Tafsir of Al-Ahqaf 46:31

"O our people, respond to the Caller of Allah..." They intended by this what they heard of the Book, having described it as a "call to Allah Almighty" after having described it as "guidance to the truth and the straight path," because the two are inextricably linked; combining them serves as the utmost encouragement for them to respond. It is also permissible that they intended by it the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

"...and believe in Him," that is, in the Caller of Allah Almighty, or in Allah the Exalted.

"...He will forgive you for your sins," meaning, a portion of your sins. It has been said: this refers to what pertained exclusively to the rights of Allah Almighty, for the rights of servants are not forgiven by [merely] faith. Ibn al-Munayyir refuted this, arguing that if a belligerent infidel (harbi) plunders wealth and sheds blood, then embraces Islam properly, his Islam wipes away the sin of his past without dispute. He then added: "It is said that the promise of forgiveness for disbelievers upon the condition of faith has never appeared in the Book of Allah except in a partitive form, and this is one such instance. If there is no secret to this consistency, then it is simply that the station of the disbelievers is one of constriction, not expansion; thus, hope for the forgiveness of all sins was not expanded for them, whereas it has been mentioned frequently regarding the believers." The author of Al-Insat rejected this, stating that the station of encouraging a disbeliever toward Islam is one of expansion, not constriction. Allah Almighty commanded [Musa] to speak to Pharaoh with a "gentle word," and the Almighty said: "If they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven them," and this is not partitive; rather, the word "what" (ma) signifies generality, especially since it appears in a conditional context.

Some eminent scholars of verification stated: Even though a harbi, when he becomes Muslim, retains no liability whatsoever, a protected subject (dhimmi), when he becomes Muslim, still retains the rights of other human beings. The people [the jinn], as reported by 'Ata, were Jews, so their liabilities toward one another would remain if they all became Muslim without warfare. Thus, since the address was directed toward them, the term indicating partitivity was used. It is also said that it was used because the jinn did not yet know that Islam absolutely erases the sins of the past—though this view is open to objection. It may also be said that they intended by "part" the past sins; had they not said that, the addressees might have presumed that if they responded to the Caller of Allah and believed in Him, all their past and future sins would be forgiven. Another view holds that "from" (min) is extra, meaning: "He will forgive you your sins."

"...and save you from a painful punishment" which is prepared for the disbelievers. This and similar passages indicate that the jinn are morally responsible (mukallaf). It is not explicitly stated here what their reward is if they obey, but the general nature of the verses points to a reward. It is reported from Ibn Abbas that they have a reward and are subject to punishment, and that they will meet in Paradise and crowd at its gates. Perhaps the limitation here to what was mentioned is due to the intent to remind them of their sins, as the context is one of warning, and therefore no mention of reward was made.

It has been said: There is no reward for those of them who obey other than salvation from the Fire, as it will be said to them: "Become dust," and they will become dust. This is the school of Layth ibn Abi Sulaym and a group, and it is attributed to Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah be pleased with him. Al-Nasafi stated in Al-Taysir: "Abu Hanifa suspended judgment regarding the reward of the jinn in Paradise and their bliss, because a servant has no inherent claim upon Allah Almighty, and nothing was stated by way of promise regarding them except forgiveness and salvation from punishment. As for the bliss of Paradise, it is contingent upon evidence." Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz said: "The believing jinn are around the periphery of Paradise, and they are not inside it." Others say: "They enter Paradise and are inspired to glorify and remember Allah, so they attain of the pleasures what the children of Adam attain of their pleasures." Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on Sahih Muslim: "The correct view is that they enter it and enjoy within it food, drink, and other things." This is the school of al-Hasan al-Basri, Malik ibn Anas, al-Dahhak, Ibn Abi Layla, and others.