Tafsir of Al-Anfal 8:33

This is a response to their abominable statement and an explanation of the cause for their respite and the reason why their prayer—through which they intended what they intended—was not answered. The lam (in li-yu‘adhibahum) is the one termed the "lam of denial" (lam al-juhud), so called because it is exclusive to the negation of kana (to be) in the past tense, whether in wording or meaning. It is either redundant or non-redundant. The predicate is omitted; the meaning is: "Allah was not one to intend their punishment." Regardless, the intent is to emphasize the negation. If it is redundant, this is obvious; if it is not, and the predicate is as you know, then negating the intention of the act is more emphatic than negating the act itself.

It has been said regarding how the lam provides emphasis here that it is the same lam found in the expression: "You are for this task," meaning you are suitable for it and it befits you; denying suitability is more emphatic than denying the act itself. This is not without merit, even if some have called it a contrived explanation for which there is no need after what the grammarians have clarified regarding it.

Many have interpreted the "punishment" as the "punishment of total eradication" (istihal). This has been objected to on the grounds that there is no proof for this restriction, and it does not suit the context. The response is to deny the lack of suitability; rather, one who deeply examines their speech sees it as suggesting such a request. The proof for this restriction is that punishment did befall them while the Prophet ﷺ was among them—such as the famine—so it is known that what is meant is the punishment of total eradication. The context serves as evidence for this: the emphasis of the negation directs it to the most severe form of punishment. Thus, the meaning of the verse is to inform that punishing them with the punishment of total eradication while the Prophet ﷺ is in their midst is contrary to His, the Exalted’s, custom and is not correct in His decree and judgment.

Regarding "seeking forgiveness" in His, the Exalted’s, saying: "...nor will He punish them while they seek forgiveness," it means:

1. The seeking of forgiveness by those who remained among them of the oppressed believers when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ migrated. This is narrated from al-Dahhak and chosen by al-Jubba'i. al-Tayyibi said: This is more emphatic, as it indicates the seeking of forgiveness by others through which punishment is averted from the likes of these disbelievers. Attributing the seeking of forgiveness to the plural pronoun is because it occurred in their midst, and because what emanates from some is, as they say, treated as emanating from all; there is no splitting of pronouns here as the speech of Ibn 'Atiyyah might suggest.
2. The disbelievers' own invocation for forgiveness, saying "Your forgiveness, O Allah." This mere request for forgiveness from Him, the Exalted, acts as a barrier to His punishment, even for disbelievers. This is narrated from Yazid ibn Ruman and Muhammad ibn Qays, who said: When Quraysh said what they said, they regretted it in the evening and said, "Your forgiveness, O Allah."
3. Repentance and returning from all that they are upon of disbelief and other things, in the sense that if they were to seek forgiveness, they would not be punished, like His saying: "And your Lord would not destroy the cities for injustice while their people are reformers." This is narrated from al-Suddi, Qatadah, and Ibn Zayd. All three of these views have been reported from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both).

Regardless, the nominal sentence is in the position of a state (hal), except that the condition is confirmed in the first two interpretations and negated in the last. The variation in this is based on what has been transmitted from the predecessors regarding the disagreement in its interpretation, and the rule established among scholars concerning a condition occurring after a negated verb. The essence of it, as it is said, is that a condition in negated speech can be to restrict the negation, or to negate the restriction—meaning the absence of both the act and the condition, or the condition only, or the act only.

It has been said that what points to the absence of seeking forgiveness here in the last interpretation is the context and the situation, not the speech itself. Otherwise, the meaning of "Allah would not punish them while you are among them" would be a negation of his presence among them, since the nature of the hal (state) is shared between both sentences.

Much has been said regarding the negation of the equivalence between the two sentences (in the question and the answer), then there was effort to differentiate them, and objections were raised against it. To me, the evident view is that there is no difference in terms of possibility, since it is speech containing a condition where the negation is directed toward the condition. From this, some have said that the meaning of the first is: "If you were among them, they would not have been punished," just as it is said regarding the meaning of the second: "If they sought forgiveness, they would not have been punished." This would be an indication that they were punished—by what befell them at Badr—because they forced the Prophet ﷺ out of Makkah and he no longer remained among them there. However, this is contrary to the apparent meaning, and it does not demonstrate the verse being a response to their abominable statement.

From Ibn 'Abbas: what is meant by this seeking of forgiveness is the seeking of forgiveness by those among them who would believe later. That is, Allah would not punish them while there remained among them those for whom Allah had decreed care—that they would believe and seek forgiveness—such as Safwan ibn Umayyah, ‘Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, Suhayl ibn ‘Amr, and their like.

From Mujahid: what is meant is the seeking of forgiveness by those in their loins whom Allah, the Exalted, knew would believe. That is, Allah would not punish them while there remained in their loins those who would seek forgiveness. It is as you see.

It appears to me, from the emphasis of the negation in the first sentence and the lack of its emphasis in the second, that the presence of the Prophet ﷺ among them is a claim of wisdom for preventing punishment more than [the act of] seeking forgiveness. Some have interpreted the punishment negated in the second sentence—based on the last interpretation—as being other than the punishment of total eradication, and interpreted the first as worldly punishment and the second as the punishment of the Hereafter; but this is without foundation.