Min dooni Allahi fahdoohum ila sirati aljaheem (surah Assaaffat: 23)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(37:23) apart from Allah, *16 and direct them to the path of Hell,

Min doonil laahi fahdoohum ilaa siraatil Jaheem

*16) "Gods" here implies two kinds of the gods: (1) Those men and satans who themselves desired that the people should worship them instead of Allah; and (21 those idols and trees and stones, etc., which have actually been worshipped in the world. The first kind of the gods will be included among the culprits themselves and will be led to Hell for punishment; the other kind of them will be thrown into Hell along with their worshippers so that they constantly feel ashamed of and continue to regret their follies. Besides, there is also a third kind of the gods, who have been worshipped in the world, but without their own consent and knowledge; they rather forbade the people to worship anyone but Allah, e.g. the angels, prophets and saints. Obviously, this kind of the gods will not be included among the gods who will be driven to Hell along with their worshippers.