( سَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا أَشْرَكْنَا وَلَا آبَاؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن شَيْءٍ ۚ ) (Those who associated with Allah will say, “If Allah had willed, we would not have associated [anything] and neither would our fathers, nor would we have prohibited anything): (Will say) indicates that they have not yet said these words when this verse was revealed upon the Prophet Mohammad (saws), Despite that they said it, this corroborate the truthfulness of the Holy Quran.   

The disbelievers have always used the same suspicion to justify their polytheism and wrongdoings by claiming: “Since Allah (swt) sees all what we are doing and He (swt) is the One Who guides or prevents people from disbelieving, but because Allah (swt) did not prevent us from what we are doing, then it is out of Allah’s will”. Similar to the verse when Allah (swt) says:

  وَقَالُوا لَوْ شَاءَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ مَا عَبَدْنَاهُم ۗ مَّا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ

(And they said, “If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped them.” They have of that no knowledge. They are not but falsifying.) (Az-Zukhruf: 20)

Here the polytheists have raised two issues, one regarding faith and the other regarding onus. Concerning the matter of faith, they said: (“If Allah had willed, we would not have associated [anything] and neither would our fathers). It is noteworthy to mention that there is Universal Will of Allah (swt) and a Legislative Will. No one can escape the Universal Will of Allah (swt). Indeed, had Allah (swt) not willed it, neither they nor their ancestors would have associated others with Him (swt), because Allah (swt) says:

 وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ

(And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed – all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?) (Yunus: 99)

If Allah (swt) pleases, all people would have come to Him in submission. So, it is Allah’s (swt) Will that we have the ability to choose. Allah (swt) says:

 فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ

(so whoever wills – let him believe; and whoever wills – let him disbelieve) (Al-Kahf: 29)

The disbelievers’ disbelief does not take place against Allah’s Universal Will, rather it is against His (swt) Legislative Will, for man is capable of choosing due to his free will. When Allah (swt) says:

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

(O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous) (Al-Baqara: 183)

For example, if you say “I do not want to fast”, it is not Allah’s Will (swt) that we do not fast. There is a Legislative Will of Allah (swt) where people were allowed to choose to direct the energy that Allah (swt) has granted us either towards goodness or towards evil. By choosing evil, there will be accountability and punishment, and by choosing goodness there will be rewards. Thus the disbelievers were trying to manipulate with the two issues regarding faith and onus, this is why they said: (nor would we have prohibited anything): So, what they said is refuted.

(كَذَٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ ذَاقُوا بَأْسَنَا ) (Likewise did those before deny until they tasted Our punishment): This false claim has misguided others before them, although it is a false refuted argument. Otherwise, Allah (swt) would not have promised them with severe punishment.

( قُلْ هَلْ عِندَكُم مِّنْ عِلْمٍ فَتُخْرِجُوهُ لَنَا) (Say, “Do you have any knowledge that you can produce for us?): They were asked to provide any knowledge they had to confirm their claims that Allah (swt) is pleased with them in what they are doing.

( إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ) (You follow not except assumption): They only follow delusions and guessing. Assumption here refers to their corrupt belief.

( وَإِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا تَخْرُصُونَ ) (and you are not but falsifying): Their claims are mere lies they made about Allah (swt).