Al-A'raf: (182-183) And those who deny Our signs...

Know that when the Almighty mentioned the state of the guided, just nation, He returned to mention the deniers of God's signs and the threat against them, saying: {And those who deny Our signs}. This encompasses all deniers. Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) held that it refers specifically to the people of Mecca, but this view is weak, as the general description includes everyone unless evidence dictates an exception.

As for His saying: {We will progressively draw them near} (Sanastadrijuhum), Istidraj (progressive drawing near) is the Isti'fal form derived from daraja (step/degree), meaning ascending or descending step by step. From this root is daraja the child when he shortens his steps, and adraja the book when it is folded bit by bit. Daraja the people means some of them died following others. It is also possible that this word is derived from al-darj, which is the rolling or folding of something piece by piece.

Once this is understood, the meaning is: We will bring them closer to what destroys them, and We will multiply their punishment in a way they do not perceive. This is because whenever they commit a crime or sin, God opens a door of blessing and goodness for them in this world. They then become more arrogant and immersed in corruption, persisting in error, and progressively advancing in sins due to the succession of these blessings. Then, God seizes them all at once while they are completely heedless. This is why 'Umar (may God be pleased with him) said when the treasures of Khosrow were brought to him: "O God, I seek refuge in You from being progressively drawn near, for I heard You say: {We will progressively draw them near from where they do not know}."

Then the Almighty said: {And I grant them respite. Indeed, My plan is strong}. Imla' (granting respite) in language means giving a delay and prolonging the period; its opposite is hastening. Maliyy is a long period of time, as in His saying: {And forsake me for a maliyy} (Mary: 46), meaning for a long time. It is also said malwah, malwah, and malawah for a long time. Thus, the meaning of {And I grant them respite} is: I give them a delay and prolong their lifespan so they persist in sin, and I do not hasten the punishment upon their sin so that they might cease through repentance and return. As for His saying: {Indeed, My plan is strong}, Ibn Abbas said it means: My stratagem is severe. Matīn (strong) is used for anything firm; it is said matana matānah.

Know that our scholars used these three terms—Istidraj (progressive drawing near), Imla' (respite), and Kayd Matīn (strong plan/stratagem)—as evidence in the issue of Divine Decree and Predestination. All of these indicate that the Almighty intended for the servant what leads him to disbelief and distance from God, which contradicts what the Mu'tazila claim.

Abu Ali al-Jubba'i responded by saying that the meaning of Istidraj is that God progressively draws them toward punishments until they fall into them without realizing it—a sudden entrapment into it. This punishment could be in this world, like killing and annihilation, or it could be the punishment of the Hereafter. He said that some of the Mujabbirah (fatalists) interpreted it as: "We will progressively draw them toward disbelief from where they do not know." He said this is false because God informed us of their prior disbelief, and what they are being drawn toward is a future action, as the Sīn in {We will progressively draw them near} indicates the future. It is not necessary that the meaning is drawing them toward another disbelief, as it is possible that He causes them to die before they commit another act of disbelief. Therefore, the intended meaning is what we stated. Furthermore, God does not punish a disbeliever by creating another disbelief in him; disbelief is his own action, and He only punishes him through His own action.

As for {And I grant them respite}, it means: I keep them alive in this world despite their persistence in disbelief, and I do not hasten the punishment upon them because they cannot escape Me or frustrate Me. This is the meaning of {Indeed, My plan is strong}, because His plan (kayd) is His punishment, which He calls kayd because it descends upon the servants in a manner they do not perceive.

The refutation of this view comes from two aspects:

1. The meaning of {And those who deny Our signs, We will progressively draw them near} is what we mentioned: whenever they increase in persistence in sin and disbelief, God increases them in blessings and goodness in this world. Their success in worldly pleasures then becomes a cause for their increased turning away from the remembrance of God and distance from returning to obedience to God. This is a state we observe in some people. If this is an observable, sensory matter, how can it be denied?
2. Suppose the meaning is drawing them toward punishment. Even so, this refutes the assertion that God intended only good and righteousness for His servant. This is because when God knew that this progressive drawing near (Istidraj) and this respite (Imla') would increase their arrogance, disbelief, corruption, and their deserving of severe punishment, if He intended good for them, He would have caused them to die before they became deserving of those increases in punishment. Rather, His wisdom and concern for welfare would have required that He not create them in the first place, to protect them from this punishment, or that He create them but cause them to die before they reach the age of accountability, or that He create them only in Paradise, protecting them from the calamities of this world and the punishment of the Hereafter. Since He created them in this world, cast them into the predicament of accountability, prolonged their lives, and enabled them to commit sins, knowing that this would only result in increased disbelief, corruption, and deserving of punishment, we know that He created them only for punishment, or for the Fire, as explained in the preceding verse: {And certainly did We create for Hell many of the jinn and mankind} (Al-A'raf: 179). I am greatly astonished by these Mu'tazila, for they view the Qur'an as a boundless ocean filled with these clear, decisive rational proofs that align with the verses, yet they settle for these weak interpretations and flimsy phrases. However, my knowledge that what God wills comes to pass removes this astonishment. And God knows best.

! 7 < { Have they not reflected? Their companion has no madness. He is only a clear warner. } > 7 !