Tafsir of Al-Ma'idah 5:16

Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): Verse 16

{يهدي به الله} (By it, Allah guides)

This means: By the clear Book (the Qur'an), Allah guides {من اتبع رضوانه} (whoever follows His pleasure).

• Whoever seeks religion based on following what Allah is pleased with—as opposed to merely adhering to what he is accustomed to from his upbringing and ancestors, abandoning reflection and reasoning—is the one who follows the pleasure of Allah.

{سبل السلام} (the ways of Peace).

• This means the paths to safety (al-Salām). It is also possible that there is an omitted noun, meaning "the paths to the Abode of Peace (Paradise)."
• A parallel example is found in the verse: “And those who are killed in the cause of Allah, Allah will never let their deeds be lost. He will guide them and admit them to Paradise which He has made known to them.” (Surah Muhammad: 4-5). It is understood here that the guidance is not merely to the religion of Islam, but guidance to the path leading to Paradise.

{ويخرجهم من الظلمات إلى النور بإذنه} (And brings them out of darkness into light by His permission).

• This means from the darkness of disbelief (kufr) to the light of faith (īmān). Disbelief is characterized by bewilderment, just as one is bewildered in darkness. Faith guides one to the paths of Paradise, just as light guides.
• The phrase {بإذنه} (by His permission/will) means by His enabling grace (tawfīq). The preposition bā’ (by) relates to the preceding action: "whoever follows His pleasure by His permission." It cannot relate to "guides" or "brings out," as that would be meaningless. This indicates that no one follows the pleasure of Allah except those whom Allah wills to do so.

{ويهديهم إلى صراط مستقيم} (And guides them to a straight path).

• This is the true religion, because truth (al-Ḥaqq) is singular in its essence and consistent in all its aspects. As for falsehood, it is manifold, and all its paths are crooked.

{لقد كفر الذين قالوا إن الله هو المسيح ابن مريم قل فمن يملك من الله شيئا إن أراد أن يهلك المسيح ابن مريم وأمه ومن في الأرض جميعا ولله ملك السماوات والأرض وما بينهما يخلق ما يشاء والله على كل شيء قدير}

(Certainly have disbelieved those who say, "Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary." Say, "Then who could prevent Allah at all if He intended to destroy the Messiah, the son of Mary, his mother, and everyone on the earth?")

• (The verse continues): "And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and Allah is over all things competent."