وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشۡرَكُواْ لَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا عَبَدۡنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَيۡءٖ نَّحۡنُ وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمۡنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَيۡءٖۚ كَذَٰلِكَ فَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ فَهَلۡ عَلَى ٱلرُّسُلِ إِلَّا ٱلۡبَلَٰغُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ
The polytheists say, ‘Had Allah wished, we would not have worshiped anything besides Him—neither we, nor our fathers—nor we would have forbidden anything without His sanction.’ Those who were before them had acted likewise. Is the apostles’ duty anything but to communicate in clear terms?
Agha Ali Puya Commentary
Commentary on Quran 16:35
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 16:35] Aqa Mahdi Puya says: It is an old excuse of the evil-doers to shift the responsibility of their actions to Allah by wilfully concealing the fact that He has given a free will to every human being, and sent His messengers with true guidance in every age to all peoples. See commentary of al Baqarah:256 and Yunus:47.
Ali Muhammad Fazil Chinoy Commentary
Commentary on Quran 16:35-40
The essence of mission transmitted by all Prophets is to obey the Glorious God and deny passion, which is unholy, so it is not so much a pursuit as a temper leading to a pursuit, foundation of which is faith, and its action is virtuous deeds and his temper is holiness in which is freedom from passion and love for the pure. For love and fear make religion. All humble, meek, merciful, just, pious, and devout souls are everywhere of one religion which is Islam – resignation to Divine will.