Tafsir of Al-Hajj 22:57

"And those who disbelieved and denied Our signs—those are the ones who will remain in doubt about it."

Regarding the object of the disbelief, there are possibilities similar to those of the object of faith, plus an additional one: the possibility that the object is the "signs." The apparent meaning is that these are the revealed signs, though it is permissible that it refers to the proofs, or that it refers to both. From what has been mentioned, fifteen possibilities emerge regarding the verse. Perhaps the most appropriate of them is that which brings the conjunction closer to being foundational; so reflect upon this.

The relative pronoun (al-mawṣūl) is the first subject (mubtada’). The statement of the Exalted, "those," is the second subject. It is a reference to the relative pronoun in light of it being characterized by what is included in the relative clause. The element of distance (the "kaf" in ulā’ika) is intended to signal the distance of their rank in evil and corruption.

His statement, the Exalted, "for them is a punishment," is a nominal sentence composed of a subject and a predicate that precedes it, which acts as the predicate for the second subject. Or, "for them" is the predicate, and "punishment" is in the nominative case as the subject of the implied verb (the existence) in the prepositional phrase, relying upon the subject. The sentence comprising the second subject and its predicate constitutes the predicate for the first subject.

As for the inclusion of the fa (in fa-ulā’ika), it is said to signify that the punishment of the disbelievers is due to their abominable deeds; hence the use of "those." It is also said that "for them" uses the lam of entitlement. The apparent form in the case of "punishment," as was said regarding "in gardens [of pleasure]," suggests that stripping the predicate of the first relative pronoun of this lam serves to signal that the rewarding of the believers is by way of grace, not because their good deeds necessitate it. This does not contradict His saying, "they shall have a reward that is never interrupted," and the like, because based on His promise to reward them for these deeds, such deeds may be considered a cause.

Others have said the fa was brought because the discourse follows the structure of detailing (tafṣīl) based on an implied "as for." It is as if it were said: "As for those who disbelieved and denied Our signs, then those have..." This is baseless, because it would require implying "as for" in His saying, "as for those who believed," which is not possible there because there is no fa in the predicate.

His statement, "humiliating," is an adjective emphasizing the grandeur already conveyed by the tanwīn. These disbelievers were not described with committing evil deeds—unlike the description of the believers as doing righteous deeds—it is said, because it is obvious that they are not characterized by anything other than that: namely, the righteous deeds which God—exalted be He—legislated upon the tongue of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) after their disbelief and denial of the signs. It is also said to be an exaggeration in terrorizing the matter of disbelief, as He, the Exalted, informed that the one characterized by it, even without the commission of evil deeds, has a humiliating punishment. If He had mentioned that [evil deeds], it would have implied that the punishment is reserved for the one characterized by both combined, which would weaken the terror. The claim that "denying the signs" means "committing evil deeds," or that the speech employs the figure of iḥtibāk (ellipsis of parts from two coupled clauses), such that the origin is: "As for those who believed and affirmed Our signs and did righteous deeds, [they are in] the Gardens of Pleasure; and those who disbelieved and denied Our signs and did evil deeds, those have a humiliating punishment"—this is contrary to the apparent meaning, as is not hidden.