Tafsir of Al-Hijr 15:49-50

"Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful, and that My punishment is the painful punishment."

It has been said: This is addressed to servants in an absolute sense, and it has been said: it refers to those described as "the righteous" (al-muttaqin)—meaning, inform them.

This is a summary of the preceding promises and threats, serving as an affirmation of them. "I" (Ana) is either an innovated subject (mubtada'), an emphatic reinforcement, or a separator (fasl). Abu Hayyan stated that the clause following it occupies the place of the two objects of "inform" (nabbi'), if we consider the verb to take three objects, or the place of one object if we consider it to take two.

The mention of forgiveness implies—as has been argued—that the term "the righteous" does not signify those who avoid all sins; for if that were intended, the mention of forgiveness would have no place. Others have said that its mention is to dispel the illusion that only those righteous ones enter Paradise, by clarifying that others may enter it even if they have not repented, because He—Exalted is He—is the Forgiving, the Merciful. This view has merit.

Describing His Essence—Exalted is He—with forgiveness and mercy rather than with punishment (as He did not say, "and that I am the painful tormentor") indicates the preference of the aspect of promise over the aspect of threat. Even though "the painful" (al-alim) is, according to more than one scholar, in reality an attribute of the punishment itself, the genitive construction (idafa) does not negate this; for a genitive construction does not necessitate the actual occurrence of the possessed noun (the mudaf), just as when one says, "My striking is severe," it is correct for the intended meaning to be "this striking is severe if it occurs," and the slightest association is sufficient for such a construction.

The preference for the side of mercy is further strengthened by the use of the two attributes in their intensive forms (mubalagha). This is also supported by the narration which Ibn Jarir and Ibn Mardawayh recorded via Ata ibn Abi Rabah from one of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) emerged toward us from the door of Banu Shaybah and said, "Do I not see you laughing?" Then he turned away, but when he reached the Hijr, he returned to us walking backward and said, "When I left, Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to me and said: 'O Muhammad, Allah the Exalted says: Do not cause My servants to despair. (Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful...)'" The precedence of the promise also supports this, and it contains an indication of the precedence of mercy, as articulated in the well-known report.

Despite all this, the verse contains that which makes hearts tremble. Abd ibn Humayd and others recorded from Qatadah that he said regarding this verse: "It has reached us that the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'If the servant knew the extent of Allah’s pardon, he would not refrain from [avoiding] the forbidden; and if he knew the extent of His punishment, he would destroy his own soul.'" The two Sahihs and others recorded from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah the Exalted created mercy on the day He created it as one hundred parts; He kept ninety-nine parts with Him and sent down one part among all His creation. If the disbeliever knew all the mercy that is with Allah, he would not despair of [entering] Paradise, and if the believer knew all the punishment that is with Allah the Exalted, he would not feel secure from the Fire."