Tafsir of Al Imran 3:105-107

"And do not be like those who became divided and differed" They are the Jews and the Christians.

"After the clear proofs had come to them" Which necessitate agreement upon a single word, which is the word of Truth. It is also said: they are the innovators of this Ummah, such as the Anthropomorphists (Mushabbiha), the Determinists (Mujbira), the Literalists (Hashwiyya), and their likes.

"On the Day when some faces will turn white" The word is in the accusative case as an adverb of time, referring to "for them," or by implying the command "Remember." It is also recited as tibyaddu and taswaddu (with a kasra on the prefix letter), and tabyadu and taswadu. Whiteness comes from light, and blackness from darkness. Whoever belongs to the people of the light of Truth will be marked by the whiteness of their complexion, its radiance, and its brightness; their record will turn white and shine, and light will move before them and to their right. Whoever belongs to the people of the darkness of Falsehood will be marked by the blackness of their complexion, its eclipse, and its dullness; their record will turn black, darken, and darkness will surround them from every side. We seek refuge in Allah and the vastness of His mercy from the darkness of Falsehood and its people.

"Did you disbelieve?" It is said to them: "Did you disbelieve?" The interrogative particle is for rebuke and expressing astonishment at their state. The apparent meaning is that they are the People of the Scripture, and their disbelief after belief is their denial of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) after they had acknowledged him before his arrival.

According to Ata’, "faces will turn white" refers to the Emigrants (Muhajirun) and the Helpers (Ansar), and "faces will turn black" refers to the Banu Qurayza and Banu Nadir. It is also said they are the apostates, or the people of innovation and desires.

According to Abu Umama: They are the Kharijites. When he saw them on the steps of Damascus, his eyes welled with tears, and he said: "Dogs of the Fire. They are the worst of those killed under the canopy of the sky, and the best of those killed under the canopy of the sky are those whom these people have killed." Abu Ghalib asked him, "Is this something you say based on your own opinion, or something you heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)?" He replied, "Rather, I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) more than once." He asked, "Then why do your eyes well with tears?" He said, "Out of mercy for them; they were of the people of Islam, then they disbelieved." Then he recited this verse, took his hand, and said, "There are many of them in your land, so may Allah protect you from them."

It is also said: They are all the disbelievers, due to their turning away from what their acknowledgment necessitated when He made them testify against themselves: "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes."

"As for those in the mercy of Allah" Meaning, in His bounty, which is the eternal reward. If you ask: What is the position of the statement "They will abide therein eternally" after the statement "As for those in the mercy of Allah"? I say: It is the position of an initiation (isti'naf), as if it were asked, "How will they be therein?" So it was said: "They will abide therein eternally," they will not depart from it, nor will they die.