The interpretation of Qatadah: People from among the misguided deliberately set aside a portion of their crops and their livestock (a portion for Allah), and a portion for their partners—meaning: their idols. And whenever something from that which they had set aside for Allah would mix with something from that which they had set aside for their partners, they would abandon it. But whenever something from that which they had set aside for their partners would mix with something from that which they had set aside for Allah, they would return it to their partners. And when a year of drought struck them, [they would seek aid] from what they had set aside for Allah, while they would preserve what they had set aside for their partners. Allah said: {Evil is that which}—meaning: wretched is that which—{they judge}.
تَفْسِيرُ قَتَادَةَ: عَمَدَ ناسٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الضَّلَالَةِ فَجَزَّءُوا مِنْ حُرُوثِهِمْ وَمَوَاشِيهِمْ (جُزْءًا لِلَّهِ)، وَجُزْءًا لِشُرَكَائِهِمْ - يَعْنِي: أَوْثَانَهُمْ - وَكَانُوا إِذَا خَالَطَ شيءٌ مِمَّا جَزَّءُوا لِلَّهِ شَيْئًا مِمَّا جَزَّءُوا لِشُرَكَائِهِمْ - تَرَكُوهُ، وَإِذَا خَالَطَ شَيْءٌ مِمَّا جَزَّءُوا لِشُرُكَائِهِمْ شَيْئًا مِمَّا جَزَّءُوا لِلَّهِ - رَدُّوهُ إِلَى شُرَكَائِهِمْ، وَإِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمُ السَّنَةُ لِشُرُكَائِهِمْ شَيْئًا مِمَّا جَزَّءُوا لِلَّهِ - رَدُّوهُ إِلَى شُرَكَائِهِمْ، وَإِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمُ السَّنَةُ [اسْتَعَانُوا] بِمَا جَزَّءُوا لِلَّهِ، وَوَفَّرُوا مَا جَزَّءُوا لِشُرَكَائِهِمْ. قَالَ الله ﴿سَاءَ مَا﴾ بِئْسَ مَا ﴿يَحْكُمُونَ﴾.
