Women — Verse 122

Shirk Shall not be Forgiven, in Reality the Idolators Worship Shaytan We talked about Allah's statement, إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ (Verily, Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that,) before and mentioned the relevant Hadiths in the beginning of this Surah. Allah's statement, وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَـلاً بَعِيداً (and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, has indeed strayed far away.) means, he will have taken other than the true path, deviated from guidance and righteousness, destroyed himself in this life and the Hereafter, and lost contentment in this life and the Hereafter. Juwaybir said that Ad-Dahhak said about Allah's statement, إِن يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلاَّ إِنَـثاً (They invoke nothing but female deities besides Him (Allah),) "The idolators claimed that the angels are Allah's daughters, saying, `We only worship them so that they bring us closer to Allah.' So they took the angels as gods, made the shapes of girls and decided, `These (idols) resemble the daughters of Allah (i.e., the angels), Whom we worship. "' This is similar to Allah's statements, أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ اللَّـتَ وَالْعُزَّى (Have you then considered Al-Lat and Al-`Uzza) وَجَعَلُواْ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَـنِ إِنَـثاً (And they make the angels who themselves are servants of the Most Gracious (Allah) females) and, وَجَعَلُواْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجِنَّةِ نَسَباً (And they have invented a kinship between Him and the Jinn). Allah's statement, وَإِن يَدْعُونَ إِلاَّ شَيْطَـناً مَّرِيداً (and they invoke nothing but Shaytan, a persistent rebel!) means, Shaytan has commanded them to do this and made it seem fair and beautiful in their eyes. Consequently, they are worshipping Shaytan in reality, just as Allah said in another Ayah, أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يبَنِى ءَادَمَ أَن لاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ الشَّيطَـنَ (Did I not command you, O Children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytan) Allah said that, on the Day of Resurrection, the angels shall proclaim about the idolators who worshipped them in this life: بَلْ كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ أَكْـثَرُهُم بِهِم مُّؤْمِنُونَ (Nay, but they used to worship the Jinn; most of them were believers in them). Allah's statement, لَّعَنَهُ اللَّهُ (Allah cursed him), means, He expelled him and banished him from His mercy and His grace. لاّتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ نَصِيباً مَّفْرُوضاً (I will take an appointed portion of your servants) means, a fixed and known share. Muqatil bin Hayyan commented, "From every one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine will go to the Fire and one to Paradise." وَلأضِلَّنَّهُمْ (Verily, I will mislead them) from the true path, وَلأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ (and surely, I will arouse in them false desires;) tempting them to feign repentance, arousing false hopes in them, encouraging them to delay and procrastinate with righteous deeds, deceiving them. وَلاّمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ ءَاذَانَ الاٌّنْعَـمِ (and certainly, I will order them to slit the ears of cattle,) meaning, slitting their ears to designate them as Bahirah, Sa'ibah, and a Wasilah, as Qatadah and As-Suddi stated. وَلاّمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ (And indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah.) means tattooing, according to Al-Hasan bin Abi Al-Hasan Al-Basri. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded the prohibition of tattooing the face, which in one of its wordings states: "May Allah curse whoever does this." It is also recorded in the Sahih that Ibn Mas`ud said, "May Allah curse those who have tattoos and those who do it, who pluck their (facial) hairs and the one who does it for them, and those who make spaces between their teeth for the purpose of beauty, changing what Allah has created." He then said, "Why should not I curse whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has cursed, when the Book of Allah commands it," referring to the Ayah, وَمَآ ءَاتَـكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَـكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُواْ (And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)). Allah's statement, وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ الشَّيْطَـنَ وَلِيّاً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَاناً مُّبِيناً (And whoever takes Shaytan as a Wali (protector or helper) instead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss.) means, he will have lost this life and the Hereafter. Indeed, this is a type of loss that cannot be compensated or restored. Allah's statement, يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمْ الشَّيْطَـنُ إِلاَّ غُرُوراً (He Shaytan makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires;) explains the true reality. Surely, Shaytan deceitfully promises his supporters and tempts them into believing that they are winners in this and the Hereafter. This is why Allah said, وَمَا يَعِدُهُمْ الشَّيْطَـنُ إِلاَّ غُرُوراً (and Shaytan's promises are nothing but deceptions.) Allah states that on the Day of Return, وَقَالَ الشَّيْطَـنُ لَمَّا قُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَمَا كَانَ لِىَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِّن سُلْطَـنٍ (And Shaytan will say when the matter has been decided: "Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you), until, إِنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (Verily, there is a painful torment for the wrongdoers.) Allah's statement, أُوْلَـئِكَ (of such (people)) refers to those who like and prefer what Shaytan is promising and assuring them of, مَّأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ (The dwelling of such (people) is Hell), as their destination and abode on the Day of Resurrection, وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ عَنْهَا مَحِيصاً (and they will find no way of escape from it.), meaning, they will not be able to avoid, avert, evade or elude the Hellfire. The Reward of Righteous Believers Allah then mentions the condition of the content righteous believers and the perfect honor they will earn in the end. Allah said, وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَاتِ (And those who believe and do righteous good deeds,) meaning, their hearts were truthful and their limbs obedient with the righteous acts they were commanded, all the while abandoning the evil they were prohibited from doing. سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ (We shall admit them to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)) meaning, they will think of where they want these rivers to flow and they will flow there, خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَداً (to dwell therein forever), without end or being removed from it. وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا (Allah's promise is the truth), meaning, this is a true promise from Allah, and verily, Allah's promise shall come to pass. Allah then said, وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللَّهِ قِيلاً (and whose words can be truer than those of Allah) meaning, none is more truthful in statement and narration than Allah. There is no deity worthy of worship, or Lord except Him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to proclaim in his speech, «إِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْحَدِيثِ كَلَامُ اللهِ، وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍصلى الله عليه وسلّم، وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا، وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ، وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّار» (The most truthful speech is Allah's Speech, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst matters are the newly invented (in religion), every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a heresy, and every heresy is in the Fire.)

