Tafseer Surah Yasin Ibnu Kathir (19): The gods of the Idolators are not able to help Them

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Allah denounces the idolators for taking the idols as gods alongside Allah,
hoping that those gods will help them and provide for them and bring them closer
to Allah. Allah says:

﴿لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
نَصْرَهُمْ﴾

(They cannot help them,) meaning, those gods cannot help their worshippers;
they are too weak, too insignificant and too powerless. Rather they cannot even
help themselves or take revenge on those who want to harm them, because they are
inanimate and can neither hear nor comprehend. Allah’s saying:

﴿وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ
مٌّحْضَرُونَ﴾

(but they will be brought forward as a troop.) means, at the time of
Reckoning according to the view of Mujahid. This means that those idols will be
gathered together and will be present when their worshippers are brought to
account, as this will add to their grief and will be more effective in
establishing proof against them. Qatadah said:

﴿لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
نَصْرَهُمْ﴾

(They cannot help them,) means the gods.

﴿وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ
مٌّحْضَرُونَ﴾

(but they will be brought forward as a troop.) “The idolators used to get
angry for the sake of their gods in this world, but they could not do them any
benefit or protect them from any harm, for they were merely idols.” This was
also the view of Al-Hasan Al-Basri. This is a good opinion, and was the view
favored by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him.