I was forbidden and restrained, by what was instilled in me from the proofs of reason, and by what was given to me from the proofs of hearing, regarding the worship of what you worship besides Allah. In this, there is a rebuke for them and a description of their reckless engagement in what they were in without insight. Say, 'I do not follow your desires,' meaning I do not proceed in your path that you have taken in your religion by following desires instead of following proof. This is a clarification of the reason by which they fell into misguidance and a warning for everyone who wishes to attain the truth and avoid falsehood. 'I would then be misguided,' meaning if I followed your desires, I would be misguided, and I am not in guidance at all, indicating that you are likewise. And when he negated that desires should be followed, he pointed out what must be followed by saying, 'Say, indeed I am on clear proof from my Lord.' The meaning of his saying, 'I am on clear proof from my Lord and you have denied it,' is that I have knowledge of my Lord and that there is no deity worthy of worship besides Him, based on clear evidence and a witness of truth, and you have denied it when you associated others with Him. It is said: I am on clear proof of this matter and I am certain of it, if it is established with you by evidence. Then he followed it with what indicates the enormity of their denial of Allah and His great anger towards them for that, and that they are deserving of being punished. He said, 'What is with me is not what you hasten for,' meaning the punishment that you hastened for in your saying, 'So send down upon us stones from the sky.' Indeed, the judgment is only for Allah in delaying your punishment. 'He tells the truth,' meaning the true judgment in all that is judged regarding delay and hastening in its categories, 'and He is the best of judges,' meaning the best of those who judge. And it was recited: 'He tells the truth,' meaning He follows the truth and wisdom in what He judges and decrees, from shortening its effect. 'If I had what you hasten for,' meaning in my power and ability, 'the matter would have been decided between me and you; I would have destroyed you quickly out of anger for my Lord and resentment from your denial of Him. And I would have freed myself from you swiftly. And Allah knows best about the wrongdoers and what is necessary in wisdom regarding the nature of their punishment. And it was said, 'On clear proof from my Lord' is on evidence from my Lord, which is the Qur'an, 'and you have denied it,' meaning the proof. The pronoun refers to the interpretation of the proof or the Qur'an. If you say: By what is the truth established? I say: It is an adjective for the source of judgment, meaning the true judgment is made. It is also possible that it is an object from their saying: He made the armor when he fashioned it, meaning the truth is made and managed. And in the reading of Abdullah: 'He judges by the truth.' If you say: Why did you drop the 'ya' in writing? I say: Following the written form, and its dropping in pronunciation is due to the meeting of two consonants.