Tafsir of Al-An'am 6:43

(Then why, when Our punishment came to them, did they not humble themselves?) That is, they did not humble themselves at that time, despite the presence of the compelling motive and the absence of any impediment for which they could be excused.

Regarding (lawla), Al-Harawi maintains it is a particle of genuine negation. He classifies the following verse of the Exalted under this category: (Then why was there not a single town that believed, so its belief would have benefited it, except the people of Jonah?). However, the majority of scholars interpret it as an expression of reproach and remorse; it conveys the meaning of abstention and non-occurrence. This is why the corrective conjunction (istidrak) and the connective particle appear in His saying: (But their hearts became hardened).

(Lawla) here is not for incitement (tahdid), as some have imagined, because that is exclusive to the present tense (mudari‘). Some have chosen the view held by Al-Harawi. Since humility arises from a softened heart, its negation is equivalent to the negation of that softness. It is as if it were said: "Then their hearts did not soften, but rather, they hardened."

It has been said: The apparent form would be to say, "But it was incumbent upon them to humble themselves," yet the discourse shifted to what was mentioned because the hardness of the heart—which is the impediment—implies that the aforementioned obligation was upon them.

The meaning of (hardened), etc., is that they remained in the state of hardness they were in, or that their hardness increased.

(And Satan made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do) of disbelief and disobedience. Thus, it did not cross their minds that the adversity and distress that had afflicted them were only caused by these deeds.

"Fair-seeming" (tazyin) has several meanings:

1. Bringing a thing into existence in a state of beauty and ornamentation in its essence, as in His saying: (We have adorned the nearest heaven).
2. Making a thing appear ornamented without bringing it into existence, such as a beautician adorning a bride.
3. Making a thing beloved to the soul and desired by one’s nature, even if it is not so in its essence. This occurs either by creating an inclination in the soul and nature, or by embellishing and promoting it through speech and the like, such as whispering and incitement.

Based on this, the matter of its attribution is structured. It appears in the Noble Quran sometimes attributed to Satan, as in this verse; at other times to Him, the Exalted, as in His saying: (And thus We have made fair-seeming to every nation their deeds); and at other times to humans, as in the saying of the Almighty: (Their 'partners' made fair-seeming to many of the polytheists the killing of their children).

If it is in the first sense, its attribution to Allah the Exalted is literal. This is also true if it is in the third sense, based on the first interpretation of it. However, if it is in the second or third sense, based on the second interpretation, its attribution to Satan or humans is literal. It is not possible to attribute that which occurs by way of seduction and whispering to Him, the Exalted, in that manner.

It also appears without the agent mentioned, as in His saying: (It was made fair-seeming to the extravagant). In such instances, one estimates for each context what is appropriate. That which pertains to this discussion has passed you by, so remember it.