But those who believe and perform righteous deeds We shall admit them to Gardens underneath which rivers flow abiding therein for ever; God’s promise in truth that is God promised them this and fulfilled it in truth; and who that is and none is truer in utterance that is in statement than God?

But those who believe, with [that] true faith, the affirmation of the Oneness, since they are the antitheses of those who associate [others with God], and perform, what sets them on the right path to arriving at the union, or what sets people right all together by making them upright before God and in God after the annihilation and the actualisation of subsistence, We shall admit them, to the three mentioned gardens.

But those who believe, with [that] true faith, the affirmation of the Oneness, since they are the antitheses of those who associate [others with God], and perform, what sets them on the right path to arriving at the union, or what sets people right all together by making them upright before God and in God after the annihilation and the actualisation of subsistence, We shall admit them, to the three mentioned gardens.

But those who believe and perform righteous deeds We shall admit them to gardens underneath which rivers flow abiding therein for ever; God's promise in truth; and who is truer in utterance than Godḍ �Those whom We have made fortunate by [Our] decree and speech asʿadnāhum ḥukman wa-qawlan were helped at the time We brought them into existence by [Our] generosity and power awjadnāhum kara- man wa-Ṭawlan. Then surely We brought about what had been promised in reward nuḥaqqiqu la-hum al-mawʿūda min al-thawāb through what We gave them in a place of good return bi-mā nukrimuhum bihi min ḥusni al-maÌāb.�

But those who believe and perform righteous deeds We shall admit them to gardens underneath which rivers flow abiding therein for ever; God's promise in truth; and who is truer in utterance than Godḍ �Those whom We have made fortunate by [Our] decree and speech asʿadnāhum ḥukman wa-qawlan were helped at the time We brought them into existence by [Our] generosity and power awjadnāhum kara- man wa-Ṭawlan. Then surely We brought about what had been promised in reward nuḥaqqiqu la-hum al-mawʿūda min al-thawāb through what We gave them in a place of good return bi-mā nukrimuhum bihi min ḥusni al-maÌāb.�

والذين صَدَقوا في إيمانهم بالله تعالى، وأتبعوا الإيمان بالأعمال الصالحة سيدخلهم الله -بفضله- جنات تجري من تحت أشجارها الأنهار ماكثين فيها أبدًا، وعدا من الله تعالى الذي لا يخلف وعده. ولا أحد أصدق من الله تعالى في قوله ووعده.

