His saying: "How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief" up to His saying: "all together." Then He made an exception, saying: "Except for those who repent after that and correct themselves. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

Abu Muhammad said: It was narrated from Makhul similar to this, except that he said: "Then Allah overtook them with His mercy, and said: 'Except for those who repent...'."

His saying, the Exalted: "And correct themselves"

3797 - Muhammad b. 'Ubayd Allah b. al-Munadi reported to me in what he wrote to me, Yunus b. Muhammad al-Mu'addib narrated to us, Shayban al-Nahwi narrated to us, from Qatadah regarding "and correct themselves," he said: They corrected what was between them and Allah and His Messenger.

His saying, the Exalted: "Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful"

3798 - I read to Muhammad b. al-Fadl b. Musa, Muhammad b. 'Ali b. al-Hasan b. Shaqiq narrated to us, Muhammad b. Muzahim narrated to us, from Bukayr b. Ma'ruf, from Muqatil b. Hayyan regarding His saying: "Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful," [meaning] He forgives them for what was in their state of polytheism if they accept Islam.

His saying, the Exalted: "Indeed, those who disbelieved after their belief then increased in disbelief"

[The first interpretation]

3799 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us, Abu Khalid narrated to us, Dawud narrated to us, from Abu al-'Aliyah regarding His saying: "then increased in disbelief," he said: They are the Jews and the Christians; they sinned in their polytheism, then if they repented, it would not be accepted from them, though if they repented from polytheism, it would be accepted from them.

[The second interpretation]

3800 - Ahmad b. 'Uthman b. Hakim al-Awdi narrated to us, Ahmad b. Mufaddal narrated to us, Asbat narrated to us, from al-Suddi regarding "Indeed, those who disbelieved after their belief then increased in disbelief," as for "increased in disbelief," it is that they died while they were disbelievers. Abu Muhammad said: It was narrated from Mujahid similar to this.

[The third interpretation]

3801 - Musa b. Harun reported to me in what he wrote to me, al-Husayn b. Muhammad al-Marwudhi narrated to us, Shayban narrated to us, from Qatadah regarding: "Indeed, those who disbelieved after their belief then increased in disbelief," he said: They are the Jews; they disbelieved in the Gospel, then increased in disbelief when Allah sent Muhammad, and they denied him and called him a liar.

3802 - My father narrated to me, 'Abd al-'Aziz b. al-Mughirah narrated to us, Yazid b. Zuray' informed us, Sa'id narrated to us, from Qatadah regarding His saying: "then increased in disbelief"—[by disbelieving] in the Furqan (the Criterion/Quran) and Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).