سورة النساء

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): This verse was revealed concerning people who verbally believed in Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and confessed to it, but [in their hearts] did not affirm it. Then, when they wrote a pact among themselves that they would never let the matter of wilayah reach the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), they disbelieved. But when the matter of wilayah was revealed and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) took from them the covenant of accepting the wilayah of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), they believed with their tongues and confessed to it, but [in their hearts] did not affirm it. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) passed away, they disbelieved and [made their disbelief manifest and] increased in their disbelief; لَمْ یَکُنِ اللهُ لِیَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَ لا لِیَهْدِیَهُمْ طَرِیقاً إِلَّا طَرِیقَ جَهَنَّمَ [Allah will not forgive them nor guide them to any path except the path of Hell].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): This verse was revealed concerning Abdullah ibn Abi Sarh, whom Uthman sent to Egypt.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Abu Basir said: I heard him [Imam Baqir (peace be upon him)] say: إِنَّ الَّذِینَ آمَنُواْ ثُمَّ کَفَرُواْ ثُمَّ آمَنُواْ ثُمَّ کَفَرُواْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُواْ کُفْرًا لَّمْ یَکُنِ اللّهُ لِیَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَ لاَ لِیَهْدِیَهُمْ سَبِیلاً [Surely (as for) those who believe then disbelieve, again believe and again disbelieve, then increase in disbelief, Allah will not forgive them nor guide them in the (right) path] — these are people who believe that wine is forbidden yet drink wine, and who believe that fornication is forbidden yet commit fornication, and those who believe that zakat is due yet do not pay it.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrates from his fathers: Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) would ask an apostate three consecutive times to repent, but if on the fourth time he still did not repent, he would kill him. Then he recited this verse: إِنَّ الَّذِینَ آمَنُواْ ثُمَّ کَفَرُواْ ثُمَّ آمَنُواْ ثُمَّ کَفَرُواْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُواْ کُفْرًا لَّمْ یَکُنِ اللّهُ لِیَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَ لاَ لِیَهْدِیَهُمْ سَبِیلاً [Surely (as for) those who believe then disbelieve, again believe and again disbelieve, then increase in disbelief, Allah will not forgive them nor guide them in the (right) path].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): ازْدادُوا کُفْراً [they increased in disbelief] — when not a particle of faith remained within them, their disbelief increased.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Those who deny that disbelief can be increased must realise that Allah has rejected their claim and said: إِنَّمَا النَّسِیءُ زِیادَةٌ فِی الْکُفْرِ [Postponing the sacred months is only an increase in disbelief]. (Tawbah/37) And in another place He says: وَ أَمَّا الَّذِینَ فِی قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزادَتْهُمْ رِجْساً إِلَی رِجْسِهِمْ وَ ماتُوا وَ هُمْ کافِرُونَ [But as for those in whose hearts there is a disease, it only adds uncleanness to their uncleanness, and they die while they are disbelievers]. (Tawbah/125) Those whose hearts are diseased have filth piled upon filth, and they will die in a state of disbelief. And in another place He said: إِنَّ الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ کَفَرُوا ثُمَّ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ کَفَرُوا ثُمَّ ازْدادُوا کُفْراً [Indeed those who believed, then disbelieved, then believed, then disbelieved, then increased in disbelief]. And verses like these exist in the Book of Allah.