And when it became clear from this interrogative denial, which is astonishing regarding their state in their misguidance in the manner of absence, that those whom they associated with Allah do not possess any type of capability for what they have qualified them for; for the object of worship must be capable, and whoever is incapable in a type of incapacity is a created being. And there is a need for the address to indicate what is not present in the absence; he followed that in his manner with another astonishment from them that is greater than the first. This is because their objects of worship, which they associated with Allah, do not act at all by themselves, nor do they act when called upon by the caller, nor do they guide to Him. So Allah, the Most High, said: "And if you call upon them" meaning: and if you call your idols, O polytheists, with a continuous and renewed call "to guidance" meaning: to that which the caller guides to certainly, indicating that the one who is negligent of it has a bad disposition, needing treatment, because he has neglected that which one does not neglect who has a type of righteousness for being the noblest of things. Thus, the one who neglects it is content with himself with less. "They do not follow you" meaning: in that guidance to which you called them, even if you exerted effort in following them. And perhaps he expressed it in the form of causation to indicate that it cannot be imagined from them the intention of following, let alone bringing it about. Then he clarified that this is not a transient matter, but rather it is a continuous and permanent state with his saying, resuming to emphasize the meaning: "It is all the same for you" (p-194). And when the same can only be between two matters, the listener yearned for them, so he said: "Did you call upon them?" meaning: there was from you that calling which was indicated to be continuous, and he expressed it in the nominal form to indicate that they do not call upon them at times of hardship, but rather they call upon Allah. So he said: "Or are you silent" meaning: regarding that continuously, as is your habit in turning away from their calling at times of calamities. Thus, those who call upon their beliefs at times of necessity are in a worse state in that than the polytheists. And it is permissible that the verse is from the intertwining, and its structure is: Did you call upon them once or are you always calling upon them, or are you silent regarding their calling at some time, or are you always silent regarding their calling? The ruling in all these answers is the same in the lack of response; there is no difference in it in any way, indicating by the action first to the omission of something like it second, and by the nominal form second to the omission of something like it first.