Al-A'raf: (86) And do not sit on every path...

Know that Shu'ayb (peace be upon him) added to the five injunctions previously mentioned:

The first: He forbade them from sitting on the paths of religion and the ways of truth in order to prevent people from accepting them.

Regarding the phrase: {And do not sit on every path} (wa lā taqʿudū bi-kulli ṣirāṭ), there are two interpretations:

1. The path (ṣirāṭ) is interpreted as the physical roads people travel. It is narrated that they used to sit on the thoroughfares and frighten those who believed in Shu'ayb (peace be upon him).
2. The path (ṣirāṭ) is interpreted as the methodologies of religion. The author of Al-Kashshāf said: {And do not sit on every path} means do not follow Satan in his saying: {I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path} (Al-A'raf: 16). He stated that the intended meaning of ṣirāṭ here is everything related to the ways of religion. The evidence for this interpretation is His saying: {and bar the way of Allah} and the phrase {on every path} (bi-kulli ṣirāṭ). It is said, "He sat for him in such-and-such a place," "on such-and-such a place," and "in such-and-such a place." These prepositions are interchangeable in these contexts due to the closeness of their meanings. When you say, "He sat in such-and-such a place," the bā' (in bi) implies adhesion, meaning he adhered to that place.

As for the phrase: {threatening} (mūʿidīn), its grammatical position, along with what it is connected to, is accusative, indicating a state (ḥāl). The meaning is: Do not sit while threatening, or while barring the way of Allah, or while desiring crookedness in the way of Allah. The essence is that he forbade them from sitting on the path of Allah while engaging in any of these three actions.

Know that when the Almighty connected some of these three matters to others, it necessitates a difference between them. Thus, the phrase {threatening} (mūʿidīn) implies inflicting harm upon them. As for barring the way (ṣadd), it can be done by threatening harm, or by promising benefits if they abandon the truth, or by preventing someone from reaching the Messenger to hear his words.

As for the phrase: {and seeking to make it crooked} (wa tabghūnahā ʿawajan), it means casting doubts and ambiguities. The meaning of the verse is that Shu'ayb forbade his people from preventing others from accepting the true religion by any of these three methods. If you reflect, you will realize that no one can prevent another from accepting a doctrine or saying except through one of these three methods.

Then He said: {And remember when you were few and He increased you} (Wadhkurū idh kuntum qalīlan fa-kaththarakum). The purpose is that when they remember the abundance of Allah's favors upon them, this should naturally lead them to obedience and abstinence from sin. Al-Zajjaj said this statement admits of three interpretations:

1. Your number increased after being few in population.
2. He increased you in wealth after poverty.
3. He increased you in power after weakness. The reason for this is that when they were poor or weak, they were like the few in that their existence did not possess strength or might. As for the increase in their number after being few, it is because Madyan, the son of Abraham, married Ru'ya, the daughter of Lot, and she bore children until their numbers increased.

Then He said thereafter: {And observe how the end of the corrupters was} (Wa-nẓurū kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu l-mufsidīn). The meaning is to remember the end of the corrupters and the disgrace and punishment that befell them, so that this may serve as a deterrent for you against disobedience and corruption.

Therefore, the purpose of {And remember when you were few and He increased you} is that when they remember Allah's blessings upon them, they will submit and obey. And the purpose of {And observe how the end of the corrupters was} is that when they know that the end of the rebellious corrupters is nothing but disgrace and punishment, they will guard against corruption and disobedience and obey. Thus, the purpose of these two statements was to compel them to obedience, first through encouragement (attraction) and second through warning (deterrence).

Then He said: {And if there is a group among you who have believed in that with which I have been sent, and a group who have not believed, then be patient}...