Surah At Tawbah Tafseer

Recompense comes after Proof is established

Allah says;

وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَاهُمْ حَتَّى يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ إِنَّ اللّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

And Allah will never lead a people astray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them what they should avoid. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything.

Allah describes His Honorable Self and just judgment in that He does not lead a people astray but after the Message comes to them, so that the proof is established against them.

For instance, Allah said,

وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ

And as for Thamud, We showed and made clear to them the path of truth (41:17)

Mujahid commented on Allah's saying;

وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَاهُمْ

(And Allah will never lead a people astray after He has guided them),

"Allah the Mighty and Sublime is clarifying to the believers about not seeking forgiveness for the idolators in particular, and in general, it is an exhortation to beware of disobeying Him, and encouragement to obey Him. So either do or suffer."

Ibn Jarir commented,

"Allah says that He would not direct you to misguidance, so that you invoke Him for forgiveness for your dead idolators, after He gave you guidance and directed you to believe in Him and in His Messenger!

First, He will inform you of what you should avoid, so that you avoid it. Before He informs you that this action is not allowed, you would not have disobeyed Him and fallen into what He prohibited for you (if you indulge in this action). Therefore, in this case, He will not allow you to be misguided. Verily, guidance or misguidance occurs after commands and prohibitions are established.

As for those who were neither commanded nor prohibited, they can neither be obedient nor disobedient in doing what they were neither ordered nor prohibited from doing."

Allah said,

إِنَّ اللّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارْضِ يُحْيِـي وَيُمِيتُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