— (23:105).

The verses of Allah had indeed been recited to them, made clear for them, and the messengers came to them with the truth; yet they disbelieved—Allah forbid—and branded those signs as lies.

When they answer they will say, “Our Lord, our wretchedness overcame us and we were an erring people. Our Lord, bring us out of it; and if we revert”—meaning: if we return to denial—“then we will surely be wrongdoers” (23:106-107). Thus, Allah protect us, they will confess that misery dominated them and that they strayed with a manifest deviation that led them to this Fire. We ask Allah to grant refuge to us and to you from it.

Allah, Exalted is He, will say, “Remain therein, despised, and do not speak to Me” (23:108)—that is, stay in it abased and humiliated, and do not address Me. Nothing will be harsher for them—Allah protect us—than this rebuke, for He will declare, “Remain therein, despised, and do not speak to Me.” Even were they to call upon Allah, He would not respond, for He has decreed that they will dwell in the Fire forever.

He then describes their conduct toward His allies: “Indeed, there was a group of My servants who used to say, ‘Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the best of those who show mercy’” (23:109). These are the believers in Allah and His messengers. They say, “Our Lord, we have believed,” meaning: we have believed in You, in Your messengers, and in the truth they brought. “So forgive us and have mercy on us”—forgive our sins so that we do not enter the Fire, and show us mercy through acceptance so that we may enter Paradise.

“And You are the best of those who show mercy,” for none is more merciful to Allah’s servants than their Lord. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child.”