Tafseer of The Prostration · As-Sajda · 32:18
Then is one who was a believer like one who was defiantly disobedient? They are not equal.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The statement concerning the explanation of the words of the Exalted: أَفَمَنْ كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا كَمَنْ كَانَ فَاسِقًا لا يَسْتَوُونَ ("Is then he who is a believer like him who is corrupt? They are not equal") (18).
The Exalted, Whose mention is lofty, says: Is then this unbeliever (kāfir), who denies the promise and the threat of Allah, who opposes the command and the prohibition of Allah, like this believer in Allah, who holds Allah's promise and Allah's threat to be true, who obeys Him in His command and His prohibition? By no means; they are not equal in the sight of Allah. He says: the unbelievers in Allah and the believers in Him are not equal in His sight in what He will do with them on the Day of Resurrection. And He said: لا يَسْتَوُونَ ("they are not equal") in the plural, although before that He had mentioned only two: a believer and a corrupt one (fāsiq); because by "the believer" He did not intend a single believer, nor by "the corrupt one" a single corrupt one, but He intended thereby all the corrupt ones (fussāq) and all the believers in Allah. And when the two are not specifically intended, then the Arabs proceed with them in the direction of the plural.
And it was mentioned that this verse was revealed concerning ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib — may the good pleasure of Allah be upon him — and al-Walīd ibn ʿUqba.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama ibn al-Faḍl related to us, saying: Ibn Isḥāq related to me, on the authority of one of his companions, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn Yasār, who said: it was revealed in Medina, concerning ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib and al-Walīd ibn ʿUqba ibn Abī Muʿayṭ. There was between al-Walīd and ʿAlī an exchange of words, and al-Walīd ibn ʿUqba said: "I am more eloquent of tongue than you, and sharper of spear-point than you, and more steadfast than you before the battle line." Thereupon ʿAlī said: "Be silent, for you are a corrupt one (fāsiq)." Then Allah revealed concerning the two of them: أَفَمَنْ كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا كَمَنْ كَانَ فَاسِقًا لا يَسْتَوُونَ ("Is then he who is a believer like him who is corrupt? They are not equal"), up to His statement: بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ ("which you used to deny").
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his statement: أَفَمَنْ كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا كَمَنْ كَانَ فَاسِقًا لا يَسْتَوُونَ ("Is then he who is a believer like him who is corrupt? They are not equal"), he said: no, by Allah, they were not equal in the worldly life, nor at death, nor in the Hereafter.
