“Joseph had already come to you before with clear proofs, but you continued to doubt what he brought you, until, when he died, you said, ‘Allah will never send another messenger after him.’ Thus Allah leaves astray whoever is transgressing and given to doubt—those who dispute concerning the signs of Allah without any authority having come to them. How greatly abhorrent this is to Allah and to those who believe! Thus Allah seals every heart that is arrogant and tyrannical.” (34–35)

“On the Day you turn and flee”: that is, turning away from the station of reckoning toward the Fire. Mujahid said: fleeing, yet unable to escape. “You will have no defender against Allah”—none to protect you from His punishment. “And whomever Allah leads astray will have no guide.”

“Joseph had already come to you before,” meaning Joseph son of Jacob—“before,” that is, before Moses—“with clear proofs,” referring to his words: “Are diverse lords better, or Allah, the One, the Irresistible?” (Yusuf 12:39) “But you continued to doubt what he brought you.” Ibn Abbas said: this refers to worshipping Allah alone, with no partner. “Until, when he died,” that is, when he passed away, “you said, ‘Allah will never send another messenger after him.’” That is, you persisted in your disbelief and supposed that Allah would not renew the proof against you. “Thus Allah leaves astray whoever is transgressing”—an idolater—“and given to doubt”—one who doubts.

“Those who dispute concerning the signs of Allah”: al-Zajjaj said: this explains the transgressing doubter; that is, they are those who dispute concerning the signs of Allah, seeking to invalidate them through denial, “without any authority”—any proof—“having come to them [from Allah].” “How greatly abhorrent this is”: that is, how greatly abhorrent such disputation is “to Allah and to those who believe. Thus Allah seals every heart that is arrogant and tyrannical.” Abu Amr and Ibn Amir recited “every heart” with nunation, while the others recited it as a possessive construction. Supporting this is the recitation of Abd Allah ibn Masud: “upon the heart of every arrogant tyrant.”