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The pronoun in His saying, exalted be He: "وجادلهم" (and argue with them)

Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله

Original (Arabic): https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/14/الضمير-في-قوله-تعالى-وجادلهم

Question: He, the Most High, said:
ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ وَجَٰدِلۡهُم بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ
Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Quran) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.
Qur'an 16:125 — trans. Hilali & Khan
To whom does the pronoun refer in His saying, Exalted is He: وجادلهم (and argue with them)?
 
Answer: It refers back to those being called, meaning: call the people to the way of your Lord. So the pronoun in "argue with them" refers to those being called, whether they are Muslims or disbelievers. Similar to it is His saying, the Most High:
۞ وَلَا تُجَٰدِلُوٓاْ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنۡهُمۡۖ وَقُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱلَّذِيٓ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكُمۡ وَإِلَٰهُنَا وَإِلَٰهُكُمۡ وَٰحِدٞ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُۥ مُسۡلِمُونَ
And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better (with good words and in good manner, inviting them to Islamic Monotheism with His Verses), except with such of them as do wrong, and say (to them): "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you; our Ilah (God) and your Ilah (God) is One (i.e. Allah), and to Him we have submitted (as Muslims)."
Qur'an 29:46 — trans. Hilali & Khan
And the People of the Book are the disbelievers among the Jews and Christians, so it is not permissible to dispute with them except in the best manner, except for those among them who commit wrongdoing, for the wrongdoer is treated according to what he deserves.[1].
  1. Majmu' Fatawa Ibn Baz (1/55).
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