Al-Hajj: 50

(So those who believed and did righteous deeds will have forgiveness and a generous provision.)

This is an addition to the exasperation of the polytheists, for it is a warning according to the ultimate outcome. It is permissible to say: The saying of the Glorified, "So those who believed," is a detailed explanation of those among the people—those other than the polytheists—in whom the warning was effective, and those among the latter who remained in their disbelief, in whom it was not effective. It is as if it were said: "Warn, O Muhammad, these disbelievers who hasten the punishment, and be exhaustive in it. For whoever believes and desists from what he is upon, he shall have such and such, and whoever persists in his disbelief and continues upon what he is upon, he shall have such and such." Al-Tibi preferred this view, and it is—as stated in al-Kashf—a good interpretation. According to this, the division is not included within the [content of the] speech, unlike the first interpretation.

Some researchers have said: "The people" is a general term encompassing both the believer and the disbeliever, and that which is being warned against is the establishment of the Hour. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was indeed a clear warner because his mission is among its signs. Thus, warning was combined in him both by statement and by state, through his saying: "I am a clear warner to you," just like his saying (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) established in the two Sahihs: "I am the naked warner." This is indicated by the fact that the address of warning is followed by a detailed account of the state of the two parties upon its establishment. There is no obstacle to this if not for the outward appearance of the context and the fact that believers are not warned, especially when there are among them the righteous and the corrupt—a point for which there is no basis. Those who prevented the generality [of the term] due to this said: The estimated meaning is "a bearer of glad tidings and a warner," and this is reported from al-Kirmani.

The forgiveness may be for the sins that occasionally occur from those who believed, and that does not contradict their description as having done righteous deeds. It may also be for what preceded from them before their faith and their turning away from what they were upon. The "generous provision" here is meant to be Paradise, as is indicated by its occurrence after the mention of forgiveness; and likewise in all the [other] readings, according to what Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi. The meaning of "generous" (karim) in the attributes of non-humans is that which is excellent.