They hasten in disbelief, falling into it quickly and desiring it with the greatest desire. They are those who hypocritically lagged behind. It is said: they are a people who have apostatized from Islam. If you say: what is the meaning of His saying: (And let it not grieve you)? It is the right of the Messenger to be saddened by the hypocrisy of those who hypocritically lagged behind and the apostasy of those who have apostatized. I say: its meaning is: do not let them sadden you for fear that they may harm you and assist against you. Do you not see His saying: Indeed, they will not harm Allah in anything? It means that their hastening in disbelief does not harm anyone but themselves, and the consequence of that returns to no one else. Then it clarifies how its consequence returns to them by His saying: Allah intends not to give them a share in the Hereafter, meaning a portion of reward, and for them instead of reward is a great punishment. That is the most severe harm a person can do to himself. If you say: why was it not said: Allah does not give them a share in the Hereafter, and what benefit is there in mentioning the will? I say: its benefit is to indicate that the reason for their deprivation and punishment has become absolute, with no diversion remaining when they hastened in disbelief, as a warning of their persistence in tyranny and their reaching the limit in it, until even the Most Merciful of the merciful intends not to have mercy on them. Indeed, those who have purchased disbelief with faith, either it is a repetition of mentioning them for emphasis and recording against them, or it is general for the disbelievers, while the former is specific to those who hypocritically lagged behind, or apostatized from Islam, or the opposite. And 'anything' is in the accusative as it means: anything of harm and some harm. Those who disbelieved, for those who read with the 'taa' in the accusative, and indeed We give them respite is better for themselves, as a substitute for it: meaning do not think that what We give to the disbelievers is good for them. And 'that' with what is in its scope stands in place of the two objects, like His saying: Or do you think that most of them hear? And 'what' is a source, meaning: and do not think that Our giving is good, and its proper place in the rules of writing should be separated. But it has occurred in the Imam connected, so it does not contradict, and we follow the tradition of the Imam in the writing of the Mushafs. If you say: how is it correct for the substitute to come when only one of the objects is mentioned, and it is not permissible to suffice with the action of thinking on one object? I say: it is correct in that reliance on the substitute and the substituted is in the same context: do you not see that you say: I placed your belongings some on top of others, while it is impossible for you to be silent about your belongings? And it is permissible to estimate a deleted addition on: and do not think that the disbelievers are owners of the fact that the giving is good for themselves. Or do not think concerning the state of the disbelievers that the giving is good for themselves. And it is for those who read with the 'yaa' in the nominative, and the action is related to 'that' and what is in its scope. And the giving for them: is their letting go and their affair, borrowed from 'amla' for his horse when he lets it roam freely to graze as it wishes.

It is said: It is granting them respite and prolonging their lives. The meaning is: And do not think that the respite is better for them than preventing them or cutting their lifetimes. We only grant them respite so that they may increase in sin. This 'ما' should be written connected, as it is sufficient without the first part. This is a new sentence explaining the previous one, as if it were said: Why do they not think that the respite is better for them? It was said: We only grant them respite so that they may increase in sin. If you say: How is it permissible for the increase in sin to be an objective of Allah, the Exalted, in granting them respite? I say: It is a reason for the respite, and not every reason is an objective. Do you not see that you say: I refrained from fighting due to weakness and poverty, and I left the town out of fear of evil, and none of these is an objective for you. They are merely reasons and causes, so likewise the increase in sin is made a reason for the granting of respite and a cause within it. If you say: How can the increase in sin be a reason for the respite as weakness was a reason for refraining from war? I say: Since it is within the knowledge of Allah, the All-Encompassing, that they will increase in sin, the granting of respite occurred for it and because of it in a figurative manner. Yahya ibn Wathab read with a kasra on the first and a fatha on the second. And do not think with the 'ya', meaning: And do not think that those who disbelieve think that our granting respite is for the increase in sin as they do, but rather it is so that they may repent and enter into faith. And His saying: 'Indeed, we grant them respite is better for themselves' is an interruption between the verb and its object. Its meaning is: Our granting respite is better for themselves if they act within it and recognize Allah's favor upon them by extending the time and not hastening punishment. If you say: What is the meaning of His saying: 'And for them is a humiliating punishment' in this reading? I say: Its meaning is: And do not think that our granting respite is for the increase in sin and for punishment, and the 'wa' is for the situation, as if it were said: So that they may increase in sin prepared for them is a humiliating punishment.