And when He clarified their misguidance in their bodily and financial worship, and there was in many of the previous statements a decisive judgment against those who disbelieved by the wording of the past with misery, this was misleading to imply that it is intended for those who committed disbelief in the past time even if they repented. This would lead to despair of repentance, thus necessitating persistence in disbelief. Allah, the Most High, said gently to His servants, guiding them to the path of righteousness, clarifying the escape from what they are in of calamity in response to one who seemed to say: Is there not for them a means by which they can escape from loss? Say to those who disbelieved that I accept the repentance of whoever among them repents simply by ceasing from their state. If they cease, meaning: they are given a time to cease from their overpowering of themselves by ceasing from their disbelief, so they humble themselves to Allah and submit to His commands, they will be forgiven. He established this for the one who is acted upon because the benefit is the essence of forgiveness, which is the erasure of sin. Whatever has passed, meaning: of what they have committed, whatever it may be, will be erased in its essence and effect, so there will be no punishment upon them nor rebuke. And if they persist in their disbelief and return to overpowering, then certainly the way of the former ones has passed, meaning: it existed and expired and was executed, and there is no turning back for it by the evidence of what has been heard from the news of the past and what has been witnessed of the condition of the people of Badr, which necessitated the decisive judgment that Allah is with the believers and against the disbelievers. Whoever is with Him is supported, and whoever is against Him is forsaken and taken captive. Allah has decreed, 'I will surely prevail, I and My messengers.' And 'Indeed, Allah will surely support whoever supports Him.' And 'The outcome is for the righteous,' even if the war is back and forth.