فقال تعالى "والذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات" أي صدقت قلوبهم وعملت جوارحهم بما أمروا به من الخيرات وتركوا ما نهوا عنه من المنكرات "سندخلهم جنات تجري من تحتها الأنهار" أي يصرفونها حيث شاءوا وأين شاءوا "خالدين فيها أبدا" أي بلا زوال ولا انتقال "وعد الله حقا" أي هذا وعد من الله ووعد الله معلوم حقيقه أنه واقع لا محالة ولهذا أكده بالمصدر الدال على تحقيق الخبر وهو قوله حقا ثم قال تعالى "ومن أصدق من الله قيلا" أي لا أحد أصدق منه قولا أي خبرا لا إله إلا هو ولا رب سواه وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول في خطبته " إن أصدق الحديث كلام الله وخير الهدي هدي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وشر الأمور محدثاتها وكل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة وكل ضلالة في النار ".

ثم عقب - سبحانه - ذلك ببيان حسن عاقبة المؤمنين ، الذين آمنوا بالله إيمانا حقا ، وابتعدوا عن كل مالا يرضيه فقال - سبحانه - : ( والذين آمَنُواْ . . . بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّحِيطاً ) .وقوله - تعالى - ( والذين آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصالحات ) . معطوف على قوله - تعالى - قبل ذلك ، ( أولئك مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ) جريا على عادة القرآن فى تعقيب الإِنذار بالبشارة ، والوعيد بالوعد .أى : والذين آمنوا بالله إيمانا حقا ، وقدموا فى حياتهم الأعمال الصالحات ( سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأنهار ) أى : مقيمين فيها إقامة أبدية ( وَعْدَ الله حَقّاً ) أى : واقعا لا محالة ما وعد الله به عباده الصالحين من نعم بخلاف ما وعد الشيطان به أتباعه فإنه وعد كاذب باطل .وقوله ( وَعْدَ الله ) منصوب على المصدر المؤكد لمضمون جملة ( سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأنهار ) لأنها بمعناه فكأنه مؤكد لنفسه وقوله ( حَقّاً ) منصوب بفعل محذوف أى : حق ذلك حقا .والاستفهام فى قوله ( وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ الله قِيلاً ) للنفى . والقيل مصدر كالقول أى : هذا ما وعد الله به عباده المؤمنين ، وما وعد الله به عباده فهو متحقق الوقوع لا محالة ، لأنه لا أحد أصدق من الله قولا . فالجملة الكريمة تذييل قصد به تأكيد ما سبقه من وعد الله لعباده المؤمنين بالجنة .وقوله ( قِيلاً ) منصوب على أنه تمييز نسبة من قوله ( وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ الله )

