Tafsir of Al-Ma'idah 5:84

Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:84)

And what is [the reason] that we should not believe in Allah while the truth has come to us, and [why] we do not hope that our Lord will admit us among the righteous people?

There are two issues concerning this verse:

The First Issue:

The author of Al-Kashshaf states that the phrase {لا نؤمن} (we do not believe) is in the accusative case (Naṣb) functioning as a Ḥāl (circumstantial adverb), meaning "not believing" (like saying qā'iman - standing). The conjunction wāw in {ونطمع} (and we hope) is the Wāw al-Ḥāl (the circumstantial wāw).

If one asks: What governs the first and second Ḥāl?

We reply: The governing factor for the first Ḥāl (لا نؤمن) is the sense of action inherent in the preposition {ل} (for/that) in {ولماذا} (and why), as if the meaning is: "What has happened to us while we are in the state of not believing?"

As for the second Ḥāl (ونطمع), it carries the meaning of the first action but is restricted by the first Ḥāl, because if you remove the first part and say only "And why do we hope?" (ولماذا نطمع), it does not form a coherent sentence in this context.

Alternatively, {ونطمع} could be a Ḥāl modifying {لا نؤمن}, implying that they are astonished at themselves for simultaneously not affirming the Oneness of Allah (Tawḥīd) and hoping to accompany the righteous.

Or, it could be coordinated (maʿṭūf) with {لا نؤمن}, meaning: "Why do we combine polytheism (Tathlīth) with the hope of joining the righteous?"

The Second Issue:

The implied meaning of the verse is: "And our Lord admits us into His Paradise and the abode of His pleasure among the righteous people." This is supported by the verse: {ليدخلنهم مدخلاً يرضونه} (He will admit them into an entrance with which they will be pleased) (Al-Ḥajj: 59). However, the omission (Ḥadhf) here is considered eloquent because the meaning is well-known.

Then the Almighty said:

{فأثابهم الله بما قالوا جنات تجرى من تحتها الانهار خالدين فيها وذلك جزآء المحسنين * والذين كفروا وكذبوا بآياتنا أولئك أصحاب الجحيم}

So Allah rewarded them for what they said with gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide eternally. And that is the recompense of the doers of good. * But those who disbelieved and denied Our verses - those will be the companions of the Hellfire.