Tafsir of Al-Mu'minoon 23:75

"And even if We had mercy on them and removed..."

The meaning: If Allah were to remove this harm from them—namely the emaciation and drought that has afflicted them—out of mercy, and they were to find abundance, they would return to the arrogance, hostility toward the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the believers, and the excessiveness in that which they were previously upon. This state of despair (iblas) and fawning before Him, seeking mercy, would vanish from them.

He cites as evidence for this that We first seized them with swords and what befell them on the day of Badr, such as the killing of their leaders and their capture. Yet, after that, no submissiveness or supplication was found in them. This continued until We opened for them the door of hunger, which is more severe than captivity and killing, and is the most overwhelming of punishments. Only then did they become desperate (ubsilu), their necks bowed, and even the most defiant and stubborn among them came seeking your compassion.

Or, it means: We tested them with every trial of killing and hunger, yet no softness or compliance was seen in them. They remained as they were, until they are tormented by the fire of Hell; only then will they be in despair (yublisun). This is like His saying: "And on the Day the Hour is established, the criminals will be in despair" (Ar-Rum: 12), and "It will not be lightened for them, and they will be in despair therein" (Az-Zukhruf: 75).

Iblas (despair) is the loss of all hope for any good. It is also said to mean silence accompanied by bewilderment.

If you ask: What is the morphological weight of istakana (to be submissive)? I say: It is istaf'ala from al-kawn (being/state), meaning: to transition from one state to another, just as it is said istahala (to transform) when one moves from one condition to another. It is also possible that it is ifta'ala from al-sukun (stillness), where the vowel of the middle radical was lengthened, as in the word bi-muntazah.

If you ask: Why was it not said "wa ma tadarra'u" (and they did not supplicate) or "fa ma yastakinun" (and they do not submit)? I say: Because the meaning is: We tested them, and no submissiveness was found in them following the trial. It is not the habit of these people to submit or supplicate until the door of severe punishment is opened upon them.

It is also recited: fatahna (We opened).

"And it is He who produced for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful. And it is He who multiplied you throughout the earth, and to Him you will be gathered. And it is He who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of the night and the day. Then will you not reason?"