Verse Number 57-61
Description of the People of Good Deeds
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ خَشْيةِ رَبِّهِمْ مُّشْفِقُونَ
(Verily, those who live in awe for fear of their Lord;) means, even though they have reached the level of Ihsan and have faith and do righteous deeds, they are still in awe of Allah and fear Him and His hidden plans for them, as Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, “The believer combines Ihsan with awe, while the disbelievers combine evil deeds with a sense of security.”
وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِـَايَـتِ رَبَّهِمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ
(And those who believe in the Ayat of their Lord;) means, they believe in His universal and legislative signs, as Allah says about Maryam, peace be upon her:
وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَـتِ رَبَّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ
(and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord, and His Scriptures) 66:12, meaning that she believed that whatever existed was by the will and decree of Allah, and that whatever Allah decreed, if it was a command, it would be something that He liked and accepted; if it was a prohibition, it would be something that He disliked and rejected; and if it was good, it would be true. This is like the Ayah:
وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِرَبِّهِمْ لاَ يُشْرِكُونَ
(And those who join not anyone (in worship) as partners with their Lord;) meaning, they do not worship anyone or anything else besides Him, but they worship Him Alone and know that there is no god except Allah Alone, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who does not take a wife or have any offspring, and there is none comparable or equal unto Him.
وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَآ ءاتَواْ وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ رَجِعُونَ
(And those who give that which they give with their hearts full of fear, because they are sure to return to their Lord.) means, they give in charity, fearing that it may not be accepted from them because of some shortcoming or failure to meet the required conditions of giving. This has to do with fear and taking precautions, as Imam Ahmad recorded from `A’ishah: I said: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ,
وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَآ ءاتَواْ وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ
(And those who give that which they give with their hearts full of fear…) Are these the ones who steal and commit Zina and drink alcohol while fearing Allah” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied:
«لَا، يَا بِنْتَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ يَا بِنْتَ الصِّدِّيقِ، وَلَكِنَّهُ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي وَيَصُومُ وَيَتَصَدَّقُ وَهُوَ يَخَافُ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَل»
(No, O daughter of Abu Bakr. O daughter of As-Siddiq, the one who prays, fast and gives in charity, fearing Allah.) This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded something similar in which the Prophet said:
«لَا يَا بِنْتَ الصِّدِّيقِ، وَلَكِنَّهُمُ الَّذِينَ يُصَلُّونَ وَيَصُومُونَ وَيَتَصَدَّقُونَ وَهُمْ يَخَافُونَ أَلَّا يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ:
أُوْلَـئِكَ يُسَـرِعُونَ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ»
(No, O daughter of As-Siddiq, they are the ones who pray and fast and give in charity while fearing that it will not be accepted from them, (It is these who hasten in the good deeds.)) This is also how Ibn `Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and Al-Hasan Al-Basri interpreted this Ayah.
Verse Number 62-67
The Justice of Allah and the Frivolity of the Idolators
Allah tells us of His justice towards His servants in this world, in that He does not task any person except according to his capacity, i.e., He does not burden any soul with more than it can bear. On the Day of Resurrection He will call them to account for their deeds, which He has recorded in a written Book from which nothing is omitted. He says:
وَلَدَيْنَا كِتَابٌ يَنطِقُ بِالْحَقِّ
(and with Us is a Record which speaks the truth,) meaning, the Book of deeds
وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ
(and they will not be wronged.) means, nothing will be omitted from their record of good deeds. As for evil deeds, He will forgive and overlook many of them in the case of His believing servants. Then Allah says, denouncing the disbelievers and idolators of the Quraysh:
بَلْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فِى غَمْرَةٍ
(Nay, but their hearts are covered), meaning because of negligence and misguidance,
مِّنْ هَـذَا
(from this.) means, the Qur’an which Allah revealed to His Messenger .
