يُدخِلُ مَن يَشاءُ في رَحمَتِهِ ۚ وَالظّالِمينَ أَعَدَّ لَهُم عَذابًا أَليمًا

He admits whomever He wishes into His mercy, and as for the wrongdoers, He has prepared for them a painful punishment.

EXEGESIS

Ẓālimīn (wrongdoers) is a plural active participle from ẓulm, which means oppression of another or usurpation of a right.^{‎[1]Lisan, 12/373.} Since committing a sin is considered as oppressing oneself and/or others, ẓālimīn, also means wrongdoers. This verse states that God’s mercy excludes only those who choose to be oppressors and wrongdoers; in other words, those who chose not to be encompassed by His mercy made that choice when they became oppressors (ẓālimīn).^{‎[2]Tabrisi, 10/626.} Hence, the righteous are those who are chosen to enter into God’s mercy because they took the path that is morally opposite to that of the wrongdoers and oppressors.^{‎[3]Mizan, 20/143.}

EXPOSITION

This verse reasserts the principle discussed under verse 30, by stating that God encompasses in His mercy whomever He wills. And His will is to take into His mercy only those who choose not to be wrongdoers. It formulates the law to which all human beings are subjected in determining their fate towards happiness or misery and in moving towards perfection.^{‎[4]Amthal, 19/281.} This universal principal is not random, nor is it baseless. Instead, it is designed to take every party, the righteous and the wrongdoers, to the station and destiny that befits them.^{‎[5]Mizan, 20/143.}

In conclusion, the impact that God’s will has on the actions of the human being is apportioned such that it empowers the human being to make their own moral choices. God’s will does not influence the actions of the human being in the absolute sense, such that their actions no longer emanate from their own volition.^{‎[6]Mizan, 20/142-143.} On the other hand, the human being is not absolutely free to do as they wish outside of God’s will.^{‎[7]Mizan, 20/142-143.} Hence, it was God’s decree that all moral actions performed by human beings are dictated by their choice alone.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers.^{‎[8]Job 8:20.}

[1] Lisan, 12/373.
[2] Tabrisi, 10/626.
[3] Mizan, 20/143.
[4] Amthal, 19/281.
[5] Mizan, 20/143.
[6] Mizan, 20/142-143.
[7] Mizan, 20/142-143.
[8] Job 8:20.