That is, those who deliberately commit a sin. Allah Most High says:
﴿Our Lord, do not hold us accountable if we forget or make a mistake.﴾ [al-Baqara: 286]
Allah said, “I have done so.” (1) A similar distinction exists between qāsit (an unjust person) and muqsit (a just person): the qāsit is unjust, whereas the muqsit is just. Allah Most High says:
﴿And act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.﴾ [al-Hujurāt: 9]
And He says:
﴿As for the unjust, they will be fuel for Hell.﴾ [al-Jinn: 15]
Thus, ﴿sinful﴾ means deliberately committing sin. Regarding His words, ﴿Then let him summon his council,﴾ the letter lām here conveys a challenge. That is, if he is truthful and possesses strength and power, let him summon his council. A council is a gathering place where people meet to converse, communicate, reach an understanding, and enjoy one another’s company. Abu Jahl was highly esteemed among Quraysh and had a council where people gathered around him and discussed their affairs. Here Allah, Glorious and Exalted, says: if he is truthful, let him summon his council. This is undoubtedly a challenge, just as one might say to an enemy, “If you have supporters, then come forward,” or use similar words expressing a challenge.
﴿We shall summon the wardens.﴾ That is, We have those who are mightier than this man’s council: the wardens, who are the angels of the Fire. Allah has described the angels of the Fire as stern and severe—stern in temperament and mighty in strength:
﴿They do not disobey Allah in whatever He commands them.﴾ [al-Tahrīm: 6]
Rather, they comply with everything Allah commands them, and ﴿they do whatever they are commanded﴾; they are not incapable of doing so. He therefore described them with two qualities: they are perfectly obedient to Allah, Glorious and Exalted—﴿They do not disobey Allah in whatever He commands them﴾—and they possess perfect ability—﴿They do whatever they are commanded.﴾ Failure to carry out Allah’s command may result either from inability or from disobedience. For example, a person who does not perform an obligatory prayer standing may fail to do so because he is unable, or because he is defiant. In either case, he does not carry out Allah’s command. The angels appointed over the Fire, however, suffer no incapacity; rather, they possess strength and ability. Nor are they too proud to obey the command; rather, they possess the utmost