Commentary
Then he described them with the opposite of what they claim for themselves regarding the success of their efforts and the goodness of their deeds. He said: "Those whose efforts have gone astray," meaning they have deviated from the intended purpose, so it has become invalid "in this worldly life" by turning away from that which does not benefit them or harm them except Him, and turning towards that which has no benefit in it nor harm. "And they," meaning while they are with the manifestation of that, like the sun, "think" due to the weakness of their minds "that they are doing good deeds," meaning an action that is of the utmost perfection, while they are in the utmost practice of it. Al-Bukhari narrated in (p-148) the tafsir from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the most lost are the Jews and the Christians. He said: As for the Jews, they disbelieved in Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, and as for the Christians, they disbelieved in Paradise and said: There is no food [in it] - nor drink - it has ended. I said: Likewise, the Jews said, as both groups denied the bodily resurrection and restricted it to the spiritual.
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