His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "Let not the turning about of those who disbelieve throughout the lands deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then their abode is Hell, and wretched is the resting place. But those who fear their Lord, for them are gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever, a hospitality from Allah. And what is with Allah is best for the righteous."

The phrase "Let not deceive you" in this verse means: do not think that the condition of the disbelievers is good so that you become concerned about that. This is because the deceived person is pleased with that by which he is deceived. The disbelievers are deceived by their turning about, while the believers are concerned about it. However, it may occur to a believer that this respite for the disbelievers is indeed for their good, so this would lead to a leaning towards their condition and a type of deception. Therefore, it is fitting that it says, "Let not deceive you."

An analogy of this is the saying of Umar to Hafsah: "Let not deceive you that your neighbor is more favored than you and more beloved to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him." The meaning is, do not be deceived by what is granted to her of honor, lest you fall into it and the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, divorce you. The address is to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and the intended meaning is his nation. And the disbelievers have a share in that, meaning: let not their turning about deceive them.

Ibn Abi Ishaq and Ya'qub read: "Let not deceive you" with a lightened noon. Likewise, "Let not turn you away" and "Let not turn you away" and "Let not harm you." And it is similar.

The turning about refers to the dealings in trade, profits, wars, and other hopes. Then He, exalted and glorified is He, informed about the scarcity of that enjoyment, because it is fleeting and destined for humiliation, scarcity, and punishment.

Abu Ja'far ibn al-Qaqa' read: "But those who..." with a strong noon, and that "those who" is in the position of being the subject of "but." And "a hospitality" means a generous reception, and its position is as a source of confirmation.

Al-Hasan read: "a hospitality" with a silent zay.

His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "And what is with Allah is best for the righteous" can be understood as: better than what they have in their turning about and enjoyment, and it can be understood as: better than what they have in this world. Ibn Mas'ud went to this, as he said: there is no believer or disbeliever except that death is better for him. As for the disbeliever, it is so that he does not increase in sin, and as for the believer, it is because what is with Allah is best for the righteous.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It has been narrated from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, that he said: "The world is the prison of the believer and the paradise of the disbeliever." Qadi Ibn al-Tayyib said: This is only in relation to what each of them will attain in the Hereafter. The world is a prison for the believer who is in comfort in relation to Paradise, and the world is a paradise for the disbeliever who is poor and restricted in his condition and health in relation to Hell. It is said that the meaning is that it is the prison of the believer because it is a place of responsibility in acts of obedience, fasting, and standing in prayer. He is in it like one who is burdened and tormented, and he awaits the reward in the Hereafter, which is his paradise. And the world is the paradise of the disbeliever because it is the place of his reward for whatever good he may do, and he does not await a reward in the Hereafter, so this is his paradise. This saying, in my opinion, serves as an explanation and clarification for the first.