"Then I will surely come to them from before them," meaning: from the direction of the Hereafter; so I will inform them that there is no resurrection after death, and no Paradise and no Hell. "And from behind them," meaning: from the direction of the worldly life; so I will make it seem alluring in their eyes and inform them that there is no reckoning for them in the Hereafter for what they have done. "And from their right," meaning: from the direction of good; so I will hold them back from it. "And from their left," meaning: from the direction of sins; so I will command them to commit them. "And You will not find most of them grateful." That was a conjecture on his part, and the matter turned out to be as he had conjectured.
﴿ثُمَّ لآتِيَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ﴾ يَعْنِي: مِنْ قِبَلِ الْآخِرَةِ؛ فَأُخْبِرُهُمْ أَنَّهُ لَا بَعْثَ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَلَا جَنَّةَ وَلَا نَارَ. ﴿وَمِنْ خَلفهم﴾ يَعْنِي: مِنْ قِبَلِ الدُّنْيَا؛ فَأُزَيِّنُهَا فِي أَعْيُنِهِمْ، وَأُخْبِرُهُمْ أَنَّهُ لَا حِسَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ، فِيمَا صَنَعُوا ﴿وَعَن أَيْمَانهم﴾ أَيْ: مِنْ قِبَلِ الْخَيْرِ؛ فَأُثَبِّطُهُمْ عَنهُ. ﴿وَعَن شمائلهم﴾ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَعَاصِي؛ فَآمُرُهُمْ بِهَا، ﴿وَلَا تَجِد أَكْثَرهم شاكرين﴾ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ ظناُّ مِنْهُ، فَكَانَ الْأَمر على مَا ظن
