Tafsir of An-Nisa' 4:137

"God was not to forgive them, nor to guide them to a way."

This is a negation of forgiveness and guidance—which is divine grace (luṭf)—expressed with the emphasis provided by the lām (in li-yaghfira).

The intent behind negating these two is to negate that which necessitates them: namely, pure, steadfast faith.

The meaning is: those from whom apostasy has recurred, and from whom an increase in disbelief and persistence in it is known, it is considered highly improbable that they would produce that which would make them deserving of forgiveness or worthy of divine grace—such as a sound, steadfast faith that God accepts. This is because the hearts of those whose habit this is are hearts that have been struck by disbelief and have become accustomed to apostasy. Faith has become the most trivial and insignificant thing to them, as they appear to turn away from it time after time.

This does not mean that if they were to sincerely believe after repeated apostasy, and their repentance were genuine, it would not be accepted or forgiven. For such repentance is accepted insofar as it is an exertion of effort and an exhaustion of capacity. Rather, it is an expression of improbability and astonishment; it is a matter that almost never happens. Just as you see the transgressor who repents, then returns to sin, then repents, then returns—one can hardly expect steadfastness from him.

It is most likely that he will die in the worst state and the most repulsive condition.

It has also been said: They are the Jews who believed in the Torah and Moses, then disbelieved in the Gospel and Jesus, then increased in disbelief by their disbelief in Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace.