Taberî relates the concepts of 'ifsad' (corruption) and 'islah' (reform) mentioned in this verse to the conduct of hypocrites; the hypocrites were rebelling against Allah and doing harm to believers while viewing themselves as reformers. He states that the verse was revealed about hypocrites living during the time of the Prophet, but it encompasses everyone with the same characteristics until the Day of Judgment. He also conveys the view transmitted from Ibn Abbas that exegesis is divided into four types, explaining that some of the meanings in this verse are known by the Arabs, some are known by scholars, and some are known only by Allah.

وأولى التأويلين بالآية تأويل من قال: إن قول الله تبارك اسمه: نزلت في المنافقين الذين كانوا على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وإن كان معنيا بها كل من كان بمثل صفتهم من المنافقين بعدهم إلى يوم القيامة.

Zemahşerî addresses multiple verse segments consecutively in this text: the confused state of the lost person in the barren desert, the condition of those accompanying him, the variant readings (ضللنا/صللنا), the meaning of the word 'ومكر' expressing the disbelievers' arrogance and scheming, clarifying that its root is 've en mekerû es-seyyi', and the firm belief of the jinn group that they can never escape from Allah. The meanings of words are clarified through different reading variations and linguistic derivations.

فإن قلت : فما وجه قوله : { ومكر } ؟ قلت : أصله : وأن مكروا السيء ، ثم مكر السيء . والدليل عليه قوله تعالى

According to this exegete, the questions in the verse - 'who said', 'what is corruption on earth', 'who are the speakers', and 'what is reform' - carry different possibilities; views are transmitted that the speaker could be Allah, the Prophet, or some believers. It is stated that hypocrites considered their actions according to their own beliefs as reform, or they viewed their dealings with disbelievers as an effort to reform relations between believers and disbelievers. Furthermore, based on this verse, it is conveyed that scholars derived the conclusion that the ruling of belief should be applied to one who manifests faith outwardly, and that the repentance of a heretic will be accepted.

واعلم أن العلماء استدلوا بهذه الآية على أن من أظهر الإيمان وجب إجراء حكم المؤمنين عليه ، وتجويز خلافه لا يطعن فيه ، وتوبة الزنديق مقبولة والله أعلم

According to Kurtubî, the corruption mentioned in this verse is the opposite of reform and signifies deviation from the right path; it is explained that hypocrites caused corruption on earth through disbelief, befriending disbelievers, and preventing people from faith in Muhammad and the Qur'an. Furthermore, according to one view, corruption prevailed on earth before the Prophet was sent, and with his sending, the earth was reformed; now those who commit sins after this reform have caused corruption again. The hypocrites' saying 'we are only reformers' stems from their thinking that their own corruption is reform, because they consider accommodation with disbelievers as correcting relations between believers and disbelievers.

والمعنى في الآية : لا تفسدوا في الأرض بالكفر وموالاة أهله وتفريق الناس عن الإيمان بمحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم والقرآن

According to this exegete, the hypocrites' response 'we are only reformers' to the command 'do not cause corruption on earth' interprets their situation in different ways: according to one view, disobedience to Allah is itself corruption on earth, because the reform of earth and heaven is obedience. According to another view, this is a claim of mediating/managing between believers and disbelievers. Ibn Kesîr also conveys the narration transmitted from Salmân al-Fârisî stating 'the people of this verse have not yet come,' and Ibn Jarîr's commentary on this narration.

لأنه من عصى الله في الأرض أو أمر بمعصيته فقد أفسد في الأرض لأن صلاح الأرض والسماء بالطاعة وهكذا قال الربيع بن أنس وقتادة

According to Beydâwî, the concept of 'fasad' (corruption) means departure from balance and encompasses everything harmful; the hypocrites' corruption on earth consists of inciting war and discord, collaborating with disbelievers to expose Muslims' secrets, and violating the law through their indifference to religion. The hypocrites' response 'we are only reformers' is an exaggerated denial because the particle 'innema' signifies restriction (qasr); they saw corruption in the form of reform due to the sickness in their hearts.

والفساد: خروج الشيء عن الاعتدال. والصلاح ضده وكلاهما يعمان كل ضار ونافع. وكان من فسادهم في الأرض هيج الحروب والفتن بمخادعة المسلمين، وممالأة الكفار عليهم بإفشاء الأسرار إليهم