[And I will surely mislead them], meaning: I will surely lead them astray. [And I will surely arouse in them (sinful) desires], meaning: by suggesting to them that there is no punishment upon them. [And I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle]; this refers to the 'bahira' (a she-camel dedicated to idols); they used to cut the tips of their ears and declare them forbidden. [And I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah]. Ibn Abbas said: It is castration.
Al-Hasan said: It is what women tattoo on their hands and faces; the women of the Age of Ignorance used to do that.
﴿ولأضلنهم﴾ لأغوينهم ﴿ولأمنينهم﴾ أَي: بِأَنَّهُم لَا عَذَاب عَلَيْهِم ﴿ولآمرنهم فليبتكن آذان الْأَنْعَام﴾ هِيَ: الْبحيرَة؛ كَانُوا يقطعون أَطْرَاف آذانها ويحرمونها. ﴿وَلآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ الله﴾ قَالَ ابْن عَبَّاس: هُوَ الخصاء.
وَقَالَ الحَسَن: هُوَ مَا تَشِمُ النِّسَاء فِي أيديها ووجوهها؛ كَانَ نسَاء أهل الْجَاهِلِيَّة يفعلن ذَلِكَ.
