His saying: "They say: 'What did Allah intend by this as an example?'"

280 - Ali ibn al-Mubarak informed us in what he wrote to me, Zayd ibn al-Mubarak narrated to us, Ibn Thawr narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj: "They say: 'What did Allah intend by this as an example?'" He said: Other than Mujahid said: That was said by the disbelievers when they heard the mention of the spider and the fly and other such things when He presented them as an example from His creation in His Book. They said: "What did Allah intend by this as an example?" meaning the mention of the spider and the fly. So He said: "Indeed, Allah is not timid to present an example."

His saying: "He misleads many by it"

281 - Ishaq ibn Sulayman narrated to us, from Abu Sinan, from 'Amr ibn Murrah, from Mus'ab ibn Sa'd, from Sa'd: "He misleads many by it," meaning the Khawarij.

282 - 'Isam ibn Rawwad narrated to us, Adam narrated to us, Abu Ja'far narrated to us, from al-Rabi', from Abu al-'Aliyah: "But as for those who disbelieve, they say: 'What did Allah intend by this as an example? He misleads many by it and guides many by it. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient (al-fasiqin)." They are the people of hypocrisy. And something similar has been narrated from al-Rabi' ibn Anas.

His saying: "And guides many by it"

283 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, 'Amr ibn Hammad narrated to us, Asbat narrated to us, from al-Suddi: "And guides many by it," meaning the believers by it.

His saying: "And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient"

284 - And through the same chain from al-Suddi regarding "And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient," he said: They are the hypocrites.

285 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, Safwan narrated to us, al-Walid narrated to us, Sa'id informed us, from Qatadah: His saying: "And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient," they disobeyed (fasaqu), so Allah led them astray due to their disobedience (fisq).

286 - Ali ibn al-Mubarak informed us in what he wrote to me, Zayd ibn al-Mubarak narrated to us, Ibn Thawr narrated to us, from Jurayj, from Mujahid, from Ibn 'Abbas: "And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient," he says: meaning the disbelievers.