وَلَهُمْ أَعْمَـلٌ مِّن دُونِ ذَلِكَ هُمْ لَهَا عَـمِلُونَ
(and they have other deeds, besides which they are doing.) Al-Hakam bin Aban narrated from `Ikrimah, from Ibn `Abbas that
وَلَهُمْ أَعْمَـلٌ
(and they have other deeds,) means, evil deeds apart from that, i.e., Shirk,
هُمْ لَهَا عَـمِلُونَ
(which they are doing.) means, which they will inevitably do. This was also narrated from Mujahid, Al-Hasan and others. Others said that this phrase means:
وَلَهُمْ أَعْمَـلٌ مِّن دُونِ ذَلِكَ هُمْ لَهَا عَـمِلُونَ
(And they have other deeds, besides which they are doing.) It was decreed that they would do evil deeds, and they will inevitably do them before they die, so that the word of punishment may be justified against them. A similar view was narrated from Muqatil bin Hayyan, As-Suddi and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. This is a clear and appropriate meaning. We have already quoted from the Hadith of Ibn Mas`ud:
«فَوَ الَّذِي لَا إِلهَ غَيْرُهُ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلَّا ذِرَاعٌ، فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَيَدْخُلُهَا»
(By Him besides Whom there is no other God, a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is no more than a forearm’s length between him and it, then the decree will overtake him and he will do the deeds of the people of Hell, then he will enter Hell…)
حَتَّى إِذَآ أَخَذْنَا مُتْرَفِيهِمْ بِالْعَذَابِ إِذَا هُمْ يَجْـَرُونَ
(Until when We seize those of them who lead a luxurious life with punishment; behold, they make humble invocation with a loud voice.) means, when the punishment and vengeance of Allah comes to those who are living a happy life of luxury in this world and overtakes them,
إِذَا هُمْ يَجْـَرُونَ
(behold, they make humble invocation with a loud voice.) means, they scream their calls for help. This is like the Ayat:
وَذَرْنِى وَالْمُكَذِّبِينَ أُوْلِى النَّعْمَةِ وَمَهِّلْهُمْ قَلِيلاً – إِنَّ لَدَيْنَآ أَنكَالاً وَجَحِيماً
(And leave Me Alone (to deal) with the beliers, those who are in possession of good things of life. And give them respite for a little while. Verily, with Us are fetters, and a raging Fire.) 73:11-12
كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ فَنَادَواْ وَّلاَتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ
(How many a generation have We destroyed before them! And they cried out when there was no longer time for escape.) 38:3
لاَ تَجْـَرُواْ الْيَوْمَ إِنَّكُمْ مِّنَّا لاَ تُنصَرُونَ
(Invoke not loudly this day! Certainly you shall not be helped by Us. ) means, no one is going to save you from what has happened to you, whether you scream aloud or remain silent. There is no escape and no way out. It is inevitable: the punishment will surely come to you. Then Allah mentions the greatest of their sins:
قَدْ كَانَتْ ءَايَـتِى تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَـبِكُمْ تَنكِصُونَ
(Indeed My Ayat used to be recited to you, but you used to turn back on your heels.) meaning, when you were called, you refused and resisted.
ذَلِكُم بِأَنَّهُ إِذَا دُعِىَ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ كَـفَرْتُمْ وَإِن يُشْرَكْ بِهِ تُؤْمِنُواْ فَالْحُكْمُ للَّهِ الْعَلِـىِّ الْكَبِيرِ
(“This is because, when Allah Alone was invoked, you disbelieved, but when partners were joined to Him, you believed! So the judgment is only with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great!”) 40:12
مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ بِهِ سَـمِراً تَهْجُرُونَ
(In pride, talking evil about it by night.) refers to the arrogant pride which the Quraysh felt because they believed themselves to be the guardians of the Ka`bah, when in fact this was not the case. As An-Nasa’i said in his Tafsir of this Ayah in his Sunan: Ahmad bin Sulayman told us that `Ubaydullah told us from Isra`il, from `Abdul-A`la that he heard Sa`id bin Jubayr narrating that Ibn `Abbas said, “Talking by late night became disapproved of when this Ayah was revealed:
مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ بِهِ سَـمِراً تَهْجُرُونَ
(In pride, talking evil about it by night.) He said, “They boasted about the Ka`bah and said, `We are its people who stay up talking at night.’ They used to boast and stay up and talk at night around the Ka`bah. They did not use it for the proper purpose, and so in effect they had abandoned it.”
أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُواْ الْقَوْلَ أَمْ جَآءَهُمْ مَّا لَمْ يَأْتِ ءَابَآءَهُمُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ
Verse Number 68-75
Refutation and Condemnation of the Idolators
Allah denounces the idolators for not understanding the Qur’an or contemplating its meaning, and for turning away from it, even though they had been addressed specifically in this Book which Allah did not reveal to any Messenger more perfect and noble, and especially since no Book or warner had come to their forefathers who had died during the Jahiliyyah. What these people, upon whom the blessing had been bestowed, should have done, was to accept it and give thanks for it, and try to understand it and act in accordance with it night and day, as was done by the wise ones among them who became Muslim and followed the Messenger , may Allah be pleased with them.
أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُواْ الْقَوْلَ
(Have they not pondered over the Word,) Qatadah said, “Because, by Allah, if the people had pondered the meaning and understood it properly, they would have found in the Qur’an a deterrent to disobeying Allah. But they only paid attention to the Ayat which are not entirely clear, and so they were destroyed because of that.” Then Allah says, denouncing the disbelievers of the Quraysh:
أَمْ لَمْ يَعْرِفُواْ رَسُولَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَهُ مُنكِرُونَ
(Or is it that they did not recognize their Messenger so they deny him) means, `do they not recognize Muhammad and the honesty, trustworthiness and good character with which he grew up among them Can they deny that or argue against it’ Ja`far bin Abi Talib said to An-Najashi, the king of Ethiopia: “O King, Allah has sent to us a Messenger whose lineage, honesty and trustworthiness are known to us.” Al-Mughirah bin Shu`bah said something similar to the deputy of Kisra when he wanted to challenge him. When the Byzantine ruler Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb and his companions — who were still disbelievers and had not yet become Muslim — about the characteristics, lineage, honesty and trustworthiness of the Prophet , they could only tell the truth and admit that he was indeed noble and truthful.
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ
(Or they say: There is madness in him) This is a narration of what the Quraysh said about the Prophet . They said that he was making up the Qur’an by himself, or that he was crazy and did not know what he was saying. Allah tells us that their hearts did not believe that, they knew that what they were saying about the Qur’an was falsehood, for it had come to them from the Words of Allah and could not be resisted or rejected. So Allah challenged them and all the people of the world to produce something like it if they could — but they could not and would never be able to do so. So Allah says:
بَلْ جَآءَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَـرِهُونَ
(Nay, but he brought them Al-Haqq, but most of them are averse to the truth.)
Truth does not follow Whims and Desires
Allah says;
وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَـوَتُ وَالاٌّرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ
(And if Al-Haqq had followed their desires, verily, the heavens and the earth, and whosoever is therein would have been corrupted!) Mujahid, Abu Salih and As-Suddi said, “Al-Haqq is Allah, may He be glorified.” What is meant by the Ayah is that if Allah had responded to the desires in their hearts and prescribed things accordingly, the heavens and the earth and whosoever is therein, would have been corrupted, i.e., because of their corrupt and inconsistent desires. As Allah says of them elsewhere:
لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
(“Why is not this Qur’an sent down to some great man of the two towns”) 43:31 Then He says:
أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّكَ
(Is it they who would portion out the mercy of your Lord) 43:32 And Allah says:
قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّى إِذًا لأمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ الإِنفَاقِ
(Say: “If you possessed the treasure of the mercy of my Lord, then you would surely hold back for fear of spending it. “) 17:100,
أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُلْكِ فَإِذاً لاَّ يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً
(Or have they a share in the dominion Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqir.) 4:53 All of this goes to show how incapable mankind is and how divergent and inconsistent their ideas and desires are. Only Allah, may He be glorified, is Perfect in all His attributes, words, actions, laws, power and control of His creation, may He be exalted and sanctified. There is no God but He and no Lord besides Him. Then He says:
بَلْ أَتَيْنَـهُمْ بِذِكْرِهِمْ
(Nay, We have brought them their reminder,) meaning the Qur’an,
فَهُمْ عَن ذِكْرِهِمْ مُّعْرِضُونَ
(but they turn away from their reminder.)
The Prophet does not ask for any payment, and he calls to the straight path.
أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ خَرْجاً
(Or is it that you ask them for some Kharj) Al-Hasan said, “A reward.” Qatadah said, “Some payment.”
فَخَرَاجُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ
(But the recompense of your Lord is better,) means, you are not asking for any wages or payment or anything for calling them to right guidance, rather you are hoping for a great reward from Allah, as He says:
قُلْ مَا سَأَلْتُكُم مِّن أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ
(Say: “Whatever wage I might have asked of you is yours. My wage is from Allah only.”) 34:47
قُلْ مَآ أَسْـَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَآ أَنَآ مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ
(Say: “No wage do I ask of you for this, nor am I one of the pretenders.”) 38:86
قُل لاَّ أَسْـَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً إِلاَّ الْمَوَدَّةَ فِى الْقُرْبَى
(Say: “No reward do I ask of you for this except to be kind to me for my kinship with you.”) 42:23
وَجَآءَ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَى قَالَ يقَوْمِ اتَّبِعُواْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ اتَّبِعُواْ مَن لاَّ يَسْـَلُكُمْ أَجْراً
(And there came a man running from the farthest part of the town. He said: “O my people! Obey the Messengers. Obey those who ask no wages of you, and who are rightly guided.”) 35:20-21
وَإِنَّكَ لَتَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ – وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ عَنِ الصِّرَطِ لَنَـكِبُونَ
(And certainly, you call them to the straight path. And verily, those who believe not in the Hereafter are indeed deviating far astray from the path.)
