Al-Kalbi and Muqatil said: It was revealed concerning al-Aswad ibn Shurayq, who struck the Prophet, yet Allah did not punish him. So Allah revealed this verse: (1) that is, “What deceived you concerning your Generous Lord, who has pardoned you by not immediately punishing you for your disbelief?”

Qatadah said: “His enemy, who has been given power over him—meaning Satan—deceived him.” Muqatil said: “Allah’s pardon deceived him, since He did not punish him at the first instance.” (2) Al-Suddi said: “Allah’s gentleness toward him deceived him.”

Ibn Mas‘ud said: “There is none among you except that Allah will be alone with him on the Day of Resurrection. He will say: ‘O son of Adam, what deceived you concerning Me? O son of Adam, what did you do with what you knew? (3) O son of Adam, how did you answer the messengers?’”

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad was asked: “If Allah were to bring you before Him on the Day of Resurrection and say, ‘What deceived you concerning your Generous Lord?’ what would you say?” He replied: “I would say: ‘Your veils, which You had drawn over me, deceived me.’” (4)

Yahya ibn Mu‘adh said: “If He were to bring me before Him and say, ‘What deceived you concerning Me?’ I would say: (5) ‘Your goodness toward me, past and present, deceived me.’”

Abu Bakr al-Warraq said: “If He were to say to me, ‘What deceived you concerning your Generous Lord?’ I would say: ‘The generosity of the Generous One deceived me.’”

Some of those versed in spiritual allusion said: He mentioned “your Generous Lord,” rather than His other names and attributes, as though He were prompting him with the answer, so that he might say: “The generosity of the Generous One deceived me.”

“Who created you, then proportioned you, then fashioned you in due balance, in whatever form He willed, He assembled you.”

“Who created you, then proportioned you, then fashioned you in due balance”: The scholars of Kufah and Abu Ja‘far recited “fa‘adalaka” with lightening—that is, He turned and inclined you into whatever form He willed: beautiful or ugly, tall or short. The others recited it with a doubled consonant, meaning: He made you upright and fashioned your body and limbs in due proportion.

“In whatever form He willed, He assembled you”: Mujahid, al-Kalbi, and Muqatil said: “In whatever resemblance to a father, mother, maternal uncle, or paternal uncle.”

It is reported in the hadith that when the drop of semen settles in the womb, every vein between it and Adam is brought forth; then he recited: “In whatever form He willed, He assembled you.” (6)