“Mā naʿbuduhum illā li-yuqarribūnā ilā Allāhi zulfā”
“We worship them only so that they may bring us nearer to God.” (al-Zumar 39:3, excerpt)
This is the idolaters’ reported justification, not a divine endorsement of the claim. An understood “they say” (yaqūlūn) identifies its speakers, supported by the surrounding discussion.
A Qur’anic quotation of false speech is not the Qur’an asserting that speech to be true. The identity of the speaker must be preserved when interpreting an embedded statement.
Recognizing an omitted reporting verb clarifies who speaks, whom they address and which proposition is being reported rather than affirmed.
“Fa-ẓaltum tafakkahūna innā la-mughramūn”
“You would be distressed, saying, ‘We have suffered loss.’” (al-Wāqiʿah 56:65–66, excerpt)
Here an unspoken “you say” identifies the speakers. The same principle identifies the idolaters’ quoted speech in al-Zumar.