Now the positioning of the phrase "but none does he cause thereby to go astray save those who forsake [the path] (wa mâ yudillu bi-hi illâ al-fâsiqîn):"

Because of the vagueness of the [previous] phrase, "He causes many to go astray," this one alerts the listener's mind, and perturbed, he asks: "Who are these people who go astray? What is the reason? And how can darkness come from the light of the Qur'an?" So [the Qur'an] answers: "[They go astray] because they are depraved and have deviated from the right path (al-fâsiqûn). Misguidance is the penalty for their depravity. And because of it the light becomes fire for them, and the brightness, darkness." You surely know that sunlight putrefies filth.

[Various] aspects [of sinfulness, depravity (fisq)] are described in [the following verse]: "Who break Allâh's covenant after it has been ratified, and cut asunder what Allâh has bidden to be joined, and spread corruption on earth (Alladhîna yanqudûna 'ahd Allâhi min bad mithâqihi wa yaqta'ûna mâ amara Allâhu bi-hi an yûsala wa yufsidûna fi al-ard):"

This elucidates and spells out [what] depravity [consists of], for it is a renunciation of truth and to exceed the limits and quit the hard shell [of right-guidance]. It is either excess (al-ifrât) or deficiency (al-tafrît) in the three powers of intellect, anger, and animal appetites. And excess and deficiency lead to rebellion in the face of the evidences that are like the divine covenants (al-'uhûd) in creation (al-fitra). They also lead to sickness in personal life; the first attribute [in the above verse] indicates this. So too they incite rebellion in the face of social life and break the bonds and laws of society. The second attribute indicates this. They also cause corruption and revolution, which spoil the order of the earth, as indicated by the third attribute. Yes, when his intellect exceeds the bounds of moderation the depraved person breaks the bonds of the tenets of belief and smashes their strong shell, that is, eternal life. And when his power of anger oversteps the mark he smashes the shell of social life. And when his power of animal appetites exceeds the limits and he follows his desires, compassion for his fellow humans vanishes from his heart and he corrupts the people and makes difficulties for them in whatever he becomes involved in, and causes harm to the human race and spoils the order of the earth.