“Either punish them”—that is, either kill them if they do not enter Islam—“or treat them with kindness,” meaning: pardon and overlook them. It was also said: take them captive and teach them right guidance. Allah gave him the choice between the two courses.

“He said, ‘As for one who does wrong, we shall punish him; then he will be returned to his Lord, who will punish him with a dreadful punishment.’ (87) But as for one who believes and does righteous deeds, he will have the finest reward, and we shall speak to him gently in our command.’ (88) Then he followed a means, (89) until, when he reached the place where the sun rises, he found it rising upon a people for whom We had provided no shelter from it.” (90)

“He said, ‘As for one who does wrong,’” that is, disbelieves, “‘we shall punish him,’” that is, kill him. “‘Then he will be returned to his Lord’” in the Hereafter, “‘who will punish him with a dreadful punishment,’” meaning, an abhorrent punishment: the Fire. The Fire is more dreadful than killing.

“But as for one who believes and does righteous deeds, he will have the finest reward.” Hamzah, al-Kisa’i, Hafs, and Ya‘qub recited “recompense” in the accusative and with tanwin, meaning: for him is the finest reward as recompense. It is in the accusative as a verbal noun [and it is a verbal noun used in the sense of a circumstantial qualifier; that is, for him is the finest reward, bestowed upon him as recompense]. (3)

The others recited it in the nominative as a possessive construction: “the recompense of the finest reward.” Thus, the finest reward is Paradise. The recompense is annexed to it, just as He says, “And the abode of the Hereafter is better” (Joseph 12:109), while the abode is the Hereafter itself.

It was also said that, according to this reading, “the finest reward” refers to righteous deeds; that is, he will have the recompense for righteous deeds.

“And we shall speak to him gently in our command,” meaning: We shall speak gently to him and deal with him leniently in our command. Mujahid said: “Gently” means: with what is fitting and good.

“Then he followed a means,” meaning: he travelled along roads and stopping-places. 222/b “Until, when he reached the place where the sun rises,” that is, the place of its rising, “he found it rising upon a people for whom We had provided no shelter from it.” Qatadah and al-Hasan said: There was no shelter between them and the sun, because they lived in a place upon which no building could stand. They would remain in underground shelters of their own, then, when the sun had passed from them, they would emerge for their livelihoods and their cultivation.