Quran Universe
7:49

أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَقۡسَمۡتُمۡ لَا يَنَالُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِرَحۡمَةٍۚ ٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ تَحۡزَنُونَ

Ahaolai allatheena aqsamtum la yanaluhumu Allahu birahmatin odkhuloo aljannata la khawfun AAalaykum wala antum tahzanoona

[Allah will say], "Are these the ones whom you [inhabitants of Hell] swore that Allah would never offer them mercy? Enter Paradise, [O People of the Elevations]. No fear will there be concerning you, nor will you grieve."

Word by word
  1. أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِAre these
  2. ٱلَّذِينَthe ones whom
  3. أَقۡسَمۡتُمۡyou had sworn
  4. لَا(that) not
  5. يَنَالُهُمُ(will) grant them
  6. ٱللَّهُAllah
  7. بِرَحۡمَةٍۚMercy
  8. ٱدۡخُلُواْEnter
  9. ٱلۡجَنَّةَParadise
  10. لَا(There will be) no
  11. خَوۡفٌfear
  12. عَلَيۡكُمۡupon you
  13. وَلَآand not
  14. أَنتُمۡyou
  15. تَحۡزَنُونَwill grieve
Al-A'raf · 7:49Makkah

The ones you said would never get mercy: enter Paradise.

Who receives mercy is not ours to swear

A reversal
the arrogantswore: no mercy for them
but
enter Paradiseno fear, no grief
Who decides
I can tell who is lostby how they look
only AllahHis mercy surprises

The arrogant had sworn that Allah would never show these people mercy. Ibn Abbas said this refers to the people of Al-A'raf. Then Allah decrees for them: enter Paradise, no fear on you, nor will you grieve.

You have written someone off: the cousin who left the deen, the coworker with the past. You are sure how their story ends. The verse is a warning about that certainty.

Some people are obviously beyond Allah's mercy.

I do not get to swear who Allah will have mercy on.

Try this

Think of one person you have written off and make a sincere dua for them.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 7:48)

And the men on Al-A'raf will call unto the men whom they would recognize by their marks, saying: "Of what benefit to you was your gathering, and your arrogance? (48)"Are they those, of whom you swore that Allah would never show them mercy? (Behold! It has been said to them): 'Enter Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve.' (49)

Allah states that the people of Al-A'raf will admonish some of the chiefs of the idolators whom they recognize by their marks in the Fire, saying,

مَا أَغْنَىٰ عَنكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ

("Of what benefit to you was your gathering...") meaning, your great numbers,

وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

("...and your arrogance?") This Ayah means, your great numbers and wealth did not save you from Allah's torment. Rather, you are dwelling in His torment and punishment. 'Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn 'Abbas,

أَهَٰؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ أَقْسَمْتُمْ لَا يَنَالُهُمُ اللَّهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ

(Are they those, of whom you swore that Allah would never show them mercy?) refers to the people of Al-A'raf who will be told when Allah decrees:

ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَا أَنتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ

((Behold! It has been said to them): "Enter Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve.")