and clear proofs had come to them? Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. Their recompense is that upon them is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all mankind.”

“They will remain under it forever. Their punishment will not be lightened, nor will they be reprieved.”

“Except those who repent thereafter and mend their ways; surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

His words, “How can Allah guide,” mean that He does not guide them while they remain wrongdoing apostates. Hence He says:

“Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.”

Whoever abandons the religion of Islam is necessarily astray and does not attain guidance, whatever religion he turns to.

“The point” is that Allah neither guides nor forgives these people unless they repent. Likewise, in connection with His words:

“Whoever disbelieves in Allah after having believed, except one who is compelled”

—and whoever disbelieves in Allah after having believed, without being compelled, is an apostate—He says:

“Then, surely your Lord, towards those who emigrated after being persecuted, then strove and remained steadfast—surely your Lord, after that, is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

In Āl ʿImrān, He, glorified be He, mentions the apostates, then those among them who repent, then those whose repentance will not be accepted and those who die as disbelievers. He says:

“Indeed, those who disbelieve after having believed, then increase in disbelief—their repentance will never be accepted. It is they who have gone astray.”

“Indeed, those who disbelieve and die as disbelievers—even an earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them, were they to offer it as ransom. They will suffer a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.”

Various explanations have been offered concerning those whose repentance will not be accepted. It has been said that this is because of their hypocrisy, and it has been said