Surah Al-Qasas: Verses (67 - 70)

Translation and Exegesis

{فَأَمَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَعَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُفْلِحِينَ} (As for he who repents, believes, and does righteous work, then perhaps he will be among the successful.)

When the Almighty had described the state of the punished disbelievers and the reprimands they face, He followed it by mentioning those among them who repent in this world, as an encouragement toward repentance and a deterrent against persisting in disbelief.

Regarding the word {عَسَىٰ} (perhaps/may):

1. It signifies certainty, as God is the Most Generous of the generous.
2. It implies hope and encouragement for the repentant, as if saying: "Let him hope for success."
3. It means they might be among the successful if they persist in repentance and faith, as there is a possibility they might not persist.

Know that the people used to raise another doubt, saying: {وَلَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ} (And why was this Qur'an not sent down to a great man from the two towns [Mecca or Ta'if]?) referring to Al-Walid ibn Al-Mughirah or Abu Mas'ud Al-Thaqafi.

God Almighty responded to this by saying: {وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَخْتَارُ} (And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses). This means He is the absolute Owner, transcendent above benefiting or harming others. Thus, He has the right to single out whomever He wills with whatever He wills; there is no room for objection whatsoever.

Following the methodology of the Mu'tazila, since it is established that He is absolutely Wise, everything He does must be wisdom and correctness, so no one has the right to object to Him.

{مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ} (It is not for them to choose).

• Al-Khiyarah (الخيرة) is a noun derived from choosing, taking the place of the verbal noun (masdar).
• Al-Khiyarah can also mean the chosen one (e.g., "Muhammad is God's choice among His creation").

Knowing this, we discuss two interpretations of the verse:

1. The preferred view: The pause is complete at {وَيَخْتَارُ} (and chooses), and {مَا} is a negation. The meaning is: "And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses; it is not for them to choose," meaning they have no right to dictate to God what He should do.
2. The second view: {مَا} means "that which." The pause is at {وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ} (And your Lord creates what He wills), and then: {وَيَخْتَارُ} (and chooses) {مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ} (that which was not for them to choose).

Abu Al-Qasim Al-Ansari mentioned that this relates to the Mu'tazila's insistence on the obligation of Al-Salah (the good/right) and Al-Aslah (the best/most suitable). They argue: What is the benefit in commanding someone whom God knows will not believe, when if He had not commanded him, he would have deserved Paradise and bliss out of God's grace?

If one asks: When he is commanded, does he not deserve the better outcome from God? We reply: If it is definitively known that this better outcome will not be achieved, then involving him in eternal punishment is not a consideration of what is best for him. Furthermore, their claim that "what is deserved is better than what is bestowed" is ignorance, because that difference only applies to one who refuses the bestowal. As for one whose very existence and attributes originate from God's creation, grace, and benevolence, how could he refuse His bestowal?

{سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ} (Glory be to God and exalted is He above what they associate with Him.)

The purpose here is to make it known that creation, choice, honoring, and humiliating are entrusted to Him alone; no one shares or disputes this with Him.

He then emphasized this by stating that He knows what their breasts conceal—the enmity toward the Messenger of God (PBUH) and the slanders they voice against him, such as questioning why someone else was not chosen for prophethood.

When He clarified their state of malice, envy, and foolishness, He said: {وَهُوَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ} (And He is Allah, there is no deity except Him). This serves as a reminder of His ability over all possibilities, His knowledge of all knowables, and His transcendence from all defects and afflictions. He rewards the doers of good for their obedience and punishes the disobedient for their disobedience. This contains the ultimate deterrence for the disobedient and the ultimate strengthening of the hearts of the obedient.

It is also possible that since the corruption of the polytheists' path was explained (from the verse: {يَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ} [The Day He will call them] and {أَيْنَ شُرَكَائِيَ} [Where are My partners?]), the discourse concluded by manifesting this pure monotheism and clarifying that praise and commendation belong only to Him.

{لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْأُولَىٰ وَالْآخِرَةِ} (To Him belongs all praise in the first [life] and the last [Hereafter].)

This is evident according to our view (of the Ash'ari school) because reward is not obligatory upon Him; rather, the Exalted bestows it out of grace and benevolence. Therefore, praise belongs to Him in the first life and the Hereafter. This is confirmed by the words of the inhabitants of Paradise: {الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا الْحَزَنَ} (Praise be to Allah, Who has removed all grief from us), {الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي صَدَّقَنَا وَعْدَهُ} (Praise be to Allah, Who has made true His promise to us), and {آخِرُ دَعْوَاهُمْ أَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} (Their final call will be: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds).

However, according to the Mu'tazila, reward is deserved (due), so the inhabitants of Paradise would not offer praise for His action. As for the inhabitants of Hell, He has not bestowed favor upon them for which they should offer praise.

The Qadi (Al-Qadi Abd al-Jabbar) stated that the inhabitants of Hell should also offer praise and thanks for what God did for them in the world—granting them power, ease, kindness, and other blessings—because their wrongdoing does not negate the fact that God's bestowals obligate thanks. This view requires scrutiny.

If the people of the Hereafter are compelled to know the truth, and they necessarily know that repentance from evil deeds is obligatory for God to accept, and they necessarily know that engaging in the obligatory thanks will result in reward from God, and they are capable of doing so and know that this will save them from punishment and lead them to deserve reward—do you think a person, knowing and being capable of this, would abandon this repentance? Never. Rather, they must repent and engage in thanks, and once they do that, the punishment is nullified.

{وَلَهُ الْحُكْمُ} (And to Him belongs the judgment.)

This judgment applies either in this world or the Hereafter.

As for this world, the judgment of anyone other than Him is only executed by His decree. If not for His decree, the judgment of a master over his slave, a husband over his wife, a father over his son, a ruler over his subjects, or a Messenger over his nation would not be enforced. Thus, He is the true Judge.

As for the Hereafter, there is no doubt that He is the Judge, as He is the one who will judge between people, granting justice to the oppressed against the oppressors.

{وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ} (And to Him you will be returned.)

This means you will return to the place of His judgment and decree. The preposition ilay (to) denotes the termination of the journey, and the Almighty is transcendent above location and direction.

{قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ اللَّيْلَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِضِيَاءٍ أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ * قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّه عَلَيْكُمُ النَّهَارَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ * وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ} (Say, "Have you considered: if Allah should make the night perpetual over you until the Day of Resurrection, which deity other than Allah could bring you light? Then will you not listen?" Say, "Have you considered: if Allah should make the day perpetual over you until the Day of Resurrection, which deity other than Allah could bring you a night in which you may find rest? Then will you not see?" And out of His mercy He has made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein and [that] you may seek of His bounty, and perhaps you will be grateful.)