Inna hadaynahu alssabeela imma shakiran waimma kafooran
English
Ahmed Ali
We surely showed him the way that he may either be grateful or deny.
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Tafseer
'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās / Muḥammad al-Fīrūzabādī
تفسير : (lo! we have shown him the way) of faith and disbelief, good and evil, (whether he be grateful) accepting faith (or disbelieving) it is also said this means: we have shown him the way to be either grateful or ungrateful.
Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maḥallī
تفسير : verily we have guided him to the way, we have pointed out to him the path of guidance by sending messengers [to mankind], whether he be grateful, that is to say, [whether he be] a believer, or ungrateful (both [shākiran and kafūran] are circumstantial qualifiers referring to the direct object; in other words, we have pointed out to him in both presupposed states, whether his gratefulness or his unthankfulness; immā is used to list the ‘states’).