القول في تأويل قوله : وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللَّهِ قِيلا (122)قال أبو جعفر: يعني جل ثناؤه بقوله: " والذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات "، والذين صدّقوا الله ورسوله، وأقرُّوا له بالوحدانية، ولرسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم بالنبوة=" وعملوا الصالحات "، يقول: وأدَّوا فرائض الله التي فرضها عليهم (1) =" سندخلهم جنات تجري من تحتها الأنهار "، يقول: سوف ندخلهم يوم القيامة إذا صاروا إلى الله، جزاءً بما عملوا في الدنيا من الصالحات=" جنات "، يعني: بساتين (2) =" تجري من تحتها الأنهار خالدين فيها أبدًا " ، يقول: باقين في هذه الجنات التي وصفها (3) =" أبدًا "، دائمًا.= وقوله: " وعد الله حقًّا "، يعني: عِدَةٌ من الله لهم ذلك في الدنيا=" حقًّا "، يعني: يقينًا صادقًا، (4) لا كعدة الشيطان الكاذبة التي هي غرور مَنْ وُعِدها من أوليائه، ولكنها عدة ممن لا يكذب ولا يكون منه الكذب، (5) ولا يخلف وعده.وإنما وصف جل ثناؤه وعده بالصدق والحق في هذه، لما سبق من خبره جل ثناؤه عن قول الشيطان الذي قصه في قوله: وَقَالَ لأَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ نَصِيبًا مَفْرُوضًا * وَلأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ آذَانَ الأَنْعَامِ ، ثم قال جل ثناؤه: يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلا غُرُورًا ، ولكن الله يعد الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات أنه سيدخلهم جنات تجري من تحتها الأنهار خالدين فيها أبدًا، وعدًا منه حقًّا، لا كوعد الشيطان الذي وَصَف صفته.فوصف جل ثناؤه الوعدَين والوَاعِدَيْن، وأخبر بحكم أهل كل وعد منهما، تنبيهًا منه جل ثناؤه خلقَه على ما فيه مصلحتهم وخلاصهم من الهلكة والمعطبة، (6) لينـزجروا عن معصيته ويعملوا بطاعته، فيفوزوا بما أعدّ لهم في جنانه من ثوابه.ثم قال لهم جل ثناؤه: " ومن أصدق من الله قيلا "، يقول: ومن أصدق، أيها الناس، من الله قيلا أي: لا أحد أصدق منه قيلا! فكيف تتركون العمل بما وعدكم على العمل به ربكم جناتٍ تجري من تحتها الأنهار خالدين فيها أبدًا، وتكفرون به وتخالفون أمره، وأنتم تعلمون أنه لا أحد أصدق منه قيلا وتعملون &; 9-228 &; بما يأمركم به الشيطان رجاءً لإدراك ما يعدُكم من عداته الكاذبة وأمانيه الباطلة، وقد علمتم أن عداته غرورٌ لا صحة لها ولا حقيقة، وتتخذونه وليًّا من دون الله، وتتركون أن تطيعوا الله فيما يأمركم به وينهاكم عنه، فتكونوا له أولياء؟* * *ومعنى " القيل " و " القول " واحدٌ.--------------الهوامش :(1) انظر تفسير"عملوا الصالحات" فيما سلف: 8 : 488.(2) انظر تفسير"جنات" في مادة (جنن) فيما سلف من فهارس اللغة.(3) انظر تفسير"الخلود" فيما سلف من فهارس اللغة.(4) انظر تفسير"الحق" فيما سلف 7 : 97.(5) في المطبوعة: "ولكن عدة ..." ، وأثبت ما في المخطوطة.(6) في المطبوعة: "والعطب" ، وهي صواب ، وفي المخطوطة: "والعطبة" ، فآثرت كتابتها كما رجحت قراءتها ، والمعطب والمعطبة ، جمعها معاطب.

قوله تعالى : ( والذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات سندخلهم جنات تجري من تحتها الأنهار ) أي : من تحت الغرف والمساكن ، ( خالدين فيها أبدا وعد الله حقا ومن أصدق من الله قيلا )

عطف على جملة { أولئك مأواهم جهنّم } [ النساء : 121 ] جرياً على عادة القرآن في تعقيب الإنذار بالبشارة ، والوعيدِ بالوعد .وقوله : { وعد الله } مصدر مؤكّد لمضمون جملة : { سندخلهم جنات تجري } الخ ، وهي بمعناه ، فلذلك يسمّي النحاة مثلَه مؤكّداً لنفسه ، أي مؤكّداً لما هو بمعناه .وقوله : { حقاً } مصدر مؤكّد لِمضمون { سندخلهم جنات } ، إذ كان هذا في معنى الوعد ، أي هذا الوعد أحقّقه حقّاً ، أي لا يتخلّف . ولمّا كان مضمونُ الجملة التي قبله خالياً عن معنى الإحقاق كان هذا المصدر ممّا يسميّه النحاة مصدراً مؤكّداً لغيره .وجملة { ومن أصدق من الله } تذييل للوعد وتحقيق له : أي هذا من وعد الله ، ووعود الله وعود صدق ، إذ لا أصدقُ من الله قيلا . فالواو اعتراضية لأنّ التذييل من أصناف الاعتراض وهو اعتراض في آخر الكلام ، وانتصب { قيلا } على تمييز نسبة من { أصدق من الله } .والاستفهام إنكاري .والقيل : القول ، وهو اسم مصدر بوزن فِعْل يجيء في الشرّ والخير .

