (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3396] When they see their Punishment they will ask for leniency and/or delay (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3397] Then the following incriminating bitter exchange will take place: “On the Day We gather them all, then We say to those who Associated: “At your spot! You and your ˹idol˺ Associates!” Then ˹soon˺ We disassociated them ˹from each other˺; and their Associates said: “Never were you worshipping us!”” (10: 28).
Note that they are called mushrikūn (Associators) which is another incriminating description for them (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3398] Exegetes offer different opinions as to why the idols, whom God made talk (cf. 41: 21), would declare their worshippers liars, when in fact they actually used to worship them. They are as follows: first, to accentuate their scandalous predicament, that they worshipped those who had no idea that they were being worshipped by them (cf. al-Anṣārī); secondly, that their reply concerns the claim that they were actually gods, whom are truthfully worshipped and their worship would draw their worshippers nearer to God Almighty (cf.al-Shinqīṭī); thirdly, that these idols were not happy about the devotional acts of worship they received, thus it is as if they did not take place at all (cf. al-Zamakhsharī): “Then those who were followed shall disown those who followed, ˹when˺ they saw the Punishment and all means were cut off from them. *Those who followed shall say: “Should we have another round, we will disown them as they disowned us”; thus Allah shows them their deeds as remorse ˹for them˺—they shall not be let out from the Fire” (2: 166-167).
[3399] Then the truth sinks in and they struggle no more and stop trying to wriggle out of their inevitable end; they then realize that they deserved their Punishment (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr): “Why don’t you come to each other’s aid? *Nay, but they have surrendered on this Day!” (37: 25-26).