{And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe"; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, "Indeed, we are with you; we were only mocking"}1. This verse is manifest, needing no interpretation, for it came in the description of the deniers.
{Those are the ones who have purchased error [in exchange] for guidance, so their transaction has brought no profit, nor were they guided}2. His saying: {purchased error [in exchange] for guidance}3 means the followers of the Second in exchange for the guidance which is the following and recognition of our Master the Prince of Bees—exalted be his glory; thus the word of punishment became due upon them.
{Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire, but when it illuminated what was around him, God took away their light and left them in darkness [so] they could not see}4. Its meaning: they shall be in the dark frames which are the frames of reincarnation and the repetition in punishment. This fire is the Recognition that reached them, which they then disbelieved in after that, worshipping the Calf and his companion and believing in their walaya; thus they are in darkness and cannot see.
{Deaf, dumb and blind—so they will not return}5. This interpretation regarding them is a truth in which no one with a grasp of intellect or science doubts. What scandal is greater than this scandal by which God has made them notorious?