إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ ...

The way,

means, the burden of sin,

... عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ النَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ...

is only against those who oppress men and rebel in the earth without justification;

means, those who initiate wrongful actions against others, as it is said in the Sahih Hadith:

الْمُسْتَبَّانِ مَا قَالَا فَعَلَى الْبَادِىءِ، مَا لَمْ يَعْتَدِ الْمَظْلُوم

When two persons indulge in abusing each other, the one who initiated the wrongful action is to blame, unless the one who was wronged oversteps the mark in retaliation.

... أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُم عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿٤٢﴾

for such there will be a painful torment.

means, intense and agonizing.

It was reported that Muhammad bin Wasi said, "I came to Makkah and there was a security out post over the trench whose guards took me to Marwan bin Al-Muhallab, who was the governor of Basrah. He said,

`What do you need?, O Abu Abdullah,'

I said, `If you can do it, I need you to be like the brother of Banu `Adiy.'

He said, `Who is the brother of Banu `Adiy?'

He said, Al-Ala' bin Ziyad; he once appointed a friend of his to a position of authority, and he wrote to him: If you can, only go to sleep after you make sure that there is nothing on your back (i.e., you do not owe anything to anyone), your stomach is empty and your hands are untainted by the blood or wealth of the Muslims. If you do that, then there will be no way (of blame) against you --

إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ النَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُم عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

The way is only against those who oppress men and rebel in the earth without justification; for such there will be a painful torment.'

Marwan said, `He spoke the truth, by Allah, and gave sincere advice.' Then he said, `What do you need, O Abu `Abdullah?'

I said, `I need you to let me join my family.'

He said, `Yes (I will do that).'''

This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim.