His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "And We will surely make them taste of the lesser punishment, not the greater punishment, that perhaps they will return." "And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord and then turns away from them? Indeed, We will take retribution from the criminals."

The pronoun in His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "We will surely make them taste" refers to the disbelievers of Quraysh. Allah, exalted and majestic is He, informed that He will inflict upon them a punishment less than the punishment of the Hereafter, that perhaps they will repent and take admonition. There is no disagreement that the greater punishment is the punishment of the Hereafter. The interpreters have differed regarding the specification of the lesser punishment. Ibrahim al-Nakha'i and Muqatil said: It is the years of famine that Allah inflicted upon them. Ibn Abbas and Ubayy ibn Ka'b said: It is the calamities of this world, such as diseases and the like. This was also said by Ibn Zayd. Ibn Mas'ud and Hasan ibn Ali said: It is killing by the sword, like at Badr and others.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: According to this interpretation, "the one who returns" is not the same as "the one who tastes," but rather it is the one who remains after it. The rank of the pronoun of tasting differs from the pronoun of perhaps. Ubayy ibn Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him, also said: It is the overpowering, the constraint, and the smoke. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, also meant by that the punishments.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It is possible, according to this interpretation, that it is directed at the sinful believers. Mujahid said: He meant by that the punishment of the grave.

Then He, exalted and majestic is He, said in a manner of astonishment and affirmation: "And who is more unjust?" That is: No one is more unjust than the one who has this characteristic, which is contrary to what was previously mentioned regarding the believers, that when they are reminded of the verses of Allah, they fall down in prostration. Then the Blessed and Exalted threatens the criminals, who are the ones who boldly commit disbelief and sins with force. The apparent meaning of crime here is disbelief.

Al-Tabari narrated from Yazid ibn Rafi' that he said: Indeed, the saying of Allah, exalted and majestic is He, in the Quran: "Indeed, We will take retribution from the criminals" is about the people of Qadar.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: He means those who say that the actions of the servant are from him. He then recited Yazid ibn Rafi': "Indeed, the criminals are in error and madness" [Al-Qamar: 47] "The Day they are dragged into the Fire on their faces, 'Taste the touch of Saqar'" [Al-Qamar: 48] "Indeed, We created everything with Qadar" [Al-Qamar: 49].

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: In this context, there is a clear distance. Mu'adh ibn Jabal narrated from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, that he said: "Three things, whoever does them has certainly committed a crime: whoever raises a banner without right, and whoever disobeys his parents, or walks with an oppressor to support him."