Allah reproaches the idolaters that worshiped others beside Allah, thinking that those gods would intercede for them before Allah. Allah states that these gods do not harm or benefit. They don't have any authority over anything, nor do they own anything. These gods can never do what the idolaters had claimed about them. That is why Allah said:

[قُلْ أَتُنَبِّئُونَ اللَّهَ بِمَا لاَ يَعْلَمُ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَلاَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ]

(Say: `Do you inform Allah of that which He knows not in the heavens and on the earth') Ibn Jarir said: "This means, `Are you telling Allah about what may not happen in the heavens and earth' Allah then announced that His Glorious Self is far above their Shirk and Kufr by saying:

[سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ]

(Glorified and Exalted is He above all that which they associate as partners (with Him)!)