The Light: (57) Do not think that those...

His saying, Exalted is He, "Do not think that those who disbelieved..." is an elucidation of the ultimate fate of the disbelievers in this world and the Hereafter, following the declaration of their utmost depravity and the triumph of their opposites in absolute mercy, which entails the happiness of both abodes. In this, there is also the removal of any disbelief regarding the fulfillment of the previous promise, despite the vast number and multitude of the disbelievers. The address is to anyone from whom such thinking might emanate, similar to His saying, "If you could see when the criminals hang their heads..."

It is permissible that the address be directed to the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by way of allusion to one from whom such a thought might have occurred, like the saying: "I mean you, but listen, O neighbor." Or, it may be an indication that the aforementioned thinking has reached such a degree of repulsiveness and prohibition that it is forbidden even to those from whom it is impossible for such thoughts to emanate—how much more so for those from whom it is possible? This is similar to what is said regarding His saying, "Do not be of the polytheists." Thus, the statement of Abu Hayyan—that making the address to the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is not sound because such thinking is inconceivable from him—is not sound, for it overlooks what has been mentioned.

The relative pronoun "those who" (al-ladhina) is in the accusative position as the first object of the verb "think." His saying, "disabling [Me]," is the second. "In the earth" is an adverbial phrase for "disabling," not to imply that the incapacitation intended by the negation occurs only on earth and not elsewhere—for that is self-evident—but to express the comprehensiveness of the inability to escape to all parts of the earth. That is: Do not think they can disable Allah, Exalted is He, from reaching them and destroying them in any region of the earth, however vast, even if they flee from it in every direction of escape.

Hamza and Ibn 'Amir recited it as "yahsaban" (yahsabanna) with a 'ya' as the final letter, implying the subject is "everyone." It is as if it were said: Let no thinker consider the disbelievers to be capable of disabling Him, Exalted is He, on the earth. Or, the pronoun refers to the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, due to his prior mention in His saying, "And obey the Messenger." Abu Ali held this view. Abu Hayyan’s claim that it is not sound for the reason previously mentioned is itself not sound for the reasons stated before. Alternatively, the pronoun refers back to the disbeliever—that is, let not the disbeliever think that those who have disbelieved can disable Allah. This is reported from Ali ibn Sulayman. Or, the relative pronoun is the object, and the first object is omitted, as if it were said: "Let not those who disbelieved think of themselves as disabling on earth." It is mentioned that the original construction, in this case, was "Let not the disbelievers think them to be disabling," then the pronoun serving as the first object was dropped. What justified this is that when the subject and the two objects are like a single entity, it is sufficient to mention two rather than three. This was critiqued in al-Bahr on the grounds that this pronoun is not one of those clarified by what follows, so it is not permissible for the original to have been "Let not the disbelievers think them," just as it is not permissible to say "his thinking Zayd standing."

The Kufans said that "disabling" is the first object and "in the earth" is the second, meaning: "Let not those who disbelieved think anyone can disable Allah, Exalted is He, on earth, so that they might covet such a thing." Al-Zamakhshari said: "This is a strong and good meaning." It was countered that it lacks conformity to the requirement of the context, as the focus of the benefit is the second object, and there is no benefit in declaring that there are those who are "disabling on earth." It was rebutted that even if the focus is on the benefit, the act of "disabling" is taken as a given, and what is sought is the declaration of the location—that is, they shall not disable Him, may He be glorified, on earth. The fairness of the matter is that what was mentioned is contrary to the apparent meaning; the apparent meaning is the attachment of "on earth" to "disabling." In any case, the aforementioned recitation is authentic, even if the levels of its derivations differ in strength and weakness. From this, one knows the error in the statement of al-Nahhas: "I have not known any expert in Arabic, whether Basran or Kufan, who does not deem the recitation of Hamza to be erroneous." Some of them say it is a linguistic slip because he only provided one object for "think," and others said this is Abu Hatim’s view. This proceeds from a lack of proper study, an increase in delirium, and the audacity to attack a mutawatir (consecutively transmitted) Quranic recitation. By my life, if recitation were a matter of opinion, the most fitting thing for one to whom the aspect of Hamza’s recitation was hidden would be not to speak such words, to accuse himself, and to refrain from attacking that Imam.

His saying, "And their refuge is the Fire," is a conjunction to the sentence of prohibition, interpreting it as a declarative sentence, because the purpose of the prohibition against thinking is to establish the negation of that thought—as if it were said: "Those who disbelieved are not disabling, and their refuge is the Fire." It is also permitted that it be a conjunction to an implied statement, for the first part is a warning regarding this world, as if it were said: "They are overpowered in this world by annihilation and disgraced in the Hereafter by the punishment of the Fire." The author of al-Nazm suggests: "Rather, they are those who are overpowered and will be held to account, and their refuge is the Fire." Al-Kashf says: "Making it a state (hal), meaning: 'Thinking should not occur for one whose refuge is the Fire.' It is as if it were said: 'How could such a thought come to the disbeliever when the Fire has been prepared for him?'" The turn toward "And their refuge is the Fire" is for the sake of hyperbole in confirming the fact, as it is something known to them, without doubt. This is a sound perspective, free from the labor of over-complication, which some of the Imams have approached. It is not hidden that its appearance leans toward some of the derivations of the recitation "yahsaban" with the 'ya' of the third person.

In al-Bahr, the interpretation of the prohibition sentence to justify the conjunction upon it was critiqued by stating: "The correct view is that it is permissible to conjoin sentences of different types to one another, even if they do not unify in kind; this is the school of Sibawayh." Mawa (refuge) is a noun of place; it is also permitted to be a verbal noun, though the first is more apparent.

His saying, "And evil is the destination," is an answer to an implied oath, and the specific object of the condemnation is omitted—that is: "And by Allah, evil is the destination." It refers to the Fire. The sentence is an appended parenthetical, confirming what preceded it. In presenting the Fire with the title of being their refuge and destination, there is an effect of negating their escape on earth through any avenue—a degree of eloquence for which there is no end. So, all praise is due to Allah for the state of the Revelation.