The Situation of the Disbelievers
وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ عَنِ الصِّرَطِ لَنَـكِبُونَ
(And verily, those who believe not in the Hereafter are indeed deviating far astray from the path.) meaning, they have gone astray and deviated.
ن
(And though We had mercy on them and removed the distress which is on them, still they would obstinately persist in their transgression, wandering blindly.) Here Allah tells of their stubbornness in their disbelief, in that even if He had removed the calamity from them and made them understand the Qur’an, they still would not follow it; they would still persist in their disbelief and stubborn transgression. This is like the Ayat:
وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
(Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion.) 8:23
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُواْ يلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلاَ نُكَذِّبَ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ
(And if (Lauw) you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: “Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!” Nay, it has become manifest to them what they had been concealing before. But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden.) 6:27-29 Until His statement:
بِمَبْعُوثِينَ
(be resurrected) This has to do with the knowledge of Allah. He knows about some- thing that will not happen, but if it were to happen, He knows how it would be. Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas: “Every- thing that is implied in the word:
لَوْ
(If (Lauw)) is something that will never happen.”
Verse Number 76-83
وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَـهُمْ بِالْعَذَابِ
(And indeed We seized them with punishment,) means, `We tried and tested them with difficulties and calamities.’ His saying:
فَمَا اسْتَكَانُواْ لِرَبِّهِمْ وَمَا يَتَضَرَّعُونَ
(but they humbled not themselves to their Lord, nor did they invoke with submission to Him.) means, that did not deter them from their disbelief and resistance, rather they persisted in their sin and misguidance,
فَمَا اسْتَكَانُواْ
(but they humbled not themselves)
وَمَا يَتَضَرَّعُونَ
(nor did they invoke (Allah) with submission to Him. ) they did not call on Him. This is like the Ayah:
فَلَوْلا إِذْ جَآءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ وَلَـكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ
(When Our torment reached them, why then did they not humble themselves But their hearts became hardened,) 6:43 Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, “Abu Sufyan came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, `O Muhammad, I ask you by Allah and by the ties of kinship between us, we have been reduced to eating camel hair and blood.’ Then Allah revealed,
وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَـهُمْ بِالْعَذَابِ فَمَا اسْتَكَانُواْ
(And indeed We seized them with punishment, but they humbled not themselves.) This was also recorded by An-Nasa’i. The basis of this Hadith is in the Two Sahihs, where it says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed against the Quraysh when he could not make any headway with them, and he said,
«اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُف»
(O Allah, help me against them sending on them seven years (of famine) like the seven (years of drought) of Yusuf.)
حَتَّى إِذَا فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَاباً ذَا عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ إِذَا هُمْ فِيهِ مُبْلِسُونَ
(Until, when We open for them the gate of severe punishment, then lo! they will be plunged in despair.) When the command of Allah reaches them and the Hour comes to them suddenly, and they are overtaken by the punishment of Allah which they were not expecting, then they will despair of any ease and goodness, and all their hopes will disappear.
A reminder of the Blessings of Allah and His immense Power
Then Allah mentions His blessings to His servants, in that He has given them hearing, sight and understanding through which they come to know things and draw lessons from them, the signs which attest to the Oneness of Allah and indicate that He is the One Who does what He wills and chooses what He wants.
قَلِيلاً مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ
(Little thanks you give.) means, how little you thank Allah for the blessings He has given you. This is like the Ayah:
وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
(And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly.) 12:103 Then Allah tells us about His great power and overwhelming authority, for He is the One Who originated creation and put people in all parts of the earth, with their different nations, languages and characteristics, then on the Day of Resurrection He will gather them all together, the first of them and the last, at a fixed time on a day appointed, and none will be left out, young or old, male or female, noble or insignificant, but all will be brought back as they were originally created. Allah said:
وَهُوَ الَّذِى يُحْىِ وَيُمِيتُ
(And it is He Who gives life and causes death,) meaning, He will bring the scattered bones back to life and cause the death of the nations,
وَلَهُ اخْتِلَـفُ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ
(and His is the alternation of night and day. ) meaning, by His command night and day are subjugated, each of them following the other and never departing from that pattern, as Allah says:
لاَ الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تدْرِكَ القَمَرَ وَلاَ الَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ
(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day)36:40.
أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ
(Will you not then understand) means, do you not have minds that tell you of the Almighty, All-Knowing to Whom all things are subjugated, Who has power over all things and to Whom all things submit
The Idolators thought that Resurrection after Death was very unlikely
Then Allah tells us about those who denied the resurrection, who were like the disbelievers who came before them:
بَلْ قَالُواْ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ الاٌّوَّلُونَ – قَالُواْ أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَاباً وَعِظَـماً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ
(Nay, but they say the like of what the men of old said. They said: “When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we be resurrected indeed”) They thought it very unlikely that this would happen after they had disintegrated into nothing.
لَقَدْ وُعِدْنَا نَحْنُ وَءَابَآؤُنَا هَـذَا مِن قَبْلُ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ
(“Verily, this we have been promised — we and our fathers before (us)! This is only the tales of the ancients!”) This means, “It is impossible that we could be brought back. This was said by those who learned it from the books and disputes of the ancients.” This denial and rejection on their part is like the Ayah where Allah tells us about them:
أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَـماً نَّخِرَةً – قَالُواْ تِلْكَ إِذاً كَرَّةٌ خَـسِرَةٌ – فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ – فَإِذَا هُم بِالسَّاهِرَةِ
(“Even after we are crumbled bones” They say: “It would in that case, be a return with loss!” But it will be only a single Zajrah, When behold, they find themselves on the surface of the earth alive after their death.) 79:11-14
أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الإِنسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مٌّبِينٌ – وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَن يُحىِ الْعِظَـمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ – قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِى أَنشَأَهَآ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ
(Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah. Yet behold he (stands forth) as an open opponent. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: “Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust” Say: “He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation!”) 36:77-79
قُل لِّمَنِ الاٌّرْضُ وَمَن فِيهَآ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ – سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ قُلْ أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ – قُلْ مَن رَّبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ قُلْ أَفَلاَ تَتَّقُونَ-
Verse Number 84-90
The Idolators believe in Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah, which requires them to believe in Tawhid Al-Uluhiyyah
Allah states that the fact that He is One and that He is independent in His creation, control, dominion and guides one to realize that there is no God except Him and that none should be worshipped except Him Alone, with no partner or associate. He tells His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ to say to the idolators who worship others besides Him, even though they admit His Lordship, that He has no partner in Lordship. But despite this they still attributed partners in divinity to Him, and worshipped others besides Him even though they recognized the fact that those whom they worshipped could not create anything, did not own anything, nor do they have any control over anything. However, they still believed that these creatures could bring them closer to Allah,
مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى
(We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah) 39:3. So Allah says:
قُل لِّمَنِ الاٌّرْضُ وَمَن فِيهَآ
(Say: “Whose is the earth and whosoever is therein”) meaning, “Who is the Owner Who has created it and whatever is in it of animals, plants, fruits and all other kinds of creation”
إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَسَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ
(“If you know!” They will say: “It is Allah’s!”) means, they will admit that this belongs to Allah Alone with no partner or associate. If that is the case,
قُلْ أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ
(Say: “Will you not then remember”) that none should be worshipped except the Creator and Provider.
قُلْ مَن رَّبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
(Say: “Who is Lord of the seven heavens, and Lord of the Great Throne”) means, “Who is the Creator of the higher realm with its planets, lights and angels who submit to Him in all regions and in all directions Who is the Lord of the Great Throne, which is the highest of all created things” Allah says here:
وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
(and Lord of the Great Throne), meaning the Mighty Throne. At the end of the Surah, Allah says:
رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
(the Lord of the Supreme Throne!) 23:116, meaning splendid and magnificent. The Throne combines the features of height and vastness with splendor and magnificence. This is why it was said that it is made of red rubies. Ibn Mas`ud said, “There is no night or day with your Lord, and the light of the Throne is from the Light of His Face.”
سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ قُلْ أَفَلاَ تَتَّقُونَ
(They will say: “Allah.” Say: “Will you not then have Taqwa”) meaning, since you admit that He is the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the Mighty Throne, will you not fear His punishment for worshipping others besides Him and associating others with Him
قُلْ مَن بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ
(Say: “In Whose Hand is the sovereignty of everything”) i.e., sovereignty is in His Hands.
