Then He clarified, glorified and exalted is He, that the reason for the neglect of this apparent matter is that their means of perception is sick. The illness has preoccupied it from perceiving what benefits it, so it does not incline except towards what harms it, like a sick person whose soul does not lean towards anything other than its own harm. He said in response to one who might have asked: What is the reason for their actions of deceit and lack of awareness? "In their hearts is a disease"; meaning, from the original nature, it weakens the powers of faith within them and causes a weakness in their Islamic actions and a deficiency in them. For illness, as al-Harali said, is a weakness in the powers that results in a deficiency in actions. "So Allah increased them"; meaning, with what He has of the attributes of majesty and honor, for their deceiving them by what they see of its lack of effect. "A disease"; meaning, a bad belief that increases their deceit, and pain in their hearts due to what they see of the disappointment of their desires. Thus, the door of understanding and guidance was completely closed upon them. The increase, al-Harali said, is the introduction of a matter that was not present in the existence of the thing. It has ended.

"And for them" [Al-Baqarah: 7]; meaning, along with the harm of ignorance in this world that is akin to that of animals. "A painful punishment" in the Hereafter; meaning, severe pain that is the necessary suffering. This is what al-Harali said. "And because they were" [At-Tawbah: 77]; al-Harali said: When something is, and something is like this: if its existence appears and its form is complete, or this is made apparent from its own essence. It has ended.

"They lie"; meaning, they commit falsehood, which is the reporting about themselves with faith while they are entangled in disbelief. The meaning, according to the reading with emphasis, is that they exaggerate in lying, or they attribute the truthful to falsehood, and that is the most heinous of lies.