Transliteration:( Qaalal lazeena haqqa 'alaihimul qawlu Rabbanaa haaa'ulaaa'il lazeena aghwainaa aghwainaahu kamaa ghawainaa tabarraanaaa ilaika maa kaanoo iyyaanaa ya'budoon )
161. This means the purpose of the leaders of the infidels is to say Oh Allah our own Companions led us astray. At every step they were obediently following us. If only they had not accepted us as their leaders this pride and haughtiness would not have crept into us
162. This is the second excuse of these leaders. Just as we had gone astray on our own volition, these people too have gone astray according to their own desires. We had not forced them to go astray. Hence they cannot accuse us of it.
163 In fact, they were totally ruled by their whims and fancies and controlled by their desires
The tafsir of Surah Qasas verse 63 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Qasas ayat 62 which provides the complete commentary from verse 62 through 67.
(28:63) Those against whom the Word will be realised[86] will say: “Our Lord, these are the ones whom we led astray just as we ourselves strayed. We absolve ourselves before You of all blame.[87] It was not us that they worshipped.[88]“
86. This implies those satans from among jinns and men, who had been set up as associates of God in the world, whose teachings had been followed in preference to divine commandments, and dependence on whom had made the people give up the right way and adopt the wrong ways of life. Such persons may not have been called gods and lords as such, but since they were worshiped and obeyed as one should worship and obey only God, they were inevitably made partners in Godhead.
87. That is, “We did not lead them astray forcibly. We neither deprived them of their powers of seeing and hearing nor of their powers of thinking, nor there ever arose a situation when they wanted to follow the right way but we might have forcibly pulled them to the wrong way. But just as we ourselves had gone astray of our own free will, so they also of their own free will accepted the wrong way when we presented it before them. Therefore, we are not responsible for what they did: we are responsible for our acts and they are responsible for theirs.”
There is a subtle point to be noted here. Allah, in fact, will question those who had set up others as associates with Him, but before they make an answer, those who had been set up as associates will speak up. The reason is: When the common polytheists will be questioned thus, their leaders and guides will feel that their doomsday had come, for their followers will certainly blame them for their deviation. Therefore, even before the followers say something in response, the leaders will forestall them and start pleading their innocence.
88. That is, “They did not serve us but served their own selves alone.”
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