al-Lāmu’l-maksūra (the lām with kasra: li) is interpreted in three ways:
1. al-Lāmu’l-maksūra (the lām with kasra: li) is used in the sense of li-kay (in order to); as in the following verses:
So that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you [li-tunzira qawman] (that is, li-kay tunzira qawman: in order that you may warn a people)... (al-Sajda 32:3)
So that you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned [li-tunzira qawman] (that is, li-kay tunzira qawman: in order that you may warn a people). (Yā Sīn 36:6, al-Qasas 28:46)
...in order to recompense those who have iman (faith) [li-yajziya]
(that is, li-kay yajziya). (Yūnus 10:4)
2. al-Lāmu’l-maksūra (the lām with kasra: li) is interpreted with en (that) or ma (that which), which give a verbal noun (masdar) meaning; as in the following verses:
Allah is not to disclose to you the unseen [li-yutliʿakum ʿala’l-ghayb] (that is, an-yutliʿakum ʿala’l-ghayb: that He should disclose to you the unseen). (Āl ʿImrān 3:179)
Allah would not punish them [wa mā kāna’llāhu li-yuʿazzibahum] (that is, mā kāna’llāhu an-yuʿazzibahum: Allah would not punish them); while you are among them. (al-Anfāl 8:33)
...even if their plot should displace the mountains [wa in kāna makruhum li-tazūla minhu’l-jibāl] (that is, an-tazūla minhu: so that, because of it, the mountains would be displaced). (Ibrāhīm 14:46)
3. al-Lāmu’l-maksūra (the lām with kasra: li) is interpreted as meaning "so that they do not...", "they should not..." [they should not do, they should not commit]; as in the following verse:
...so that they do not show ingratitude for what We have given them [li-yakfurū bimā ātaynāhum] (that is, li-allā yakfurū: so that they do not show ingratitude, they should not be ungrateful). (al-Naḥl 16:55)
A similar usage is also found in the surahs al-ʿAnkabūt and al-Rūm.