إِنّي إِذًا لَفي ضَلالٍ مُبينٍ

Indeed, then I would be in manifest error.

EXEGESIS

Ḍalāl (error) means deviation, losing and missing the right way, away from the right course or direction; thus, deviation from seeking the object sought. Ḍalāl can occur in beliefs and opinions, or in actions and traits. As for the former, Whoever disbelieves in Allah and His angels, His books and His apostles and the Last Day, has certainly strayed into far error (4:136). As for the latter, whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle has certainly strayed into manifest error (33:36).

Mubīn (manifest) is from the root bāna, which implies separation and distinction. The verb literally means separated, severed, distinguished, cut off, distinct, and manifest, such as being separate from others; thus, apparent, manifest, evident, clear, plain, or perspicuous. It is used when the truth is apparent and manifest, such as, There is no compulsion in religion: rectitude has become distinct (tabayyana) from error (2:256).^{‎[1]Lane, p. 286.}

EXPOSITION

In this verse, Ḥabīb, the believer, establishes a connection between taking the idols as gods and being in manifest error.^{‎[2]Mizan, 17/78.} It is a manifest error and an apparent deviation from the truth and reality to worship worthless idols who were never bestowers of any favours upon anyone; thus, how can they be compared with the Initiator of the incomparable blessings and bounties?!^{‎[3]Tabrisi, 8/267.}

For him, it was manifestly obvious that those idols were useless and harmless, and thus they were unworthy of being worshipped. They neither created him, guided him, would resurrect the people for accounting, nor have the capacity to defend him or even intercede for him. Thus, if he depended on them, he would be in manifest deviation from the path of rationality.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Imam Ali (a) said: ‘Whoever seeks the guidance of God, He would guide him, and whoever seeks the guidance other than the guidance of God, he would go astray.’^{‎[4]Muhammad Rayshahri, Mīzān al-Ḥikmah, 2/1709.}
2. Imam Ali (a) said: ‘Whoever seeks guidance, not from the people of guidance, would go astray.’^{‎[5]Muhammad Rayshahri, Mīzān al-Ḥikmah, 2/1710.}
3. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘Whoever remembers God, the exalted, in the true sense, he is obedient; and whoever is heedless of Him, he is disobedient. Obedience is a sign of guidance, and disobedience is a sign of being astray.’^{‎[6]Miṣbāḥ al-Sharīʿah, p. 55.}
4. In several letters, Imam Ali (a) addressed Muʿāwiyah in Syria as someone who has led the people astray: ‘You have been treading in the path of your forefathers in making wrong claims, spreading false and untrue notions, claiming for yourself what is far above you, and demanding what is not meant for you, running away from the truth … thus, after forsaking the truth nothing remains except manifest error, and after disregarding a [clear] statement there is nothing except confusion.’^{‎[7]Nahj, letter 65.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

It seems that in this verse and the previous verse, the believer Ḥabīb forms a general conditional rule for someone to be in manifest error or deviation. Looking at it from an ethical aspect, since he was not a messenger or someone qualified to give a judgement – such as a religious authority – he was cautious in his statement. He did not judge them directly for being in manifest error, nor himself for being in such. All he did was to present a conditional statement upon himself, respecting others and not targeting them directly, giving them the opportunity to think and implement this conditional rule upon themselves.

[1] Lane, p. 286.
[2] Mizan, 17/78.
[3] Tabrisi, 8/267.
[4] Muhammad Rayshahri, Mīzān al-Ḥikmah, 2/1709.
[5] Muhammad Rayshahri, Mīzān al-Ḥikmah, 2/1710.
[6] Miṣbāḥ al-Sharīʿah, p. 55.
[7] Nahj, letter 65.