مَّا مِن دَآبَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَآ
(There is not a moving creature but He has grasp of its forelock) 11:56. meaning, He has control over it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say,
«لَا وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِه»
(By the One in Whose hand is my soul.) When he swore an oath, he would say,
«لَا وَمُقَلِّبِ الْقُلُوب»
(By the One Who turns over (controls) the hearts.) He, may He be glorified, is the Creator, the Sovereign, the Controller,
وَهُوَ يُجْيِرُ وَلاَ يُجَارُ عَلَيْهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
(And He protects (all), while against Whom there is no protector, if you know) Among the Arabs, if a leader announced his protection to a person, no one could go against him in that, yet no one could offer protection against that leader. Allah says:
وَهُوَ يُجْيِرُ وَلاَ يُجَارُ عَلَيْهِ
(And He protects (all), while against Whom there is no protector, ) meaning, He is the greatest Master, and there is none greater than Him. His is the power to create and to command, and none can overturn or oppose His ruling. What He wills happens, and what He does not, will not happen. Allah says:
لاَ يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْـَلُونَ
(He cannot be questioned about what He does, while they will be questioned.) 21:23 He cannot be asked about what He does because of His greatness, Pride, overwhelming power, wisdom and justice, but all of His creation will be asked about what they did, as Allah says:
فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْـَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ – عَمَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
(So, by your Lord, We shall certainly call all of them to account. For all that they used to do.) 15:92-93
سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ
(They will say: “(All that belongs) to Allah.”) means, they will admit that the Almighty Master Who protects all while against Him there is no protector is Allah Alone, with no partner or associate.
قُلْ فَأَنَّى تُسْحَرُونَ
(Say: “How then are you deceived and turn away from the truth”) means, how can your minds accept the idea of worshipping others besides Him when you recognize and acknowledge that Then Allah says:
بَلْ أَتَيْنَـهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ
(Nay, but We have brought them the truth,) which is the declaration that there is no god worthy of worship besides Allah, and the establishment of clear, definitive and sound proof to that effect,
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ
(and verily, they are liars.) means, in their worship of others alongside Allah when they have no evidence for doing so, as Allah says at the end of this Surah:
وَمَن يَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ لاَ بُرْهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الْكَـفِرُونَ
(And whoever invokes, besides Allah, any other god, of whom he has no proof; then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely, the disbelievers will not be successful.) 23:117 The idolators have no evidence for what they are doing, which has led them into lies and misguidance. Rather they are following their forefathers and predecessors who were confused and ignorant, as Allah describes them:
إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى ءَاثَـرِهِم مُّقْتَدُونَ
(“We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps.”) 43:23
Verse Number 91-92
Allah has no Partner or Associate
Allah declares Himself to be above having any child or partner in dominion, control and worship. He says:
مَا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنْ إِلَـهٍ إِذاً لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَـهٍ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلاَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ
(No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god along with Him. (If there had been many gods), then each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have tried to overcome others.) meaning, if it were decreed that there should be a plurality of deities, each of them would have exclusive control over whatever he had created, so there would never be any order in the universe. But what we see is that the universe is ordered and cohesive, with the upper and lower realms connected to one another in the most perfect fashion.
مَّا تَرَى فِى خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَـنِ مِن تَفَـوُتٍ
(you can see no fault in the creation of the Most Gracious) 65:3. Moreover, if there were a number of gods, each of them would try to subdue the other with enmity, and one would prevail over the other. This has been mentioned by the scholars of `Ilm-ul-Kalam, who discussed it using the evidence of mutual resistance or counteraction. This idea states that if there were two or more creators, one would want to make a body move while the other would want to keep it immobile, and if neither of them could achieve what they wanted, then both would be incapable, but the One Whose existence is essential i.e., Allah cannot be incapable. It is impossible for the will of both to be fulfilled because of the conflict. This dilemma only arises when a plurality of gods is suggested, so it is impossible for there to be such a plurality, because if the will of one is fulfilled and not the other, the one who prevails will be the one whose existence is essential (i.e., God) and the one who is prevailed over will be merely possible (i.e., he is not divine), because it is not befitting for the one to be defeated whose existence is essential. Allah says:
وَلَعَلاَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ سُبْحَـنَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
(and some would have tried to overcome others! Glorified be Allah above all that they attribute to Him!) meaning, high above all that the stubborn wrongdoers say when they claim that He has a son or partner.
عَـلِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَـدَةِ
(All-Knower of the unseen and the seen!) means, He knows what is hidden from His creatures and what they see.
فَتَعَـلَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
(Exalted be He over all that they associate as partners to Him!) means, sanctified and glorified and exalted be He above all that the wrongdoers and liars say.
