Page 212
wa-yawma naḥshuruhum jamīʿan thumma naqūlu li-lladhīna ʾashrakū makānakum ʾantum wa-shurakāʾukum fa-zayyalnā baynahum wa-qāla shurakāʾuhum mā kuntum ʾiyyānā taʿbudūna
On the day when We gather them all together, We shall say to those who ascribe partners [to Allah], ‘Stay where you are—you and your partners!’ Then We shall set them apart from one another, and their partners will say, ‘It was not us that you worshipped.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Yunus – Verse 28
28. “And the Day We shall muster them all, then We shall say to those who associated others (with Us): ‘Get you to your place! You and your associates’, then We shall set a space between them, and their associates shall say: ‘It was not us (indeed) that you used to worship!’”
This verse also follows the previous discussions on the issue of the origin of existence and the Resurrection and the situation of the polytheists. At first, the Qur’an warns all to remember the Day when Allah will assemble all His subjects and make them rise from the dead. The verse says:
“And the Day We shall muster them all...”
Then He will declare unto the polytheists to stay in their place together with their idols so that He may examine their account. It continues saying:
“…then We shall say to those who associated others (with Us):...”
The Qur’an informs that Allah will separate these two groups from each other; i.e. the worshippers and the worshipped ones, and He will question each individual separately, as it is usual with all courts that they investigate each person separately. The verse says:
“…‘Get you to your place! You and your associates’, then We shall set a space between them...”
Allah may ask the idol-worshippers why they worshipped idols along with Allah (s.w.t.), and He will also ask the idols why they permitted such an act to occur, that they allowed the polytheists to worship them. It is at this time that those things that were worshipped as idols will speak, saying to them that they never worshipped idols. In actual fact, they worshipped the creation of their own imaginations, whims and passions. The verse says:
“…and their associates shall say: ‘It was not us (indeed) that you used to worship!’”