And when it was said: How can they be described as turning away while they believe that Allah is the One who acts upon those verses? It was clarified that their associating partners with Him nullifies that. So He said: ﴿And most of them do not believe in Allah﴾, meaning the people ﴿except while they are associating partners with Him﴾, meaning those who cannot do anything, let alone bring a sign. They used to acknowledge that Allah is their Creator and Sustainer, yet they worship others. Likewise, the hypocrites show faith while concealing disbelief. Likewise, the People of the Two Scriptures believe in their scripture and follow their scholars in disbelief of others. So it was known that their submission to this faith is not based on evidence, but is mere imitation of those for whom their evil deeds were adorned, so they saw them as good. Because it was previously known by Allah that it has no validity, He corrupted it by what He associated with it from shirk. And the verse is valid for the intention of hidden shirk, which the Prophet ﷺ indicated by saying: 'Shirk is more hidden in my nation than the creeping of an ant.' And it is the shirk of the means by which Allah has decreed the arrival of what reaches the servant through them. So say: Who can surpass the means to its Cause? Al-Razi said in Al-Lawa'ih: And Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Tirmidhi said: It is merely doubt and shirk. Doubt is the constriction of the chest during calamities, and from it is a garment that is doubted. And shirk is the attachment of the heart to something. Only the light of certainty expands the chest, and one only frees himself from shirk by the light of monotheism. At this point, Allah, the Exalted, takes care of him. And Al-Wasiti said: except while they are associating partners with Him: in observing thoughts and movements.