Tafsir of An-Naml 27:90

"And whoever comes with an evil deed"—which is shirk (polytheism). This is the interpretation of those who interpreted "the good deed" as the testimony that there is no god but Allah, and you have come to know who they are. It has also been said that it refers to what includes shirk and other evil deeds.

"Shall be thrown on their faces into the Fire"—that is, they shall be cast into it upon their faces, inverted. The attribution of the "throwing" (kab) to the faces is figurative, for it is said kabbahu and akkabahu if one inverts him. It is also said that it is permissible for "faces" to mean "selves," just as it was meant by "hands" in His saying—Exalted is He—{"And do not throw with your hands into destruction"}, meaning: their selves were thrown into the Fire.

"Are you being recompensed except for what you used to do?"—This is either based on a shift (iltifat) for the purpose of intensification, or based on the implication of speech; meaning, this is said to them. Thus, there is no shift in it, for it is in another [instance of] speech, and among the conditions of the shift is the unity of the two instances of speech, as has been established in the science of rhetoric (al-ma’ani).

Some of the Murji'ah, who argue that disobedience does not harm [the person] alongside faith, just as obedience does not benefit [the person] alongside disbelief, inferred from His saying—Exalted is He—{"Whoever comes with a good deed..."} onwards, that the disobedient believer is not punished on the Day of Resurrection. Otherwise, he would not be safe from the terror of witnessing the punishment on that day, which contradicts what the noble verse indicates.

It was answered by denying that the disobedient believer falls under the generality of the verse, because "the good deed" is intended to be the complete [good deed], which is faith unblemished by disobedience, and that is not realized in him. Or, [it is argued] because the immediate understanding of "coming with a good deed" is one unmixed with an evil deed, and that too is not realized in him. Whoever it is realized in, is safe from that terror; rather, it is not far-fetched that he is safe from every terror of the terrors of the Day of Resurrection.

If we grant [the possibility of] entry [into the verse], we say that the "terror" from which the one who comes with a good deed is safe is what occurs when death is slaughtered and the caller cries out: "O people of Paradise, eternity, so no death! And O people of the Fire, eternity, so no death!"—as you have heard from Ibn Jurayj. Or [it occurs] when Hell closes in upon its people and they are terrified, as was narrated from al-Kalbi. That is not [the case] except after the people of Paradise have completed their entry into Paradise. The punishment that occurs for some of the disobedient believers is only before that, and the verse does not indicate its negation in any way.

Some of them answered that it is permissible for the disobedient believer to be safe from the terror of witnessing the punishment, even if he is punished, because of his knowledge that he will not abide therein forever. Thus, his punishment is likened to the hardships that the lover endures on the path to union with the beloved. This is in the utmost degree of worthlessness, as is not hidden.

Some of the Mu’tazilah argued from His saying—Exalted is He—{"Whoever comes with an evil deed..."} onwards, that there is no difference between the punishment of the disbeliever and the punishment of the disobedient believer, because "whoever comes with an evil deed" encompasses both of them, and it has confirmed for him the being thrown on the face into the Fire. Since that [happens] with respect to the disbeliever in a manner of eternity, it is the same with respect to the disobedient believer.

It was answered that "the evil deed" is intended to mean shirk, as has been narrated in its interpretation from the majority of the pious predecessors of the nation (salaf al-ummah), so the disobedient believer does not enter into "whoever comes with an evil deed." Even if we concede his entry based on the statement regarding the generality of "the evil deed," we do not concede that the verse contains evidence for his eternity in the Fire. The fact that being thrown into the Fire is, with respect to the disbeliever, in a manner of eternity, does not necessitate that it be the same with respect to him. Frequently, a group is judged with a general command, and what is established for some of them is of one type, and for others is of another type. This is something about which there is no doubt. Furthermore, the verse is of the category of threat (wa'id), so the view of the Ash'aris regarding the verses of threat applies here, upon the assumption of the disobedient believer's entry into the generality. Understand, then, and reflect.