"And they have misled many." Al-Hasan's interpretation is: meaning the idols; i.e., many people went astray by worshipping them, without the idols themselves having called for their worship. "And do not increase the wrongdoers"—the polytheists—"except in error." This is the supplication of Noah against his people when Allah permitted him to supplicate against them.
﴿وَقد أَضَلُّوا كثيرا﴾ تَفْسِيرُ الْحَسَنِ: يَعْنِي: الْأَصْنَامَ؛ أَيْ: ضَلَّ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ إِيَّاهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تَكُونَ الْأَصْنَامُ دَعَتْ إِلَى عِبَادَتِهَا ﴿وَلا تزد الظَّالِمين﴾ الْمُشْركين ﴿إِلَّا ضلالا﴾ هَذَا دُعَاءُ نُوحٍ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ حِينَ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِالدُّعَاءِ عَلَيْهِم
