Tafsir of An-Naml 27:11

“Except for those who have done wrong, then substituted good after evil, for indeed I am Forgiving, Merciful.”

The exception here is munqati‘ (disconnected) according to many. However, it has been narrated from al-Farra’, al-Zajjaj, and others that the meaning of "those who have done wrong" refers to those who committed sins among those other than the messengers, peace be upon them. The author of al-Matla‘ stated that this is the meaning, [implying]: but as for those who do wrong from among the rest of the servants and then repent, I will forgive them.

A group of scholars said: The meaning is those among the messengers—peace be upon them—who committed a minor slip or an act contrary to what is most appropriate (the khilaf al-awla) relative to their status. The intention is to rectify what might arise in hearts regarding the negation of fear for all of them, given that among them were those who committed such acts. The meaning is: "But as for those among them from whom something in the form of wrongdoing occurred, then repented, I will forgive them, so they ought not to fear either."

This is inclusive of those who did something of that nature before their messengership. Some have restricted it to those from whom such a thing occurred before prophethood, stating that the particle "then" (thumma) supports this, as it is apparent in denoting temporal delay. Perhaps the manifest interpretation is that it is specific to those from whom it occurred after messengership, because the term "messenger" (mursal) is clearly applied to one already engaged in messengership, not one who becomes engaged in it later, or it is general.

It seems that the mention of this in the first two interpretations is an allusion to what occurred from Musa—peace be upon him—regarding his striking of the Coptic man, his seeking of forgiveness, and his naming it "wrongdoing," in conformity with his saying—peace be upon him—"I have wronged myself." They did not treat this as muttasil (connected), with the exception being part of the excepted group—that is, the messengers absolutely—because if it were connected, it would necessitate affirming fear for those among them who committed a minor slip, by virtue of their exception from the ruling, which is the negation of fear for them; and the negation of a negation is an affirmation, which is contrary to the intent. Therefore, it is not connected; rather, it is the beginning of another ruling.

Al-Tayyibi favored what the group said, arguing that the station of receiving messengership and the beginning of discourse with the Interlocutor (al-Kalim) requires the complete removal of fear, and this is apparent according to what they said. It is narrated from al-Hasan, Muqatil, Ibn Jurayj, and al-Dahhak that which suggests it is a muttasil (connected) exception. It is apparent that by "those," they intended the same as the group did. In its connectivity, according to what you heard, there is ambiguity. It may be said that for those whom the group considers to be connected, it is sufficient for connectivity that the exception is simply of the same genus as the excepted-from. If that suffices, then well and good; otherwise, one must affirm fear and treat "substituted" (baddala) as a conjunction to a deleted, initiated clause, as if it were said: "Except for those from whom a minor slip occurred, for they shall fear; then whoever slipped and repented, he is forgiven and shall not fear." The essence of this is: "Except for those who have done wrong, for they shall fear at first, and fear is removed from them by repentance at the end."

From al-Farra’, in another narration, it is said that it is a muttasil exception from a deleted phrase, the estimate being: "And none shall fear except those who have done wrong." Al-Nahhas rejected this, stating that an exception from a deleted phrase is not permissible. If this were permissible, one could say: "Do not strike the people except for Zayd," with the meaning: "Indeed, strike the others except for Zayd." This is the opposite of clarity and involves bringing that whose meaning is unknown. This is as he said, and the contention of considering the concept of mafhum al-mukhalafa (the concept of contradiction) is of no avail.

A faction said: "Except" (illa) has the meaning of "and" (wa), the estimation being: "And not those who have done wrong..." This was criticized in al-Bahr as being nothing, due to the total discrepancy between "except" and "and"; neither can take the place of the other. Favorable interpretation permits the view that they did not explicitly state that "except" means "and," but rather it was understood from the estimation attributed to them, which may be an estimation of meaning, not syntax, so do not be heedless.

The apparent interpretation is that the exception is disconnected. Perhaps the most appropriate regarding the status of the messengers is that "those who have done wrong" refers to those who committed a major or minor sin from among others. "Then" (thumma) may be for temporal delay, making the verse benefit forgiveness for those who substitute immediately, as a matter of a fortiori argument. It may also be for rank-based delay, which is apparent between the wrongdoing and the mentioned substitution.

"Substitution" (tabdil) may be transitive to two objects inherently, such as: “We substituted for them skins other than them,” and it may be transitive to one of them inherently and to the other by means of ba or min, which is the removed and the replaced-from, such as: “Substituted them from their fear with security.” It may be transitive to one, as in: “Whoever substitutes it after he has heard it.” The meaning here is based on the transitive to two objects, and it has been made transitive to one of them—which is the substituted-from—by ba or min. It is as if it were said: "Then he substituted with his wrongdoing, or from his wrongdoing, goodness." His saying, “after evil,” points to this. The essence of it is: then he abandoned the wrongdoing and brought forth goodness, which is intended to be repentance. Thus, the meaning in the Hereafter is: "Except for those who have done wrong, then repented." He shifted from it to what is in the noble composition because it is more appropriate to the station of comforting. Thus it is said. The apparent implication is that his attribution of the substitution to the one who did wrong is literal. It is said: The meaning is, then he removed the wrongdoing and evil and erased it from his record of deeds and placed goodness in its stead because of his repentance, similar to His saying, “God will substitute their evil deeds with good deeds.” Attributing the substitution to the one who did wrong is metaphorical, because he is the cause for God Almighty substituting it for him through his repentance. It is as if I see you choosing the former.

The status of "who" (man), on both estimates of the exception being disconnected or connected, is apparent. The apparent [meaning] is that it is relative (mawsula) in both estimates. It is not hidden that if it is considered accusative as an exception, or nominative as a replacement, then the sentence “For indeed I am...” is a new, initiated sentence. Whoever estimated a deletion in the speech and conjoined "substituted" to it, stating the estimation is "whoever did wrong then substituted," made the sentence the predicate for "whoever." Some permitted that it be conditional (shartiyya), and the sentence “For indeed I am...” is its response (jawab). Reflect on this and do not be heedless.

Abu Ja‘far and Zayd ibn Aslam recited: "Ala man thalam" (Is it not that whoever did wrong...), with the hamza opened and the lam light, based on ala being a particle of opening/attention. Abu Hayyan considered "who" (man) in this reading to be conditional, but I do not see that as mandatory. Muhammad ibn ‘Isa al-Asbahani read husnan (goodness) as husna—on the weight of fu‘la—as a diptote. Ibn al-Qasim read husnan with a damma on the ha and the sin, with nunation. Mujahid, Abu Haywah, Ibn Abi ‘Ali, al-A‘mash, and Abu ‘Amr—in a narration from al-Ju‘fi, ‘Ismah, ‘Abd al-Warith, Harun, and ‘Ayyash—read husnan with a fatha on the ha and the sin with nunation.