They will never respond to your invocations until the Day of judgement.
Allah says in al Ahqaf.
46 : 5 And who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocation, are unaware.
1. Al Alusi mentioned they are idols and he also mentioned reasons of why Auliyah and Anbiya can’t hear nor comprehend from far.
، وأما إن كان من ذوي العقول فإن كان من المقبولين المقربين عند الله تعالى فلاشتغاله عن ذلك بما هو فيه من الخير أو كونه في محل ليس من شأن الذي فيه أن يسمع دعاء الداعي للبعد كعيسى عليه الصلاة والسلام اليوم أو لأن الله تعالى يصون سمعه عن سماع ذلك لأنه لكونه مما لا يرضي الله تعالى يؤلمه لو سمعه، وإن كان من أعداء الله تعالى كشياطين الجن والإنس الذين عبدوا من دون الله تعالى فإن كان ميتاً فلاشتغاله بما هو فيه من الشر، وقيل: لأن الميت ليس من شأنه السماع ولا يتحقق منه سماع إلا معجزة كسماع أهل القليب، وفي هذا كلام تقدم بعضه؛ وإن كان حياً فإن كان بعيداً مثلاً فالأمر ظاهر، وإن كان قريباً سليم الحاسة فقيل: الكلام بالنسبة إليه بعد تأويل الغفلة بعدم السماع وعلى التغليب لندرة هذا الصنف.
“As for those possessing intellect, if they are among the accepted ones (Maqbooleen with Allah), the near ones to Allah (Auliyah), then it may be due to their being occupied with the righteous deeds or because they are in a place where it is not possible to hear the supplication of one who calls from distance, like Jesus, peace be upon him, today. Or perhaps because Allah protects him from hearing the invocation, as it is something that does not please Allah and would cause him pain if he (the prophet or wali) were to hear it.
And if they are among the enemies of Allah, like the devils of the jinn and mankind who worshiped other than Allah, then if they are dead, it is because they are occupied with that which is evil for them. And it was said: because the dead do not have the capacity to hear, and hearing for them does not occur except through a miracle, like the hearing of the people of the cave. And there is some discussion about this that has been presented previously. And if they are alive, then if they are far away, for example, the matter is clear (I.e. that they are far so they can’t hear).
Ruh al ma’ani under 46 : 5
Al Alusi mentioned, they cannot hear because they are far or in a place where they are unable to hear the invocation, whether they are alive, dead, Auliyah or Anbiya. Al alusi had predecessors in saying this for example al Baydawi
2. Qadi Baydawi (d. 685 AH) said:
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَن لاَّ يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ } إنكار أن يكون أحد أضل من المشركين حيث تركوا عبادة السميع البصير المجيب القادر الخبير إلى عبادة من لا يستجيب لهم لو سمع دعاءهم، فضلاً أن يعلم سرائرهم ويراعي مصالحهم. { إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ } ما دامت الدنيا. { وَهُمْ عَن دُعَائِهِمْ غَـٰفِلُونَ } لأنهم إما جمادات وإما عباد مسخرون مشتغلون بأحوالهم.
{ وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمْ أَعْدَاءً } يضرونهم ولا ينفعونهم
“And who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection?” This is a denial that anyone can be more astray than the polytheists, who abandoned the worship of the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, Responsive, Able, and Knowing God, and instead worshiped those who do not respond to their calls, let alone know their innermost thoughts or care for their interests.
“Until the Day of Resurrection” means as long as the world exists.
“They are heedless of their invocation” because they are either inanimate objects or UNAWARE SERVANTS, preoccupied with their own affairs.
“And when people are gathered, they will be enemies to them” – they will harm them and not benefit them.
[Anwar al-Tanzil wa-Asrar al-Ta’wil under 46 : 5]3. Al Razi said:
وأيضاً يجوز أن يريد كل معبود من دون الله من الملائكة وعيسى وعزير والأصنام إلا أنه غلب غير الأوثان على الأوثان.
“Also, it is permissible to interpret that He means every worshiped entity besides Allah, including angels, Jesus, Ezra, and idols, but with a greater emphasis on idols..
Mafateeh al Ghayb under 45 : 5
4. Abu Hayyan said:
؛ أو كأن { من لا يستجيب } يراد به من عبد من دون الله من إنس وجن وغيرهما، وغلب من يعقل، وحمل أولاً على لفظ
Or, as if {those who will not respond} refers to WHOEVER is worshiped besides Allah, INCLUDING HUMANS, jinn, and others, and the prevalent meaning is the one that is rational.
Al Bhr al Muheet under 45 : 5
5. Abu Al-Su’ood (died 951 AH) said:
وقد جُوِّزَ أنْ يرادَ بهم كلُّ من يُعبد من دونِ الله من الملائكةِ والجنِّ والإنسِ وغيرِهم
“This phrase may also include any being worshiped instead of Allah, such as angels, jinn, humans, or other creatures.”
Tafseer Irshad Al-‘Aql Al-Salim ila Mazaaya Al-Kitab Al-Kareem” by Abu Al-Su’ood (died 951 AH)
6. Even Ibn Arabi (d 638 h) the sufi said:
ومن أضلّ ممن يَدْعو من دُون الله } أي شيء كدعاء الموالي للسادة مثلاً إذ لا يستجيب له أحد إلا الله.
“And who is more astray than one who calls upon something besides Allah?” For example, like a servant calling upon his master, as no one responds to him except Allah.
Tafsir Ibn arabi under 46 : 5