52. (In addition to the apparent meaning) the allusion could be to those (pseudo-Sufis) who claim “wilayah” falsely. As for the words, “laid a lie against the Truth when it came to him,” the allusion could be to him who discarded the Shari`ah behind him saying, “this is only the skin” (while we possess the golden core). We seek Allah’s shelter from them ( Alusi, Thanwi).

53. The allusion is to all those who bring the Truth and those who testify to its veracity, starting from Jibril who brought the Qur’an, down to the Prophet who brought the Message, and anyone else who preaches the truth as well as all those who follow it - in all times and in all climes (Tabari, Qurtubi and others).

But perhaps it is not suited to anyone else as it is suited to the Prophet, who brought the truth, and Abu Bakr, who was the first to testify. This was the opinion of `Ali ibn abi Talib. And, the reason is clear. Abu Bakr was the first to believe and offer moral and material support to the message. The situation remained for a long while: `Ali himself was too young, while other early believers were not powerful or rich enough to offer any support to the Prophet (Razi).

54. The words “For them is whatever they desire with their Lord,” hold the promise that the believers will be allowed the Beatific Vision since, as we know after they would have tasted several pleasures of Paradise, one will remain, viz., the Beatific Vision, and, it will not be denied since the promise here is that they shall have all with their Lord that they desire (Razi).

55. This is in reference to the wrongs men commit against their Lord such as, e.g., declaring partners unto Him. He will acquit them of such of the evil deeds because of their subsequent repentance and return to Him (Ibn Jarir, Razi and others).

While mentioning the above interpretation as closer to being correct, Imam Razi, however, quotes Muq atil as of a different view. The latter thought that the allusion by the forgiveness of the worst of evil deeds is to major sins committed after entry into Islam. Muqatil, Imam Razi thinks, was one of the leaders of the “murji’ah” (those who held great hope) who believed that no sin harms a man after his belief, just as, at the other end of the spectrum, no good deed is of any worth when accompanied by unbelief. Muq atil believed that the allusion here could not be to the “disbelief” of the pre-Islamic times, since the promise here is to the believers, after they have declared their faith. The verse says, it may be noted, “As for he who brought the Truth and (those who) testified to it, ... Allah will acquit them of the worst of what they did...” So, by the words, “worst of what they did” refer to sins in the state of belief, in other words, major sins.

We do not have Muq atil’s stand in this regard in its fullest detail, but the modification that the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama`ah make is, “Allah could forgive major sins of the believers and let them into Paradise from the start, or He may punish them first in Hellfire before final entry into Paradise, if He so wills” (Au.).

56. That is, Allah is enough for a man that He should believe in Him and trust Him, and that he should be satisfied with the situation he is in. We have a hadith on this topic preserved by Tirimidhi who declared it trustworthy. the Prophet (saws) said,“Good cheer for him who was guided to Islam, his provision (for life) was just enough for him and he was quite satisfied with it.”

The report is also in Ibn abi H atim through another chain (Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Kathir has yet another quotable hadith on the topic,Ibn `Abbas reported that the Prophet told him while he was riding behind him on a beast, “My boy. Let me teach you a few words: Be mindful of Allah, He will be mindful of you. Be cognizant of Allah, you will find Him before you. Turn to Allah in your times of ease, He will remember you in your difficult times. When you ask, ask Allah. When you seek help, seek Allah’s help. And know that if mankind were to gather together to do you a good that Allah has not written for you, they will not be able to do the good to you. And, if mankind were to gather together to do you a harm that Allah has not written against you, they will not be able to harm you. The Scriptures have dried and the Pens have been withdrawn. Know that to show patience over a thing of dislike carries much good; that success comes with patience; that the opening accompanies (every) pain, and that with every hardship, there is an ease.” (Haythami said that the report is in Tabar ani but is weak: Au.). The Prophet is also reported by Ibn Abi Hatim as having said to Ibn `Abbas, “He who wishes to be strongest of the people, may rely on Allah. He who wishes to be richest of the people, may have greater faith in what Allah has than in what his hands possess. And he who wishes to be the most honorable of the people, may always be conscious of Allah and fear him.” (The authenticity of this report could not be established: Au.).

57. Makkan pagans tried to frighten the Prophet off his preaching against their deities saying that their deities would strike him with evil. Hence we find that when the Prophet sent Khalid ibn al-Wal id to a valley in Hijaz where “Al-`Uzzah” was installed, to destroy it, he was warned by its custodian. He told Khalid that this was no ordinary deity and that it would strike back in force. In response Khalid went up to the idol and chopped off its nose (before demolishing it altogether: Au.) - Ibn Jarir, Kashsh af, Qurtubi.

The application is also to Muslim-to-Muslim situation. The officers frighten their subordinates into doing something disallowed in Islam by threatening them with some sort of action against them if they would not co-operate. Good Muslims should hold on to their principles. Allah is the Protector. He has several ways of providing for His slaves (Shafi`).

58. A mass of evidence tells us that the Arabs believed in a supreme Deity, Allah, even before the advent of Islam. Writes Majid: “The offence of the Arabs was not that they denied the Supreme Being or the Creator; they fully recognized His existence, but they associated other deities with Him.”

59. The pronoun employed here is feminine because the allusion is to deities (Razi).

60. That is, do you not see the contradiction, that while on the one hand you believe in One Supreme Deity, Allah, the all-Arching, the Overwhelming, on the other hand you also ascribe partners unto Him! Your behavior is all the more ridiculous when you realize that the deities that you ascribe to Him are totally powerless, neither capable of good nor harm.

61. The translation here follows Alusi’s understanding. Otherwise, the word “makanat” can also be understood as place or station, as noted by Zamakhshari.

62. The Prophet used to get extremely worried over the rejection by the Makkans. He is being told here not to vex himself unduly. None but Allah can guide a man. Guidance is for the soul what life is for the body: the rightly-guided is alive, while the unguided is dead. And, just as life to the body is given by Allah, life to the soul is also given by Allah. This should have gone a long way in consoling the Prophet (Razi).