Translation of an ayah from Surati Aali 'Imran - 7

Please translate the following from Surati Aali 'Imraan searching any new verbs/nouns that have not yet been encountered. Please provide any additional explanation where you see necessary.


كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ


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كَيْفَ how
يَهْدِي he is guiding
اللَّهُ Allah (subject as in marfu case hence Allah is guiding)
قَوْمًا people, as in a group of people?
كَفَرُوا they disbelieved m3+
بَعْدَ after
إِيمَانِهِمْ their faith m3+ (in majrur as comes after a prep)

Not sure about the first part but here it is:

How can they expect to be guided by Allah, the people who disbelieve after having possessed faith.

A little thought of mine with the words Allah uses(if translation is correct:

كَفَرُوا is a verb

yet

إِيمَانِهِمْ is a possessive construction

if my translation is correct Allah says 'after they possessed faith'(possessive structure) and did not say 'after they believed'(past tense verb) even though he used a verb to say they disbelieved.


A verb in its simple term is a doing word/doing something. if your doing something more often than not its easy to do its opposite e.g is you sitting its easy to stand, run/walk believe/ disbelieve.

however if you posses something (specially something valuable) and you lose it or no longer in possession of it, its more often than not really hard or impossible to gain it back.

Just a thought.

السلام عليكم

Yes I agree 100%, having possessed knowledge/faith/belief and then committing wrongdoing under no compulsion, is seen as an act of malice. It is the understanding and intention which is crucial. For example, if one sins but is ignorant of the fact that it was wrong, he cannot be held accountable for that action and nor will Allah hold him to account. Yet if for example, one was to fully acknowledge the premise of One God and then strayed into polytheism, is this act worthy of forgiveness? Yet, Allah is still الرّحمان...

إِيمَانِهِمْ seems to be emphatic in this case.

I also agree with your translation, and then after thinking about the possessive construction, the verse seemed to give new meaning...

e.g. كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ
Translation: 'How Allah (still) guides people (who) sinned after (possession of) their faith.'

This verse then could be highlighting the Mercy of Allah, even after one has knowingly commited wrong. e.g. drinking, lying, fornication, stealing, etc. And has repented therefter...

However, I believe your translation is stronger, as gaining forgiveness in this case is far more difficult.

مع السلامة