Tafsir of An-Nur 24:46-47

{And those are not believers}

This is a reference to those who say, "We have believed and obeyed," or it refers to the group that turns away.

• On the first interpretation: It is an announcement from Allah that faith is negated for all of them, not just the group that turns away.
• On the second interpretation: It is an announcement that the faith previously held by the group that turns away was not true faith; rather, it was a verbal claim without the heart’s agreement. Had it originated from a sound belief and tranquility of the soul, it would not have been followed by turning away and aversion.

The use of the definite article in His saying {the believers} indicates that they are not the believers who are known—those who are steadfast and upright in their faith, and who are described in His saying: "The believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then have not doubted" (Al-Hujurat: 15).

{And when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them, behold, a party of them turns away. But if the right is theirs, they come to him in obedience.}