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As for the form of the phrase يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَ يَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا1:
Know that the arrangement of the sentence requires that the second part of the phrase should come first,2 but since the aim is to refute the objections of questioning obstinates and repugnant deniers, starting the sentence with يُضِلُّ3 is of greater importance.
While two appropriate words for answering the question فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا اَرَادَ اللّٰهُ بِهٰذَا مَثَلًا4 are الضَلَّالَةَ وَاِلْهَدَايَةَ5, the aorist tense (fii’l al-mudhâri’) of the verbs وَيَهْد۪ي andيُضِلُّ being used here indicates that the darkness of their kufr intensifies proportionately to the gradual revelation of the Qur'an, just as the mu’min’s îmân increases proportionately to the degree of revelation of the Qur'an, نُورٌ عَلٰى نُورٍ6.
Moreover, in the verb يُضِلُّ that is based on being an answer, there is an allusion to the situations of the two groups, mu’mins and kâfirs, and an explanation of the reasons for their situations. As for 7 كَثِيرًا , the first كَثِيرًا expresses quantity and number, while the second كَثِيرًا expresses quality and value. Yes, generous and noble people are numerous due to their high worth, even if they are few in number.
The second كَثِيرًا is also an allusion to the mystery of the Qur'an's being rahmah for mankind.8 Consider this!
As for the phrase وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ اِلَّا الْفَاسِقِينَ :
Know that the Qur'an repels the waswasa, fear and hesitation and refutes the accusation that it is flawed by mentioning the first كَثِيرًا , that is, by explaining the question of who 9 ضالين are. It also explains that the source of their dhalâlah is their fisq and that the cause of it is their kasb; the fault is theirs, not the Qur'an's, and the creation of dhalâlah is a punishment for their actions.
2 (The following is the explanation of this phrase in the Abdulkadir Badilli translation:
“That is, the last part of the phrase, وَ يَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا , should have been at the beginning of the phrase.”) (Tr.)
3 (…to stray into dhalâlah…)
4 (What does Allah mean by such a similitude?)
7 (Many.)
8 (The following is the explanation of this sentence in the Abdulmajid Nursî translation:
“To consider and illustrate the fadhîlah and hidâyah of a small number of people among mankind as many demonstrate the mercy and favour of the Qur’an towards mankind. Moreover, one man who possesses fadhîlah is equivalent to thousands lacking fadhîlah; therefore, even if the people who possess fadhîlah are few, they appear to be many.”
The following is the explanation of this sentence in the Abdulkadir Badilli translation:
“When the Qur’an began to be sent to the prophet (asm), the jihâd for examination and accountability of man through the obligations placed on him by Allah also began for mankind. This jihâd has revealed the mines of gems and gold in the fitrah of man, even if they are few. If this accountability and examination had not existed, mankind would have remained as unprocessed raw minerals; therefore, the Qur’an is a great rahmah for mankind.”) (Tr.)
9 (Those who have fallen into dhalâlah.)
Dictionary / Arabic - Turkish Terminology