"Say, is there any of your partners that guides to the truth?" meaning: to the religion and to guidance; that is to say: they do not do so, nor do they possess intellect. "Say, Allah guides to the truth. So is He who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who cannot find guidance unless he is guided?" meaning: that the One who guides to the truth is more worthy to be followed; and He is Allah, there is no god but He.
Muhammad said: His statement, Glorified and Exalted is He, "cannot find guidance" (la yahiddī) means: he does not find guidance (la yahtadī); the ta' has been assimilated into the dal. It is also recited as "yahdī" (lightly); its meaning is: he finds guidance. It is said: "hudītu al-ṭarīqa" (I was guided to the path), meaning: I found the path.
﴿قُلْ هَلْ مِنْ شُرَكَائِكُمْ مَنْ يهدي إِلَى الْحق﴾ أَيْ: إِلَى الدِّينِ وَالْهُدَى؛ أَيْ: أَنَّهَا لَا تَفْعَلُ وَلا تَعْقِلُ ﴿قُلِ اللَّهُ يَهْدِي لِلْحَقِّ أَفَمَنْ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَنْ يُتَّبَعَ أَمَّنْ لَا يَهِدِّي إِلا أَن يهدى﴾ أَيْ: أَنَّ الَّذِي يَهْدِي إِلَى الْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَنْ يُتَّبَعَ؛ وَهُوَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ.
قَالَ محمدٌ: قَوْله ﷿: ﴿لَا يهدي﴾ أَيْ: لَا يَهْتَدِي؛ فَأُدْغِمَ التَّاءُ فِي الدَّالِ. وَهِيَ تُقْرَأُ أَيْضًا (يَهْدِي) خَفِيفَةٌ؛ وَمَعْنَاهَا: يَهْتَدِي؛ يُقَالُ: هُدِيتُ الطَّرِيقَ؛ بِمَعْنَى: اهْتَدَيْتُ.
