أَفَمَن كانَ عَلىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِن رَبِّهِ كَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَاتَّبَعوا أَهواءَهُم

Is he who stands on clear proof from his Lord, like those whose evil deeds are made attractive to them, and they follow their desires?

مَثَلُ الجَنَّةِ الَّتي وُعِدَ المُتَّقونَ ۖ فيها أَنهارٌ مِن ماءٍ غَيرِ آسِنٍ وَأَنهارٌ مِن لَبَنٍ لَم يَتَغَيَّر طَعمُهُ وَأَنهارٌ مِن خَمرٍ لَذَّةٍ لِلشّارِبينَ وَأَنهارٌ مِن عَسَلٍ مُصَفًّى ۖ وَلَهُم فيها مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَراتِ وَمَغفِرَةٌ مِن رَبِّهِم ۖ كَمَن هُوَ خالِدٌ فِي النّارِ وَسُقوا ماءً حَميمًا فَقَطَّعَ أَمعاءَهُم

The portrayal of Paradise promised to the righteous is where rivers of water never alter, and rivers of milk that never change its taste, and rivers of wine pleasurable to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey. They will have all kinds of fruits, as well as forgiveness from their Lord. Can this be compared to one who will dwell eternally in the Fire, forced to drink scalding water that tears their intestines apart?

وَمِنهُم مَن يَستَمِعُ إِلَيكَ حَتّىٰ إِذا خَرَجوا مِن عِندِكَ قالوا لِلَّذينَ أوتُوا العِلمَ ماذا قالَ آنِفًا ۚ أُولـٰئِكَ الَّذينَ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلىٰ قُلوبِهِم وَاتَّبَعوا أَهواءَهُم

Some of them listen to you. But when they leave your presence, they ask those endowed with knowledge, “What did he just say?” These are the ones God has set a seal on their hearts, and they follow their own desires.

وَالَّذينَ اهتَدَوا زادَهُم هُدًى وَآتاهُم تَقواهُم

As for those who are guided, He increases their guidance and grants them their righteousness.

فَهَل يَنظُرونَ إِلَّا السّاعَةَ أَن تَأتِيَهُم بَغتَةً ۖ فَقَد جاءَ أَشراطُها ۚ فَأَنّىٰ لَهُم إِذا جاءَتهُم ذِكراهُم

Are they waiting for the Hour to come upon them suddenly? Its signs have already appeared. Once it is upon them, what good will their reminder be?

وَيَقولُ الَّذينَ آمَنوا لَولا نُزِّلَت سورَةٌ ۖ فَإِذا أُنزِلَت سورَةٌ مُحكَمَةٌ وَذُكِرَ فيهَا القِتالُ ۙ رَأَيتَ الَّذينَ في قُلوبِهِم مَرَضٌ يَنظُرونَ إِلَيكَ نَظَرَ المَغشِيِّ عَلَيهِ مِنَ المَوتِ ۖ فَأَولىٰ لَهُم

Those who believe say, “If only a chapter were revealed.” Yet, when a decisive chapter is revealed, and fighting is mentioned in it, you see those with a sickness in their hearts staring at you, as though they are on the verge of death. It would’ve been better for them.

طاعَةٌ وَقَولٌ مَعروفٌ ۚ فَإِذا عَزَمَ الأَمرُ فَلَو صَدَقُوا اللَّهَ لَكانَ خَيرًا لَهُم

Obedience and truthful speech. Once the matter has been finalized—if they were sincere to God, it would’ve been better for them.

فَهَل عَسَيتُم إِن تَوَلَّيتُم أَن تُفسِدوا فِي الأَرضِ وَتُقَطِّعوا أَرحامَكُم

However, if you turn away, you risk causing corruption on earth and severing your familial ties.

أُولـٰئِكَ الَّذينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُم وَأَعمىٰ أَبصارَهُم

These are the ones God has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their sight.

أَفَلا يَتَدَبَّرونَ القُرآنَ أَم عَلىٰ قُلوبٍ أَقفالُها

Don’t they ponder over the Quran? Or are there locks upon the hearts?