A question may be arised: Since Allah (swt) says:
(سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ) (I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right), then how can it be their fault? It is indeed their fault because they were wrongfully arrogant. Allah (swt) turns away arrogant people from His (swt) signs and does not guide them by His (swt) Guidance of Support. The first arrogant was Satan, may Allah damn him. Arrogance is Satan’s way, as he refused to prostrate to Prophet Adam (PBUH) when commanded by Allah (swt) to do so. The Holy Quran reports to us what Satan said at that time:
أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ
(“I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.”) (Al-A’raaf: 12)
This is the first manifestation of arrogance.
(I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right): The (sign) is a clear miracle. Therefore, the heart of the arrogant one, who has arrogantly turned away from Allah (swt), will witness the sign and the miracle but will turn away from it and not believe in it.
( وَإِن يَرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا ) (and if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it): Whenever they see a miracle, a clear sign, or a verse from the Holy Quran, they do not believe in it.
( وَإِن يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لَا يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا ) (And if they see the way of consciousness, they will not adopt it as a way): This is because the straight path is the path of guidance, the right and sound path, the wise and prudent path that leads to righteousness. Allah (swt) says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ
(Indeed, those who have said, “Our Lord is Allah ” and then remained on a right course – the angels will descend upon them, [saying], “Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.) (Fussilat: 30)
The path of faith is the path of guidance, meaning the path of righteousness with its hallmark being uprightness in speech and actions.
( وَإِن يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الْغَيِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا ) (but if they see the way of error, they will adopt it as a way): When Allah (swt) turns these arrogant ones away from His (swt) signs, they abandon the path of righteousness and turn towards the path of misguidance, error, deceit, and falsehood.
( ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ ) (That is because they have denied Our signs and they were heedless of them): This is an answer to those who claim that since Allah (swt) says: (I will turn away from My signs), then it is done so without reason. The answer against their claims would be that there is indeed a reason, and the reason is: (because they have denied Our signs and they were heedless of them), and not because Allah (swt) predetermined to turn these signs away from them.
The position of this verse in this context is part of the marvelous style of the Holy Quran. The events are related to Prophet Moses (PBUH), Pharaoh, the Children of Israel, and what happened to Prophet Moses (PBUH), this is presented in the verse:
رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ
(“My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You.”)
(Al-A’raaf: 143)
Prophet Moses (PBUH) then took the tablets. But after that, the Holy Quran interrupts the narrative so that readers don’t perceive it as merely reading a story but as a lesson, a moral, that has a spiritual function. The verses then utilize these events and characters in a faith-based manner. This commentary follows: (I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right). This applies to the people of Children of Israel, Pharaoh, and spans all times—past and future. It serves as a universal admonition for all of humanity.