According to Taberî, those whom Allah has commanded to cut in this verse are those who cut what Allah has ordered to be joined and spread corruption on earth, and these are hypocrites who have been named as transgressors by Sa'd. It is stated that the thing whose joining is commanded is primarily the ties of kinship (rahim), but according to the general expression of the verse, it also encompasses those who cut everything that Allah has commanded to be joined (including loyalty to the Messenger of Allah and the believers). The corruption on earth is explained as rebellion against their Lord, disbelief, denying the Messenger, and rejecting his prophethood.

وقد تأول بعضهم ذلك أن الله ذمهم بقطعهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم والمؤمنين به وأرحامهم، واستشهد على ذلك بعموم ظاهر الآية، وأن لا دلالة على أنه معني بها: بعض ما أمر الله بوصله دون بعض.

According to Zemahşerî, this expression encompasses the wombs and ties of kinship; this scope includes, alongside the kinship of the Prophet, the ties of kinship among believers that are established because of faith. This bond of faith is a bond that is formed after people have solidified their affirmation and acceptance of the principles of faith.

من الأرحام والقرابات ، ويدخل فيه وصل قرابة رسول الله وقرابة المؤمنين الثابتة بسبب الإيمان من بعد ما أوثقوه به من الاعتراف والقبول

According to this commentator, what is meant by 'covenant' (misak) in the verse are the proofs that show Allah's servants the truth of monotheism and the veracity of the prophets; these proofs are considered a covenant and contract because they inherently require adherence to monotheism. Furthermore, it is stated that the bond whose cutting is forbidden is the rights of kinship, and what is meant by corruption on earth is to turn away from obedience and transgress against others; this corruption is manifested in the form of calling to something other than Allah's religion, oppression, and the destruction of cities.

وذلك الفساد هو الدعاء إلى غير دين الله وقد يكون بالظلم في النفوس والأموال وتخريب البلاد

Kurtubî transmits different views regarding what 'the thing whose joining is commanded' in the phrase 'yaktaûne mâ emerallâhu bihî en yûsale' in the verse is: maintaining the ties of kinship, uniting speech with deed, combining belief in all prophets, or generally fulfilling all the requirements of the religion and law that Allah has commanded. According to the majority view, this expression carries a general meaning that encompasses everything whose joining Allah has commanded, and the tie of kinship is only a part of this. Furthermore, based on the verse, the conclusion is drawn that fulfilling the covenant and not breaking any lawful covenant that one has undertaken is necessary, and this is valid without any distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims.

وقيل : الإشارة إلى دين الله وعبادته في الأرض وإقامة شرائعه وحفظ حدوده فهي عامة في كل ما أمر الله تعالى به أن يوصل هذا قول الجمهور والرحم جزء من هذا السادسة

Ibn Kesîr states that the linguistic meaning of the term 'transgressor' (fâsık) in the verse is 'one who deviates from obedience,' and therefore the report that comes from Sa'd b. Abî Waqqâs and interprets the verse in relation to the Harûriyyah (Khârijites) was not possible in terms of the time of revelation, and this is an interpretation based on meaning rather than the explicit text of the verse. According to him, the attributes mentioned in the verse (lying, not keeping one's word, betraying trusts, breaking covenants, spreading corruption) are characteristics that distinguish hypocrites and disbelievers from believers. As a result, what is meant by 'transgressor' in the verse encompasses both the disbeliever and the disobedient, but based on context, it especially refers to the disbeliever, because Allah has specifically characterized them as such.

وهذا الإسناد وإن صح عن سعد بن أبي وقاص رضي الله عنه فهو تفسير على المعنى لا أن الآية أريد منها التنصيص على الخوارج الذين خرجوا على علي بالنهروان فإن أولئك لم يكونوا حال نزول الآية

According to Beydâvî, the word 'nakz' (breaking) in this verse is metaphorically transferred from the breaking of a rope to the breaking of a covenant; the covenant can either be the covenant taken through intellect (which is evidence of Allah's existence and the veracity of the prophets) or the covenant taken by the prophets from their communities. Furthermore, according to some scholars, Allah has three types of covenants: the covenant of acknowledging lordship from the offspring of Adam, the covenant of establishing religion from the prophets, and the covenant of not concealing the truth from the scholars. The action of 'cutting' (kat') in the verse encompasses the severing of every type of bond that Allah has commanded to be joined (kinship ties, friendship with believers, unity of belief among prophets, communities, etc.), and this leads to the breaking of the principal bond between Allah and His servant; for this reason, these people are described as 'those who have lost' because they have abandoned the use of intellect and missed the things that would gain them eternal life.

وقيل: عهود الله تعالى ثلاثة: عهد أخذه على جميع ذرية آدم بأن يقروا بربوبيته، وعهد أخذه على النبيين بأن يقيموا الدين ولا يتفرقوا فيه، وعهد أخذه على العلماء بأن يبينوا الحق ولا يكتموه.