“None shall enter it except the most wretched: the one who denied and turned away. But the most God-fearing shall be kept far from it.” (15–17)

“And what will the wealth he was miserly with avail him when he falls?” Mujahid said: “When he dies.” Qatadah and Abu Salih said: “When he plunges into Hell.”

“Indeed, upon Us rests guidance,” meaning clarification. Al-Zajjaj said: “It is upon Us to distinguish the path of guidance from the path of misguidance.” This is also the view of Qatadah, who said: “It is for Allah to make clear what He has made lawful and what He has made unlawful.”

Al-Farra’ said: It means that whoever follows guidance, his path is upon Allah, as in His saying, Exalted is He: “And upon Allah is the direction of the way” (al-Nahl 16:9)—that is, whoever seeks Allah is upon the direct path.

It was also said that its meaning is: Indeed, guidance and leading astray belong to Us, as in His saying: “In Your hand is all good” (Al ‘Imran 3:26). [He mentions guidance alone because the context indicates its opposite, just as in His saying: “Garments that protect you from the heat” (al-Nahl 16:81): He mentions heat alone and does not mention cold, because it is understood from it.] (2)

“Indeed, to Us belong the Hereafter and the first life”: whoever seeks them from other than their Owner has gone astray from the path.

“So I warn you,” O people of Mecca, “of a blazing Fire, which none shall enter except the most wretched”—that is, a Fire that burns and flares intensely—“the one who denied” the Messenger “and turned away” from faith. “But the most God-fearing shall be kept far from it.” By “the most wretched,” He means the wretched person; and by “the most God-fearing,” the pious person.