al-Ḥijr 15:3

Dharhum yaʾkulū wa yatamattaʿū wa yulhihimu'l-amal · Fa-sawfa yaʿlamūn

"Leave them; let them eat, let them take their enjoyment, and let hope divert them. Soon they will know."

The verb is from wadhara, whose perfect is not used; only the imperfect and imperative forms are current. This is a fact of the language recorded in the index at al-Insān 76/27, and it was stated there that this root must not be confused with ن-ذ-ر and ذ-ر-ر. I rely on that treatment.

The one addressed by the command is the Prophet, and what is commanded is an inaction.

I record this as an observation about the word order: the second verse of the sūra announced a future, the third says what is to be done in the present — and what is said is: do not intervene. In the ninety-fourth verse the sūra will command the opposite (fa-ṣdaʿ bimā tuʾmar). The difference between the two commands will be taken up at the end of the sūra.

The ل-ه-و root: a diversion that keeps one from a task. Lahw — an occupation that draws one away from the real work. The root was analysed in detail at al-Takāthur 102/1 (alhākumu'l-takāthur). I do not repeat it here.

The أ-م-ل root: hope, expectation. Amal — an expectation directed forward.

The word order of the verb must be recorded: yulhihimu'l-amal — the doer is hope, not they.

I record this as my own reading, and its ground is the choice of the doer: the sentence does not say "they are being diverted". A thing that diverts is named, and that thing is not an evil desire — it is hope.

And at al-Kahf 18/46 the same word occurred in a positive context: wa'l-bāqiyātu'l-ṣāliḥātu khayrun ʿinda Rabbika thawāban wa khayrun amalā. I rely on that treatment.

The word is the same; what changes is where it is attached. This is a verifiable overlap between sūras.