Commentary
And when he informed about their conditions as a means of intimidation, he followed that by informing about the conditions of the believers as a means of encouragement, saying, "And those who believed" in contrast to "those who denied."
And when he said, "And did righteous deeds," it means: as a confirmation of their faith in contrast to "those who were arrogant." "The righteous deeds" was a cause for the assumption that performing all righteous deeds - because it is a plural form with the definite article - is a condition for entering Paradise. He interjected that with a statement indicating alleviation, saying, "We do not burden a soul except to its capacity." And as encouragement to acquire what cannot be described of the bliss with what is within capacity, "Those are" meaning: of the highest rank, "the companions of Paradise." And since companionship indicates permanence, he clarified it by saying, "They are in it, abiding forever."
Explore Other Scholars on This Verse
Compare different scholarly perspectives on Surah Al-A'raf verse 42