أي: { آمَنُوا ْ} بالله وملائكته وكتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر، والقَدَر خيره وشره على الوجه الذي أمروا به علما وتصديقا وإقرارا. { وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ْ} الناشئة عن الإيمان؟ وهذا يشمل سائر المأمورات من واجب ومستحب، الذي على القلب، والذي على اللسان، والذي على بقية الجوارح. كل له من الثواب المرتب على ذلك بحسب حاله ومقامه، وتكميله للإيمان والعمل الصالح. ويفوته ما رتب على ذلك بحسب ما أخل به من الإيمان والعمل، وذلك بحسب ما علم من حكمة الله ورحمته، وكذلك وعده الصادق الذي يعرف من تتبع كتاب الله وسنة رسوله. ولهذا ذكر الثواب المرتب على ذلك بقوله: { سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ْ} فيها ما لا عين رأت، ولا أذن سمعت، ولا خطر على قلب بشر، من أنواع المآكل والمشارب اللذيذة، والمناظر العجيبة، والأزواج الحسنة، والقصور، والغرف المزخرفة، والأشجار المتدلية، والفواكه المستغربة، والأصوات الشجية، والنعم السابغة، وتزاور الإخوان، وتذكرهم ما كان منهم في رياض الجنان، وأعلى من ذلك كله وأجلّ رضوان الله عليهم وتمتع الأرواح بقربه، والعيون برؤيته، والأسماع بخطابه الذي ينسيهم كل نعيم وسرور، ولولا الثبات من الله لهم لطاروا وماتوا من الفرح والحبور، فلله ما أحلى ذلك النعيم وما أعلى ما أنالهم الرب الكريم، وماذا حصل لهم من كل خير وبهجة لا يصفه الواصفون، وتمام ذلك وكماله الخلود الدائم في تلك المنازل العاليات، ولهذا قال: { خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللَّهِ قِيلًا ْ} فصدق الله العظيم الذي بلغ قولُه وحديثُه في الصدق أعلى ما يكون، ولهذا لما كان كلامه صدقا وخبره حقا، كان ما يدل عليه مطابقةً وتضمنًا وملازمةً كل ذلك مراد من كلامه، وكذلك كلام رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم لكونه لا يخبر إلا بأمره ولا ينطق إلا عن وحيه.

ومن أصدق من الله قيلا ابتداء وخبر . ( قيلا ) على البيان ؛ قال قيلا وقولا وقالا ، بمعنى أي لا أحد أصدق من الله . وقد مضى الكلام على ما تضمنته هذه الآي من المعاني والحمد لله .

Another way of Satan’s misleading man is by interfering in the divine scheme of things. God has created man with the innate desire to direct all his attention to God. Interfering with this involves diverting man’s attention towards things other than God or else encouraging him to acquire things by other self-devised ways and not through the natural course set by God (for instance, homosexuality). In this manner Satan interferes with man’s observance of God’s divine plan for the entire universe.

