Tafsir of Al-Ahzab 33:57

"Offending" (al-i’dha’) is intended here either as committing what does not please Them—such as disbelief and major sins—metaphorically, because it is either a cause of such offense or a concomitant to it; and even if that is the case regarding Him, the Exalted, in relation to others, it is sufficient as a relationship.

It has been said regarding the offense to Him, the Exalted: It is the statement of the Jews, the Christians, and the polytheists that "Allah’s hand is chained," "The Messiah is the son of Allah," "The angels are the daughters of Allah," and "The idols are His partners"—exalted is Allah far above that. It has also been said: It is the speech of those who deviate regarding His signs, the Exalted. Others said: It is the making of images; a report from Ka‘b supports this.

Regarding the offense to the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, it has been said: It is their calling him "a poet, a sorcerer, a soothsayer, a madman"—and he is far removed from that, upon him be blessings and peace. It has also been said: It is the breaking of his incisor and the wounding of his noble face, which occurred during the Battle of Uhud. Others said: It is their casting aspersions on his marriage to Safiyyah bint Huyayy. The truth is that both terms are general.

It is also possible that the offense is directed specifically to the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the literal sense, and that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is mentioned to honor him, peace be upon him, by clarifying his proximity and his status as His chosen beloved, such that offending him is as if one is offending Him, the Exalted, just as whoever obeys him obeys Allah, the Exalted.

It has been suggested that the offense is meant literally and the speech involves an omitted genitive, i.e., "they offend the allies of Allah and His Messenger," but this is of no account. It has been said that it is permissible for the meaning to be metaphorical in relation to Allah, and literal in relation to His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace; and the plurality of the object is in the position of repeating the verb, which facilitates combining the two meanings, to the extent that some claimed it is not the forbidden type of combining meanings, but this is of no account.

{Allah has cursed them}—meaning He has cast them away and distanced them from His mercy {in this world and the Hereafter}, such that they barely attain anything of it in either. This is manifest in the Hereafter; as for this world, it has been said it means by depriving them of increase in guidance. {And He has prepared for them}—along with that—{a humiliating punishment}, which will afflict them specifically in the Hereafter.