Muhammad: (28) That is because they followed...

Verse: {That is because they followed what incensed Allah and hated His pleasure, and He frustrated their deeds.}

Regarding the phrase: {That is because they followed what incensed Allah and hated His pleasure}

There is a subtlety here: Allah the Exalted mentioned two actions: striking the face and striking the backsides. Following these, He mentioned two other matters: following what incensed Allah and hating His pleasure. It is as if the Almighty contrasted these two pairs of actions:

1. Striking the faces: This corresponds to them turning towards what incenses Allah. The space/direction one is oriented towards is where one directs oneself.
2. Striking the backsides: This corresponds to them turning away from what brings Allah's pleasure. The one who hates a thing turns away from it.

What is meant by "what incensed Allah" (mā asḵaṭa Allāh)?

There are several interpretations:

1. Denial of the Prophet (PBUH) and acceptance of his pleasure (i.e., Islam): What incensed Allah was denying the Prophet (PBUH), while His pleasure was accepting him and embracing Islam.
2. Disbelief vs. Faith: Disbelief is what incenses Allah, and Faith pleases Him. This is supported by the verse: {If you disbelieve, then indeed, Allah is not in need of you, and He is not pleased with disbelief for His servants. And if you are grateful, He is pleased with it for you} (Az-Zumar: 7). Also, {Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds—they are the best of creation... Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him} (Al-Bayyinah: 7-8).
3. Satan's Whispers vs. Proof and Quran: What incensed Allah is the temptation of Satan, and Allah's pleasure is relying on clear proof and the Quran.

Addressing a potential objection:

If someone asks: They did not hate Allah's pleasure; rather, they claimed that what they were upon was Allah's pleasure, and they sought nothing but His satisfaction. How could this be, when the polytheists, through their polytheism, claimed they sought Allah's pleasure, as they said: {to bring us nearer to Allah in closeness} (Az-Zumar: 3), and {that they may intercede for us} (Al-A'rāf: 53)?

The response: The meaning is that they hated that which truly entails Allah's pleasure.

Another Subtlety:

Allah the Exalted said: {what incensed Allah} (mā asḵaṭa Allāh) and did not say: "what angered Allah" (ghadab Allāh). This is because Allah's Mercy is antecedent (precedes action); it is an established attribute from which pleasure (riḍwān) originates. Allah's anger (ghaḍab) is subsequent (follows an action/sin).

Therefore, He said: {His pleasure} (riḍwānahu) because it is an established, antecedent attribute of Allah. He did not say "Allah's anger" (ghaḍab Allāh), but rather {what incensed Allah} (mā asḵaṭa Allāh), indicating that the establishment of anger is not like the establishment of pleasure.

For this reason, concerning the woman in the context of Li'ān (mutual cursing), He said: {and the fifth, that the wrath of Allah be upon her, if he should be of the truthful} (An-Nūr: 9). The phrase "the wrath of Allah" is attributed because her Li'ān followed the manifestation of adultery (through her husband's oath), and prior to that, there was no established wrath from Allah.

Allah's pleasure (riḍwān) is a state from which action proceeds. Allah's anger (ghaḍab) is a state that results from an action committed by the servant.

Analogy: Consider a generous person whose generosity is deeply ingrained in his nature; this generosity compels him to good deeds. If someone repeatedly commits evil acts, his anger towards that person is not due to something inherent in his own nature (generosity), but rather his anger is intended to reform the situation and deter others from similar actions. Thus, one might say: "He was the generous one, and his generosity led to good deeds." But regarding the other person: "So-and-so angered him, and anger manifested from him." Anger is made apparent as a consequence of an action, whereas good deeds flow from the inherent quality of generosity. Therefore, anger in the generous person comes after an action, while the action proceeds from generosity.

From this, the subtlety of His saying {what incensed Allah and they hated His pleasure} becomes clear.

Regarding the phrase: {and He frustrated their deeds}

This is because they sought to please Satan and the idols, not to please Allah.

| 7 < { Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allah will not bring out their hidden malice? } > 7 |

Regarding the verse: {Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allah will not bring out their hidden malice?}