They said, rejoicing in his question, showing pride in their response by prolonging their words: "We worship idols, so we remain devoted to them." This means that our worship of them causes us to fulfill the right of worship by continuing to be devoted to them, remaining around them in a manner of persistence, with some of us stacked behind others, holding ourselves back in reverence for them. They followed the example of those who are afflicted by the disease of imitation arising from ignorance of the essence of worship, while they believe that they are upon something great and significant, which they have attained, despite the people's negligence of it - as indicated by their discourse in this statement, which could have sufficed with a single word. This is what necessitated the interpretation of remaining as a complete continuity, even if its meaning is to remain during the day. It seems they intended by what indicates the day - which is the time of activity and gathering - to imply the night by extension, along with the widespread use of it in general, as in: "So their necks remained humbled to it" [Ash-Shu'ara: 4]. And the people of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, added that they continued in their misguidance and rejected him, so they became fuel for the fire, and he was unable to save them from that. They had no means other than their supplication, which is more deserving of intense sorrow and of him sacrificing himself for them, and this is the place of consolation.