Tahdīd: a threat in imperative form

The Imperative: Form, Basic Meaning, Rhetorical Uses and Timing

اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ
Do whatever you wish.

Iʿmalū mā shiʾtum (“do what you wish”) can mean tahdīd, a threat: persist if you will, but consequences await. It is not a genuine license for all actions.

A setting of rebellion, accountability or punishment supplies the threat. The permissive-sounding wording is therefore deceptive if detached from context. The intended effect is fear of the outcome, not unrestricted authorization.