Like those who divided and disagreed, they are the Jews and Christians after the clear signs came to them, which necessitated agreement on one word, which is the word of truth. It is said: they are the innovators of this nation, and they are the anthropomorphists, the determinists, and the literalists. And their likes. On the Day when faces will be whitened, it is an adverbial accusative indicating the state of them, or by implying 'remember', and it has been recited: 'faces will be whitened and faces will be blackened', with the present tense verb being broken. And it is recited: 'whitening and blackening', and whiteness is from light, and blackness is from darkness. So whoever is among the people of the light of truth will be marked with a white color, brightness, and radiance, and his record will be whitened and illuminated, and light will flow before him and to his right. And whoever is among the people of the darkness of falsehood will be marked with a black color, eclipsed, and gloomy, and his record will be blackened and darkened, and darkness will surround him from every side. We seek refuge with Allah and His vast mercy from the darkness of falsehood and its people. 'Did you disbelieve?' It will be said to them: 'Did you disbelieve?' The hamzah is for reproach and amazement at their state. It is apparent that they are the people of the Book. Their disbelief after faith is their denial of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, after their acknowledgment of him before his coming. And from 'Ata: the faces of the emigrants and supporters will be whitened, and the faces of Banu Qurayzah and Banu Nadir will be blackened. And it is said they are the apostates. And it is said they are the people of innovations and desires. And from Abu Umamah: they are the Khawarij. When he saw them on the steps of Damascus, his eyes filled with tears, and he said: 'Dogs of the Fire, these are the worst of those killed under the sky.' And the best of those killed under the sky are those killed by these. Abu Ghalib said to him: 'Is this something you say by your opinion, or something you heard from the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him?' He said: 'Rather, I heard it from the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, more than once.' He said: 'What is your concern that your eyes filled with tears?' He said: 'Mercy for them, they were from the people of Islam and then they disbelieved.' Then he recited this verse, and then he took his hand and said: 'Indeed, in your land there are many of them. So may Allah protect you from them.' It has been narrated by Al-Thalabi in his Tafsir through the chain of 'Ikrimah ibn 'Amar from Shaddad from Abu Umamah like this. And from this chain, Al-Hakim narrated it. It has also been narrated by Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Abdul Razzaq, Ahmad, Ishaq, Abu Ya'la, and Al-Tabarani, all from the route of Abu Ghalib, in full. There is another chain narrated by Al-Tabarani from the narration of Shahb ibn Hushab from Abu Umamah. And it is said they are all the disbelievers for their turning away from what was necessitated by the acknowledgment when He made them testify against themselves: 'Am I not your Lord?' They said: 'Yes.' So 'In the mercy of Allah' means in His grace, which is the eternal reward. If you say: 'What is the position of His saying: 'They are therein eternally'? after His saying: 'In the mercy of Allah'? I say: It is a position of resumption, as if it were said: 'How will they be therein?' It was said: 'They are therein eternally, they do not depart from it nor die.'