(26–28) “Allah wills to make things clear to you, guide you to the ways of those before you, and turn to you in mercy. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

Allah Most High speaks of His magnificent favor, His immense gift, His gracious care for His believing servants, and the ease of His religion. He says, “Allah wills to make things clear to you”—that is, everything you need to have explained concerning truth and falsehood, and what is lawful and unlawful—“and guide you to the ways of those before you”; that is, those whom Allah blessed from among the prophets and their followers, with their praiseworthy conduct, upright deeds, perfect character, and complete divine enablement. Thus, He brought about what He willed, making matters fully clear to you as He did for those before you, and granting you immense guidance in both knowledge and practice.

“And turn to you in mercy”—that is, He deals gently with you in your circumstances and in what He has prescribed for you, so that you are able (1) to abide by the limits set by Allah and content yourselves with what He has made lawful. Your sins are thereby reduced because of the ease Allah has granted you. This is one way in which He turns to His servants in mercy.

Another way in which He turns to them in mercy is that, when they sin, He opens the gates of mercy to them and inspires their hearts to turn penitently to Him and humble themselves before Him. He then turns to them in mercy by accepting from them what He enabled them to do. All praise and thanks are therefore due to Him.

His words, “Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise,” mean that He is perfect in knowledge and wisdom. One aspect of His knowledge is that He taught you what you did not know, including these matters and prescribed limits. One aspect of His wisdom is that He turns in mercy to those whom His wisdom and mercy dictate should receive it, while He forsakes those whom His wisdom and justice deem unfit for repentance.