18:51 Al-Kahf (The Cave)

يقول تعالى: ما أشهدت الشياطين [وهؤلاء المضلين]، خلق السماوات والأرض ولا خلق أنفسهم أي: ما أحضرتهم ذلك، ولا شاورتهم عليه، فكيف يكونون خالقين لشيء من ذلك؟! بل المنفرد بالخلق والتدبير، والحكمة والتقدير، هو الله، خالق الأشياء كلها، المتصرف فيها بحكمته، فكيف يجعل له شركاء من الشياطين، يوالون ويطاعون، كما يطاع الله، وهم لم يخلقوا ولم يشهدوا خلقا، ولم يعاونوا الله تعالى؟! ولهذا قال: { وَمَا كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذَ الْمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدًا } أي: معاونين، مظاهرين لله على شأن من الشئون، أي: ما ينبغي ولا يليق بالله، أن يجعل لهم قسطا من التدبير، لأنهم ساعون في إضلال الخلق والعداوة لربهم، فاللائق أن يقصيهم ولا يدنيهم.

يقول تعالى: هؤلاء الذين اتخذتموهم أولياء من دوني عبيد أمثالكم لا يملكون شيئًا لا أشهدتهم خلق السموات والأرض ولا كانوا إذ ذاك موجودين ; يقول تعالى: أنا المستقل بخلق الأشياء كلها ومدبرها ومقدرها وحدي ليس معي في ذلك شريك ولا وزير ولا مشير ولا نظير كما قال " قل ادعوا الذين زعمتم من دون الله لا يملكون مثقال ذرة في السموات ولافي الأرض وما لهم فيهما من شرك وما له منهم من ظهير ولا تنفع الشفاعة عنده إلا لمن أذن له " الأية ولهذا قال وما كنت متخذ المضلين عضدا قال مالك: أعوانًا.

The gods of the Idolators did not witness the Creation of anything, not even Themselves

Allah says: `These whom you take as helpers instead of Me are creatures just like you. They do not possess anything and did not witness the creation of heaven and earth, because they did not exist at that time.' Allah says, `I am the One Who independently and exclusively creates and controls all things, and I have no partner, associate or advisor in that.' As Allah says:

قُلِ ادْعُواْ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ لاَ يَمْلِكُونَ مِثُقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَلاَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِن شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُ مِنْهُمْ مِّن ظَهِيرٍ وَلاَ تَنفَعُ الشَّفَـعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ

(Say: "Call upon those you claim besides Allah, they possess not even a speck of dust in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor is there for Him any assistant among them. Intercession with Him profits not except for him whom He permits.) 34:22-23 Similarly Allah says here:

وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ الْمُضِلِّينَ عَضُداً

(nor did I take those who mislead as `Adudan.) Malik said: "Assistants."

I did not make them a witness that is Iblīs and his offspring to the creation of the heavens and the earth nor to their own creation that is to say I did not make any of them present at the moment of the creation of the other. Nor do I take misleaders devils as My support as assistants in the process of creation so why do you obey them?

Commentary

The progeny of Iblis, and his descendants and followers

The word: ذُرِّ‌يَّتَهُ (dhurriyyatah) in verse 50 indicates that Iblis (Shaitan) has offspring, and a host of descendants and followers. Some commentators have said that 'progeny' at this place means 'accomplices.' That the Shaitan has offspring from his loins is not necessary. But, there is a Sahih Hadith which Humaidi has reported in Kitab al-Jam' bain al-Sahihain on the authority of Sayyidna Salman al-Farisi ؓ . According to his narration, the Holy Prophet ﷺ told him, "do not become like those who are the first to enter the bazaar (shopping centre), or those who are the last to leave it, for the bazaar is a place where the Shaitan has his eggs and offspring laid around." This would indicate that the progeny of Shaitan spreads out in that manner - through what is laid and hatched by him. After having presented this report, al-Qurtubi has said that the Shaitan has accomplices and armies is something established by conclusive proofs - and as for the Shaitan having offspring, a Sahih Hadith has appeared above. Allah knows best.