سورة آل عمران

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): My ummah was presented to me and I was made to know who among them would believe and who would disbelieve. The hypocrites said: "He claims to know who believes in him and who disbelieves, while we are with him and he does not know us." Then this verse was revealed.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): How many are drawn on step by step through the favours shown to them, and how many are deceived by the covering placed over their deeds, and how many are enthralled by the good that people say of them! Allah has not tested any servant with anything like the respite granted him. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has said: إِنَّما نُمْلِی لَهُمْ لِیَزْدادُوا إِثْماً [We grant them respite only that they may add to their sins].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim narrates from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): I said to Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): "Tell me: is death better for the disbeliever, or life?" He replied: "Death is good for both the believer and the disbeliever." I said: "Why?" He said: "Because Allah says: وَ ما عِنْدَ اللهِ خَیْرٌ لِلْأَبْرارِ [And that which is with Allah is better for the righteous]. (Aal Imran/198) And He says: وَلاَ یَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُواْ أَنَّمَا نُمْلِی لَهُمْ خَیْرٌ لِّأَنفُسِهِمْ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِی لَهُمْ لِیَزْدَادُواْ إِثْمًا وَلَهْمُ عذَابٌ مُّهِینٌ [And let not those who disbelieve think that Our granting them respite is better for their souls; We grant them respite only that they may add to their sins; and they shall have a disgraceful chastisement]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): When Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) was martyred, a person came into the camp of that group and cried out. When he was prevented from crying out, he said to them: "How can I not cry out when the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his family) is standing and at times looking at the earth and at times looking at your fighting? I fear that the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) may invoke a curse upon the people of the earth and they will be destroyed." Some of that group said to others: "This person is a madman." The group of the Tawwabin used to say: "By Allah, we did not do a good deed with ourselves. For we martyred the master of the youths of the people of Paradise for the sake of the son of Sumayyah (that is, Ibn Ziyad)." So they revolted against Ibn Ziyad and their affair became what it became. I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "May I be your ransom, who was that person who cried out?" He said: "We see him as none other than Jibra'il (peace be upon him). Is it not so that if he had been permitted, he would have let out a cry upon them by which their souls would have been snatched from their bodies and entered the Fire? But they were given respite for this reason: لِیَزْدادُوا إِثْماً وَ لَهُمْ عَذابٌ أَلِیمٌ [that they may add to their sins; and for them is a painful chastisement]."

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Narration of Shaykh Mufid: Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) said: A group from the army of Ibn Sa'd were watching us and passing back and forth by us, and Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) was reciting this verse: وَ لا یَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا أَنَّما نُمْلِی لَهُمْ خَیْرٌ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ إِنَّما نُمْلِی لَهُمْ لِیَزْدادُوا إِثْماً وَ لَهُمْ عَذابٌ مُهِینٌ ما کانَ اللهُ لِیَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ عَلی ما أَنْتُمْ عَلَیْهِ حَتَّی یَمِیزَ الْخَبِیثَ مِنَ الطَّیِّبِ [And let not those who disbelieve think that Our granting them respite is better for their souls; We grant them respite only that they may add to their sins; and they shall have a disgraceful chastisement. On no account will Allah leave the believers in the condition which you are in until He separates the evil from the good].