What is meant by “stones” in this noble verse is idols.
It is related in a hadith that a group of people came to the Messenger of God (PBUH) and asked him, “Are you not a messenger from God, Exalted is He?” He replied, “Yes.” They said, “And this Qur’an that you have brought—is it the word of God, Exalted is He?” He said, “Yes.” They asked, “Then explain to us His words: ‘Indeed, you and whatever you worship besides God will be fuel for Hell; you will all enter it.’¹ If those worshipped are in Hell alongside their worshippers, then the Messiah (AS) is worshipped by the Christians. Are we to say that he is in Hell?”
The Messenger of God (PBUH) replied, “God revealed the Qur’an to me in the Arabic language, according to the conventions of that language. Among the Arabs, *mā* is used for what has no reason, *man* for those who do, and *alladhī* can apply to both. If you are Arabs, you should know this. When God says, ‘Indeed, you and whatever you worship,’ He means the idols they worshipped, which have no reason. The Messiah (AS) is not included among them, for he has reason. Had God said, ‘you and whoever you worship,’ the Messiah (AS) would have been included.” The people said, “You have spoken truly, O Messenger of God.”
*Kanẓ al-Fawāʾid*, vol. 2, p. 187
It is related in a hadith that a group of people came to the Messenger of God (PBUH) and said to him, “Are you not a messenger sent by God, Exalted is He?”
He replied, “Yes.”
They asked him, “Is this Qur’an that you have brought the word of God, Exalted is He?”
He replied, “Yes.”
They said, “Explain to us His words in verse 98 of Sūrat al-Anbiyāʾ:
«إنکم و ما تعبدون من دون الله حصب جهنم»
‘Indeed, you and whatever you worship besides God will be the fuel of Hell; you will enter it.’
If the idols worshipped by the polytheists are in Hell along with them, then Christ (AS) is also worshipped by the Christians. Are you saying that he is in Hell?”
The Messenger of God (PBUH) replied, “God revealed the Qur’an to me in Arabic, according to the conventions of the Arabic language. In Arabic, *mā* is used for things that have no reason, *man* for those that do, and *alladhī* for either. If you are Arabs, you should know this. When God says, ‘Indeed, you and whatever you worship,’ He means the idols they worshipped, which have no reason. Christ (AS) is not included among them, for he has reason. Had God said, ‘you and whoever you worship,’ Christ (AS) would have been included.” The people said, “You have spoken truly, O Messenger of God.”
*Ganjīnah-ye Maʿārif-e Shīʿeh-ye Imāmīyeh: Translation of* Kanz al-Fawāʾid wa al-Taʿajjub, vol. 2, p. 200
Sulaymān ibn Khālid relates: I said to Abū ʿAbd Allāh (AS), “I have family members who listen to me. Should I invite them to this cause?” He replied, “Yes, for God says in His Book: ‘O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones.’”
The stones referred to are idols or sulphur stones.
*Biḥār al-Anwār* (Beirut edition), vol. 2, p. 20
In the Tafsīr of Imam (AS): “So guard yourselves against the Fire whose fuel is people and stones.”
Sulphur stones are the hottest of all things. That Fire has been prepared for those who disbelieve in Muhammad, doubt his prophethood, reject the right of his brother ʿAlī, and deny his Imamate (AS).
*Biḥār al-Anwār* (Beirut edition), vol. 8, p. 299