Tafsir of Al-Isra 17:75

(If) — meaning, if you were to approach inclining toward them even in the slightest way — (then We would surely have made you taste a double portion of life).

Meaning: the double of life. It is an adjective for a deleted noun, and the genitive construction is based on the meaning of "in" or for association; that is, a double punishment in life. What is intended by "life" is the worldly life, as that is what comes to mind when the term is used absolutely. The same is said regarding His saying—the Exalted—(and a double portion of death), meaning: and a double punishment in death, which intends what encompasses the torment in the grave and after the resurrection. Some investigators have simplified it by positing that the estimation from the beginning is: "We would have made you taste the double of the punishment of life and the double of the punishment of death," with the genitive construction being possessive (li), and the indication for the estimation of "punishment" being (We would have made you taste). The meaning is: If you were to approach what We have mentioned, We would certainly double for you the punishment expedited for sinners in the worldly life and the punishment deferred for them after death.

It has also been said that what is intended by "life" is the life of the Hereafter, and by "punishment of death" is what occurs in the grave, with the matter of the genitive construction and estimation remaining the same. The meaning would be: If you were to approach [this], We would double for you the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Day of Resurrection, which are stored up for sinners.

In this conditional sentence, there is a great exaltation of the status of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and a warning that for those who are closest, the danger is more severe. This is because he was threatened with a double punishment for approaching the slightest inclination, whereas for us, the inclination is pardoned as long as action does not confirm it. An analogy to this, in one respect, is what came regarding his wives (peace and blessings be upon him) in the saying of the Exalted: "O wives of the Prophet, whoever among you should commit a clear immorality, for her the punishment would be doubled twice." It is mentioned that the reason for doubling the recompense of the high-ranking person for his error is that it becomes a cause for others to commit the same, and for them to use him as a justification; it is as if he had established a precedent for it. It has been narrated: "Whoever establishes a bad practice, upon him is its burden and the burden of whoever acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection." According to this, the punishment of the high-ranking person is doubled many times over for his error, and the affirmation of a single doubling does not necessitate the negation of multiple doublings.

It has been said that al-di'f (double) is one of the names of punishment, and they cited as proof for this his [the poet's] saying: "For the killing of Malik, two pains are mine; I spent the night in a painful di'f (punishment)." Some have mentioned that al-di'f is not inherently a name for punishment, but is used to express it due to the frequency with which punishment is described by it, as in the saying of the Exalted—the Almighty: "a double punishment." It is claimed that this is what the speaker intended; and Allah—the Exalted—knows best.

The "lam" in (We would have made you taste) and (they would have found you) is the "lam" of the oath, as explicitly stated by al-Hufi. The past tense in both instances takes the place of the present tense indicated by the "lam" and the "nun," as explicitly stated by Abu Hayyan, and we have referred to this previously.

(Then you would not find for yourself against Us any helper) — who could ward off the punishment or lift it from you. It is narrated from Qatadah that when His saying—the Exalted—was revealed: ...