His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal, for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live." "And whoever comes to Him as a believer, having done righteous deeds, for those are the highest degrees." "Gardens of Eternity, beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever; and that is the reward of one who purifies himself."

A group said: This verse in its entirety is from the words of the magicians to Pharaoh as a form of admonition to him and an explanation of what they did. And another group said: Rather, it is from the words of Allah, glorified and exalted is He, to Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, as a reminder of the ugliness of what Pharaoh did, and the goodness of what the magicians did, as an admonition and a warning. The mentioned story contains its example. And the criminal is the one who has acquired crimes and sins. And His saying: "He will neither die therein nor live" is specific to the disbeliever, for he is punished with a punishment that ends with death, then he is not finished off so that he may find rest; rather, his skin is renewed and his punishment is renewed, so he does not live a pleasant life. As for the one who enters the Fire from among the believers due to sins, they are in a state of near death before intercession brings them out, except that they are not finished off nor is their punishment renewed. This is the distinction between them and the disbelievers. And in the authentic hadith, "They will be made to die a death," and this is its meaning, for he does not die in the Hereafter.

And "the highest degrees" are the closeness to Allah, exalted and glorified is He, and "purifies himself" means: he obeyed Allah and followed the best of matters. And reflect on the acquisition in the wording of "purifies himself," for it is clear.