Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “Those are the ones who purchased error in exchange for guidance, but their trade did not profit them, nor were they guided”

Then he said: This verse is analyzed by the experts in rhetoric, for they classify it as an explicit subordinate metaphor, or a concealed metaphor. Then they say that it contains *tarshih* (intensification), which is the phrase: . This is one instance for the explicit metaphor, and for the concealed metaphor. Since most of you present have not studied rhetoric, we will refrain from detailing that and will mention the meaning: That is, they chose it over what? Over guidance. But they named their choice of it “purchasing” because a buyer purchases a commodity while desiring it. So they desired error and purchased it, and they were averse to guidance and sold it. The *ba* in His saying: The *ba* indicates substitution and compensation, meaning they took error, refuge with Allah, and substituted it for guidance .
The *ma* is a negation, meaning this trade that they thought was profitable is actually a loss. The hypocrites now see themselves as winners. In their dealings with the believers and their devils, the hypocrites see themselves as winners, thinking they have played with the minds of these and those. But in reality, they are with the disbelievers, and they thought they had profited. But is this profit? Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: No, it is a loss. Because they persisted in this deed, and He made it easy for them, so they thought they were on the right path. And when a person commits evil and thinks he is on the right path, he hardly lets it slip, neither in beliefs, nor in words, nor in actions.