seven interpretations:

“He decreed felicity and wretchedness, and directed people to right guidance and error.” This was Mujāhid’s view.

It was also said: “He provided every creature with what benefits it and guided it to that.” This was ʿAtāʾ’s view.

It was also said: “He determined the duration of the fetus’s stay in the womb, then guided it to emerge.” This was al-Suddī’s view.

It was also said: “He determined them to be male and female, and guided males to mate with females.” This was Muqātil’s view.

It was also said: “He determined, then guided and led astray.” The words “and led astray” were omitted because the wording indicates them. Al-Zajjāj reported this interpretation.

It was also said: “He determined provisions and guided creatures to seek them.” Another interpretation was: “He decreed sins, then guided people to repentance.” Al-Thaʿlabī reported both interpretations.

I say:

The interpretation reported by al-Zajjāj is al-Farrāʾ’s view. It is of the same kind as the explanation, “whether it benefits or does not benefit,” and the explanation, “garments that protect you against heat and cold.” The weakness of such interpretations has already been discussed. This is why none of the commentators expressed this view.

The sound interpretations are illustrative examples, as Ibn ʿAtiyyah said. Much of the early generations’ Quranic commentary is of this kind: they mention an example of a general category to draw attention to other instances, because the listener needs to know that example, or because it is the example familiar to him. They mention such examples in many passages, including His words:

“You will be called upon to face a people of great military might,”

and His words:

“And others from among them,”

and His words:

“Allah will bring forth a people whom He loves and who love Him,”

and His words:

“Among them are those who wrong themselves, those who take a middle course, and those who are foremost in good deeds.”