Maryam 19:82

The issue

In this verse, the antecedent to the pronoun “they” (“They shall deny...”) is not clearly discernible. Does this pronoun refer to the worshippers or those who are being worshipped? Some Islamic scholars suggest that Allah will raise the idols on the Day of Judgment so that the idols would rebuke those who worshipped them and declare themselves innocent of this idolatry. Others hold that the pronoun refers to the worshippers themselves, meaning the misbelievers who were worshipping the idols. This dilemma, whether the pronoun refers to idols, misbelievers, or idol worshippers, reveals yet another ambiguity in the Qur’ānic text. Another problem is that there is no justification for the idols to come to life on the Day of Judgment. Why would the idols come to life to testify about the idolatry of their worshippers? Are not Allah’s records sufficient? How would they testify when they can neither hear nor see? How would the idols testify? Will they testify after they are given life? What is their destiny after testifying? Are they going to be destroyed or are they going to live in eternity?