Tafsir of Yunus 10:27

"But those who have earned evil deeds—the recompense of an evil deed is its like..."

If you ask: What is the grammatical basis for the statement: "But those who have earned evil deeds—the recompense of an evil deed is its like" and how does it cohere?

I say: It must be one of two things:

1. Either "Those who have earned" is conjoined to the previous statement: "For those who have done good" (Yunus: 26). It is as if it were said: "And for those who have earned evil deeds, the recompense of an evil deed is its like."
2. Or, it is understood as: "The recompense of those who have earned evil deeds is the recompense of an evil deed by its like." This means their recompense is that a single evil deed is requited with a single evil deed like it, with no increase.

This second interpretation is more sound than the first, because the first involves conjoining to two different governing agents (factors), even though al-Akhfash permits it.

In this lies evidence that the "increase" mentioned earlier refers to [Divine] Grace. For by omitting the increase for the evil deed, He indicated His Justice; and by establishing the increase for the good deed, He indicated His Grace.

"Covering their faces as if they were pieces of a dark night."

It is recited as yarhaquhum (they are covered by) with a ya.

"There is no protector for them against Allah" Meaning: No one can protect them from the wrath of Allah and His punishment. It is also possible to interpret it as: "They have no one from the direction of Allah, or from His presence, who can protect them," just as the believers have [protectors].

"Dark" (muzliman) This is a state (hal) of the "night." As for those who read qita‘an (pieces) with a sukūn (in the verse of Hud: 81), they treat it as an adjective for it. This is supported by the reading of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b: "As if their faces were covered by pieces of a dark night."

If you ask: If you make "dark" a state of the "night," what is the governing agent (‘amil) for it?

I say: It must be one of the following:

1. It is the verb aghshat (covered) mentioned previously.
2. Or, "of the night" is an adjective for "pieces," so the attribution to the described noun is like the attribution to the adjective.
3. Or, the meaning of the verb is contained within the phrase "of the night."

"And the Day We will gather them all, then We will say to those who associated others with Allah, 'Remain in your place—you and your "partners."' Then We will separate them, and their "partners" will say, 'You did not use to worship us.'"