Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:80-82

"Except for a limited number of days" Forty days, the number of days they worshipped the calf. Mujahid narrated that they used to say: "The duration of the world is seven thousand years, and we will only be punished for one day for every thousand years."

"Then Allah will never break" This is connected to an implied phrase, the estimation of which is: "If you have taken a covenant with Allah, then Allah will never break His covenant."

"Or" (Am) It may be a conjunctive particle (mu‘adilah) meaning "which of the two matters is the case," used for affirmation, because it is known that one of the two must be true. It is also permissible for it to be a disjunctive particle (munqati‘ah).

"Nay" (Bala) This affirms what follows the negative particle, which is His saying: "The Fire will not touch us." That is: "Nay, it will touch you forever," as evidenced by His saying: "They are therein abiding eternally."

"Whoever earns evil" Meaning one of the major sins.

"And his sin has encompassed him" That is, it has overcome him just as an enemy surrounds [a city], and he has not freed himself from it through repentance. It is also recited as "his sins" (khatayahu) and "his sins" (khatiyatihi). It is said regarding this "encompassing" that his sin outweighed his obedience.

A man asked al-Hasan about "the sin," and he replied: "Glory be to Allah! Do I see you with a beard, yet you do not know what the sin is? Look into the Mushaf; every verse in which Allah forbids something and informs you that whoever commits it will be entered into the Fire—that is the encompassing sin."

"And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], 'Do not worship except Allah; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakah.' Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing."