(32–35) “Who could be more unjust than one who lies about Allah and rejects the truth when it comes to him? Is there not in Hell a dwelling place for the unbelievers? * But the one who brings the truth and believes in it—it is they who are mindful of Allah. * With their Lord, they will have whatever they desire. That is the reward of those who excel in good, * so that Allah may forgive them for the worst of what they did and reward them according to the best of what they used to do.”
The Exalted says, warning and informing us, that no one is more unjust or more grievous in wrongdoing “than one who lies about Allah”—whether by ascribing to Him what does not befit His majesty, claiming prophethood, or falsely claiming that Allah the Exalted said, declared, or ruled something. This falls under the words of the Exalted, “and that you say about Allah what you do not know,” if he acts out of ignorance; otherwise, it is even more heinous.
“And rejects the truth when it comes to him” (1)—that is, who could be more unjust than one to whom the truth, supported by clear proofs, comes and yet he rejects it? His rejection is a grave injustice because he has rejected the truth after it became clear to him. If he combines lying about Allah with rejecting the truth, he has compounded injustice upon injustice.
“Is there not in Hell a dwelling place for the unbelievers?” There, retribution against them will bring satisfaction, and Allah’s right will be exacted from every wrongdoer and unbeliever. “Indeed, polytheism is a grave injustice.”
After mentioning the lying rejecter, his offense, and his punishment, He mentions the truthful person who accepts the truth and his reward, saying: “But the one who brings the truth” in word and deed. This includes the prophets and those who stand in their stead: those who speak truthfully when conveying Allah’s reports and rulings and whose deeds embody the qualities of truthfulness.
“And believes in it”—that is, in the truth. A person may bring the truth yet fail to believe in it because of his arrogance or his contempt for the one who spoke and brought it. To be deserving of praise, one must therefore both speak the truth and affirm it. His truthfulness demonstrates his knowledge and justice, while his affirmation of the truth demonstrates his humility and freedom from arrogance.
“It is they”—those who have been enabled to combine these two qualities—“who are mindful of Allah,” for all the qualities of piety ultimately rest upon speaking the truth and affirming it.
“With their Lord, they will have whatever they desire” as a reward—what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever imagined. Whatever pleasures and delights they will and desire will be theirs, ready and prepared. “That is the reward of those who excel in good”: those who worship Allah as though they see Him, for although they do not see Him, He sees them, and those who show kindness to Allah’s servants.
“So that Allah may forgive them for the worst of what they did and reward them according to the best of what they used to do.” A person’s deeds fall into three categories: the worst, the best, or that which is neither the worst nor the best.