And when most of those who stir up these doubts are in the forms of the people of Islam, Allah, the Most High, addressed the believers while they are in the midst of it, warning them against the misguidance which, in itself, is deserving of being avoided. So how could it be when it is a source of delight for the enemy and by his deception and affection, warning them against associating with them: ﴿And many of them﴾. This is an explanation of the meaning of the words, which is: Do not exchange disbelief for faith, after explaining it with misguidance; and this is as has been mentioned in: ﴿The disbelievers do not wish﴾ [Al-Baqarah: 105] equally.

And when the polytheists were Arabs who knew that the nature of the Arabs is steadfastness, they were not included with them in this affection. And He said: ﴿From the People of the Book﴾, thus informing that the sincere among them is few. And He, glorified is He, gave glad tidings that what they wish for from the realm of impossibility is conveyed as the wishful thinking. He said: ﴿If they could turn you back﴾, meaning: all of you; then He affirmed the matter of wishing in its being impossible, indicating their conviction of it, even if for a short time. He said: ﴿After your faith﴾, meaning: the firm.

﴿Disbelievers﴾, meaning: so that you may be like them and be eternally in the Fire with them,

﴿Out of envy﴾ for what Allah has given you of the good that leads to Paradise. And envy is the disturbance of the soul from seeing blessings upon others. And He expressed the reaching of envy to a limit that there is no way to abandon it by saying: ﴿From within themselves﴾, meaning: that it is firmly rooted in their natures, so do not hope to divert it with anything, for their souls dominate their minds. Then He emphasized it further by saying, indicating their blame, that they persisted in misguidance after the call, not seeking the truth while they had the ability to recognize it, until His clarification overwhelmed them and His knowledge conquered them. Then they did not return to Him; and their misguidance was not enough for them in their souls until they wished to mislead others by turning away from it.

﴿After it became clear﴾, meaning: a great clarification with its clarity in itself,

﴿To them is the truth﴾, meaning: of the correctness of the message of Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, and that he is the Seal of the Prophets sent to all people, with the testimony of what corresponds to it from the Torah, and that they are eternal in the Fire, for they are among those whose sin has encompassed them, as indicated by Him, glorified is He, in all of these verses, invalidating their claim that they will be in the Fire for a few days.

Then He guided to the remedy by saying, causing from the news that their affection is impossible and by their not returning: ﴿So pardon﴾, meaning: treat them with the treatment of the pardoner by not mentioning to them anything that this affection arising from this envy would reveal in words and actions, and do not take them to account for it, for they will not harm you nor will they return to you.

'And overlook' means: show them that you have not been informed of any of that. The essence of its meaning is to turn away by turning the neck from something as if he has not seen it. He commanded them to overlook absolutely and did not restrict it to the beautiful overlooking which he specified in addressing his Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, in His saying: 'So overlook the beautiful overlooking' [Al-Hijr: 85], due to the descending of the address upon its ranks and rightful places. He urged them to make their action based on His relief, glorified and exalted is He, by His saying: 'Until Allah comes' which there is no command for anyone along with it 'by His command.' So He gave them glad tidings of that by their victory over those whom they were commanded to overlook and pardon. And the beginning of that would be completed in the time of Jesus, peace be upon him.

And when victory was in a state of great weakness and their enemy was in a state of greater strength and multitude, He said: 'Indeed, Allah' and He revealed the place of the implicit to affirm the glad tidings by alluding to the invocation of what this greatest name indicates of attributes of majesty and honor.

'Is All-Powerful over all things' so in this conclusion is glad tidings for the believers of His power over them, just as in the conclusion with knowledge is glad tidings of His teaching them. And in His understanding is a warning for the disbelievers in contrast to that.