Do not worship except Allah. This is an object of purpose meaning: so that you do not worship. Or it could be that 'that' is explanatory, because in detailing the verses there is a meaning of saying, as if it were said: He said do not worship except Allah, or He commanded you not to worship except Allah and to seek forgiveness. That is, He commanded you with monotheism and seeking forgiveness. It is also possible that it is a statement that is disconnected from what came before, on the tongue of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, encouraging him to dedicate worship to Allah alone. This is supported by His saying: 'Indeed, I am to you from Him a warner and a bearer of good tidings.' It is as if He said: Leave the worship of others than Allah, for indeed I am to you a warner from Him, like His saying: 'Strike the necks.' The pronoun in 'from Him' refers to Allah, the Exalted, meaning: Indeed, I am to you a warner and a bearer of good tidings from Him, like His saying: 'A messenger from Allah.' Or it is a connection to warn, meaning: I warn you from Him and from His punishment if you disbelieve, and I give you glad tidings of His reward if you believe.

If you say: What is the meaning of 'then' in His saying: 'Then turn to Him'? I say: Its meaning is to seek forgiveness from polytheism, then return to Him in obedience. Or seek forgiveness, and seeking forgiveness is repentance, then purify your repentance and remain steadfast upon it, like His saying: 'Then they remained steadfast.' He will grant you enjoyment, prolonging your benefit in this world with good and pleasing benefits, from a wide living and continuous blessings until an appointed time, until He takes you, like His saying: 'So We will surely give him a good life.' And He will give every person of virtue his virtue, and in the Hereafter, He will give to everyone who had virtue in deeds and an increase in it as a reward for his virtue without diminishing it.

Or his virtue in reward, and the ranks in Paradise differ according to the difference in acts of obedience. And if you turn away, then indeed, there is a punishment of a great day, which is the Day of Resurrection, described as great as it is described as immense and heavy. And the punishment of the great day is clarified by their return to the One who is capable of all things, for He is capable of the most severe of what He intends of their punishment; nothing can hinder Him. And it was read: 'And if they turn away,' from 'to turn away.'