Sequence Though, the mention of Jihad in preceding verses includes all forces hostile to Islam, yet the actual description was limited to Jews and the hypocrites. Out of the larger group of antagonists there were the pagans who were much more in numbers. The verses that follow take up their beliefs and point out to the punishment they will face. This has a coherence of its own at this place. It will be recalled that the thief mentioned earlier became an apostate. The lasting punishment he thus earned for himself becomes evident. (Bayan a1-Qur'an) Commentary The first verse (116) إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ‌ أَن يُشْرَ‌كَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ‌ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۚ (Surely, Allah does not forgive the ascribing of a partner to Him and forgives anything short of that for whomsoever He wills ...) has appeared earlier (48) in Surah al-Nis-a' in the same words except for the words at their ends. In verse 48 appearing earlier, the words at the end are: وَمَن يُشْرِ‌كْ بِاللَّـهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَ‌ىٰ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا whoever ascribes a partner to Allah has designed a great sin) while the words at the end of verse 116 before us are: وَمَن يُشْرِ‌كْ بِاللَّـهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا (And whoever ascribes a partner to Allah has indeed gone far astray). As explained by master exegetes, the reason for this difference is that the addressees of the earlier verse (48) were the Jewish people of the Book who knew all about the truth of Tauhid (Allah's oneness), the falsity of Shirk (ascribing of a partner to Allah) and the veracity of the mission of the noble Prophet ﷺ through the Torah. Despite that, they got involved in Shirk. Thus, through their own conduct, they pretended that it was the very teaching of the Torah which is total forgery and false accusation. That is why it was said: فَقَدِ افْتَرَ‌ىٰ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا (... has designed a great sin) at the end of verse 48. As for the verse before us (116), the addressees were the pagans of Makkah who did not have the background of any Book or Prophet before that time, but the rational arguments in support of the Oneness of Allah were all too clear. Taking stones crafted with their own hands as their objects of worship was something ineffectual, false and erroneous even in the sight of someone with ordinary common-sense. Therefore, here it was said: فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا (... has indeed gone far astray). The eternal Punishment of Shirk and Kufr: Some people express doubt at this point. They think that punishment should be proportionate to the deed. The crime of disbelieving and of ascribing partners to Allah committed by the Kafir and the Mushrik was committed within the limited time frame of a given life. Why would its punishment be limitless and permanent? The answer is that the doer of Kufr and Shirk simply does not regard what he does as crime. This is, on the contrary, taken as something good and proper, worth one's while. Therefore, his line of action is accompanied by his firm intention that he will always be like that. Now, if such a Kafir or Mushrik adheres to this position right through the last breath, he has committed a permanent crime to the extent of his choice and volition, therefore, the punishment for it has to be permanent. Zulm: There are three kinds of Zulm (injustice): 1. That which Allah will never forgive. 2. That which could be forgiven. 3. That which meets retribution from Allah. The first kind of injustice is Shirk, the ascribing of a partner to Allah; the second kind of injustice is falling short in fulfilling the rights of Allah, known as Huququllah; and the third kind of injustice is the contravention of the rights of Allah's created beings against each other, known as Huququl-‘Ibad. (Ibn Kathir vide Musnad Bazar) What is the reality of Shirk? To consider any created being other than Allah equal to Allah in worship, or in love and reverence, is what Shirk really is. The Holy Qur'an has reported the words of the disbelievers they shall utter on arrival into the Jahannam: اللَّـهِ إِن كُنَّا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿97﴾ إِذْ نُسَوِّيكُم بِرَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿98﴾ By Allah, we were in obvious error when we had equated you with Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. (26:97, 98) It is evident that even the polytheists did not believe that the idols of their making were the Creator and the Master of the universe. It was, rather, under other erroneous assumptions that they had taken to regarding their idols equal to Allah in worship or in love and reverence. This was the Shirk which caused their being in Jahannam (Fath al-Mulhim). In short, taking any created being as equal to Allah in His particular attributes - such as, the Creator, the Provider, the Absolute Master, the Knower of the Seen and the Unseen - is Shirk

(But as for those who believe) in Muhammad and the Qur'an (and do good works) i.e. acts of obedience, in relation to that which binds them to their Lord (We shall bring them into Gardens underneath which) beneath its rooms and habitations (rivers) of wine, water, milk and honey (flow, wherein they will abide) they will abide in Paradise, never to die or be removed (for ever. It is a promise from Allah) regarding Paradise and hell (in truth) which shall truly happen; (and who can be more truthful than Allah in utterance) in promise?