Quran Universe
68:40

سَلۡهُمۡ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

Salhum ayyuhum bithalika zaAAeemun

Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.

Word by word
  1. سَلۡهُمۡAsk them
  2. أَيُّهُمwhich of them
  3. بِذَٰلِكَfor that
  4. زَعِيمٌ(is) responsible
Al-Qalam · 68:40Makkah

Ask them who will guarantee that claim.

A bold claim needs someone to stand behind it

The claim
we get what we wantin the Hereafter
ask
who is the guarantor?Ibn Abbas
Who can stand behind it
one of them
no onethe claim has no sponsor

The Prophet ﷺ is told to ask them directly. Ibn Kathir explains: who is the sponsor who guarantees this? Ibn Abbas said it means which of them will be guarantor for that? None of them could be.

Someone tells you not to worry about prayer, nobody will ask about it. Ask them: will you answer for me on that Day? Easy advice costs the giver nothing. You are the one who carries it.

If enough people say it is fine, it must be fine.

No one who reassures me can stand in my place before Allah.

Try this

When someone tells you a wrong is fine, ask yourself quietly: will they answer for me?

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 68:34)

Verily, for those who have Taqwa are Gardens of Delight with their Lord (34)Shall We then treat the Muslims like the criminals (35)What is the matter with you? How judge you (36)Or have you a Book wherein you learn (37)That you shall therein have all that you choose (38)Or have you oaths from Us, lasting until the Day of Judgement, that yours will be what you judge (39)Ask them, which of them will stand as surety for that (40)Or have they "partners"? Then let them bring their "partners" if they are truthful (41)

The Reward of those Who have Taqwa and that They will not be treated like the Criminals

After Allah mentions the situation of the people of the worldly garden and the wrath they suffered when they disobeyed Allah and opposed his commands, He then explains that whoever has Taqwa of Him, then they will have Gardens of Delight in the Hereafter that will never end. These Gardens will last forever and their pleasures will never cease. Allah says,

أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ

(Shall We then treat the Muslims like the criminals?)

Meaning, ‘should we deal equally between them in terms of recompense?’ Nay, by the Lord of the heaven and the earth, surely not! Thus, Allah says,

مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ

(What is the matter with you? How do judge you?) meaning, ‘how can you think that?' Then he says,

أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ - إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ

(Or have you a Book wherein you learn, That you shall therein have all that you choose?)

Allah is saying in this, ‘is there in your hands a Book that has been sent down from heaven that you study, memorize and pass on to each other, the latter generations conveying it from the generations of old? Do you have such a Book, containing definite laws, as you claim?'

إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ - أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ

(That you shall therein have all that you choose? Or have you oaths from Us, lasting until the Day of Judgement, that yours will be what you judge?) meaning, ‘do you have covenants and confirmed agreements with Us?’

إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ

(that yours will be what you judge?) meaning, ‘that you will attain all that you want and desire.’

سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ

(Ask them, which of them will stand as surety for that!) meaning, say to them, “Who is the sponsor of guarantee this?” Ibn ‘Abbas said that it means, “Which of them will be guarantor for that?”

أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ

(Or have they "partners"?) meaning, ‘do they have idols and rivals gods (besides Allah)?’

فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ

(Then let them bring their "partners" if they are truthful!)