90. " verily those who disbelieve after their belief,
then increase in infidelity;
their repentance will never be accepted;
and these are they who are astray."

occasion of revelation:
some commentators have said that this verse was revealed about a
group of the people of the book who had believed in the prophet of islam
(p.b.u.h.) before his advent, but when he was appointed to prophethood
they disbelieved in him.

commentary:
a vain repentance

in the previous verse, the statement was about those who regreted
from their deviated path sincerely and repented truly and, consequently,
their repentance was accepted. but, in this verse, the speech is about those
whose repentance is not accepted. it says:

" verily those who disbelieve after their belief,
then increase in infidelity;
their repentance will never be accepted;
and these are they who are astray."

the repentance of these people is extrinsic, because when they see
the triumph of the advocators of truth, helplessly express their apparent
regretfulness and repentance. thus, it is natural that such a repentance can
not be accepted.