Verse Number 93-98
The Command to call on Allah when Calamity strikes, to repel Evil with that which is better, and to seek refuge with Allah
Allah commands His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to call on Him with this supplication when calamity strikes:
رَّبِّ إِمَّا تُرِيَنِّى مَا يُوعَدُونَ
(My Lord! If You would show me that with which they are threatened.) meaning, `if You punish them while I am witnessing that, then do not cause me to be one of them.’ As was said in the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih:
«وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ بِقَومٍ فِتْنَةً فَتَوفَّنِي إِلَيْكَ غَيْرَ مَفْتُون»
(If You want to test people, then take me to You cause me to die without having to undergo the test.)
وَإِنَّا عَلَى أَن نُّرِيَكَ مَا نَعِدُهُمْ لَقَـدِرُونَ
(And indeed We are able to show you that with which We have threatened them.) means, `if We willed, We could show you the punishment and test that We will send upon them.’ Then Allah shows him the best way to behave when mixing with people, which is to treat kindly the one who treats him badly, so as to soften his heart and turn his enmity to friendship, and to turn his hatred to love. Allah says:
ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ
(Repel evil with that which is better. ) This is like the Ayah:
ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِى بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيمٌوَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ
(Repel (the evil) with one which is better, then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend. But none is granted it except those who are patient) 41:34-35. meaning, nobody will be helped or inspired to follow this advice or attain this quality,
إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ
(except those who are patient) meaning, those who patiently bear people’s insults and bad treatment and deal with them in a good manner when they are on the receiving end of bad treatment from them.
وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَآ إِلاَّ ذُو حَظِّ عَظِيمٍ
(and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion) means, in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah says:
وَقُلْ رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيـطِينِ
(And say: “My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings of the Shayatin.”) Allah commanded him to seek refuge with Him from the Shayatin, because no trick could help you against them and you cannot protect yourself by being kind to them. We have already stated, when discussing Isti`adhah (seeking refuge), that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say,
«أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِه»
(I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, from the accursed Shayatin, from his whisperings, evil suggestions and insinuations.) His saying:
وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ
(“And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! lest they should come near me.”) means, in any issue of my life. So we are commanded to mention Allah at the beginning of any undertaking, in order to ward off the Shayatin at the time of eating, intercourse, slaughtering animals for food, etc. Abu Dawud recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say:
«اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَرَمِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَدْمِ وَمِنَ الْغَرَقِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَخَبَّطَنِي الشَّيْطَانُ عِنْدَ الْمَوْت»
(O Allah, I seek refuge with You from old age, I seek refuge with You from being crushed or drowned, and I seek refuge with you from being assaulted by the Shayatin at the time of death.)
Verse Number 99-100
The Disbelievers’ Hope when death approaches Allah tells us about what happens when death approaches one of the disbelievers orone of those who have been negligent with the commands of Allah. He tells us what he says and how he asks to come back to this world so that he can rectify whatever wrongs he committed during his lifetime. Allah says:
رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِلَعَلِّى أَعْمَلُ صَـلِحاً فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ كَلاَّ
(“My Lord! Send me back, so that I may do good in that which I have left behind!” No!) This is like the Ayat:
وَأَنفِقُواْ مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَـكُمْ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ
(And spend of that with which We have provided you before death comes to one of you,) until His saying:
وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
(And Allah is All-Aware of what you do) 63:10-11
وَأَنذِرِ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمُ الْعَذَابُ
(And warn mankind of the Day when the torment will come unto them)
مَا لَكُمْ مِّن زَوَالٍ
upto His saying; (that you would not leave (the world for the Hereafter).) 14:44 And His saying:
يَوْمَ يَأْتِى تَأْوِيلُهُ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَآءَ فَيَشْفَعُواْ لَنَآ أَوْ نُرَدُّ فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ الَّذِى كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ
(On the Day the event is finally fulfilled, those who neglected it before will say: “Verily, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth, now are there any intercessors for us that they might intercede on our behalf Or could we be sent back so that we might do deeds other than those deeds which we used to do”) 7:53 And:
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَـلِحاً إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ
(And if you only could see when the criminals shall hang their heads before their Lord (saying): “Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back, that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.”) 32:12 And;
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُواْ يلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلاَ نُكَذِّبَ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّنَا
(If you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: “Would that we were but sent back! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord. ..”) until His saying;
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ
(And indeed they are liars.) 6:27-28
وَتَرَى الظَّـلِمِينَ لَمَّا رَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ يَقُولُونَ هَلْ إِلَى مَرَدٍّ مِّن سَبِيلٍ
(And you will see the wrongdoers, when they behold the torment, they will say: “Is there any way of return”) 42:44
قَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ أَمَتَّنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَأَحْيَيْتَنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَاعْتَرَفْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا فَهَلْ إِلَى خُرُوجٍ مِّن سَبِيلٍ
(They will say: “Our Lord! You have made us to die twice, and You have given us life twice! Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out”) 40:11 and the Ayah after it:
وَهُمْ يَصْطَرِخُونَ فِيهَا رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَـلِحاً غَيْرَ الَّذِى كُـنَّا نَعْمَلُ أَوَلَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُمْ مَّا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَن تَذَكَّرَ وَجَآءَكُمُ النَّذِيرُ فَذُوقُواْ فَمَا لِلظَّـلِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ
(Therein they will cry: “Our Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not what we used to do.” (Allah will reply:) “Did We not give you lives long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it And the warner came to you. So taste you (the evil of your deeds). For the wrongdoers there is no helper.”) 35:37 Allah says that they will ask to go back, when death approaches, on the Day of Resurrection, when they are gathered for judgment before the Compeller (Allah) and when they are in the agonies of the punishment of Hell, but their prayer will not be answered. Here Allah says:
كَلاَّ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآئِلُهَا
(No! It is but a word that he speaks;) The word Kalla (No!) is a word that is used to rebuke, and the meaning is: “No, We will not respond to what he asks for and We will not accept it from him.”
إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآئِلُهَا
(It is but a word that he speaks) refers to his asking to go back so that he can do righteous deeds; this is just talk on his part, it would not be accompanied by any action. If he were to go back, he would not do any righteous good deeds, he is merely lying, as Allah says:
وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ
(But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars) 6:28. Qatadah said: “By Allah, he will not wish to go back to his family and tribe, or to accumulate more of the things of this world or satisfy his desires, but he will wish that he could go back to do acts of obedience to Allah. May Allah have mercy on a man who does that which the disbeliever will wish he had done when he sees the punishment of Hell.”
Barzakh and Punishment therein
وَمِن وَرَآئِهِمْ بَرْزَخٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
(and in front of them is Barzakh until the Day when they will be resurrected.) Abu Salih and others said that:
وَمِن وَرَآئِهِمْ
(and in front of them) means before them. Mujahid said, Al-Barzakh is a barrier between this world and the Hereafter. Muhammad bin Ka`b said, “Al-Barzakh is what is between this world and the Hereafter, neither they are the people of this world, eating and drinking, nor are they with the people of the Hereafter, being rewarded or punished for their deeds.” Abu Sakhr said, “Al-Barzakh refers to the graves. They are neither in this world nor the Hereafter, and they will stay there until the Day of Resurrection.”
وَمِن وَرَآئِهِمْ بَرْزَخٌ
(and in front of them is Barzakh). In these words is a threat to those wrongdoers at the time of death, of the punishment of Barzakh. This is similar to the Ayat:
مِّن وَرَآئِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ
(In front of them there is Hell) 45:10.
وَمِن وَرَآئِهِ عَذَابٌ غَلِيظٌ
(and in front of him will be a great torment) 14: 17.
إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
(until the Day when they will be resurrected). means, he will be punished continually until the Day of Resurrection, as it says in the Hadith:
«فَلَا يَزَالُ مُعَذَّبًا فِيهَا»
(He will continue to be punished in it.) meaning, in the earth.
Verse Number 101-104
The sounding of the Trumpet and the weighing of Deeds in the Scales.
Allah says that when the Trumpet is blown for the Resurrection, and the people rise from their graves,
فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
(there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another.) meaning that lineage will be of no avail on that Day, and a father will not ask about his son or care about him. Allah says:
وَلاَ يَسْـَلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيماً يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ
(And no friend will ask a friend (about his condition), though they shall be made to see one another) 70:10-11. meaning, no relative will ask about another relative, even if he can see him and even if he is carrying a heavy burden. Even if he was the dearest of people to him in this world, he will not care about him or take even the slightest part of his burden from him. Allah says:
يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ – وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ – وَصَـحِبَتِهُ وَبَنِيهِ
(That Day shall a man flee from his brother. And from his mother and his father. And from his wife and his children.) 80:34-36 Ibn Mas`ud said, “On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will gather the first and the last, then a voice will call out, `Whoever is owed something by another, let him come forth and take it.’ And a man will rejoice if he is owed something or had been mistreated by his father or child or wife, even if it is little. ” This is confirmed in the Book of Allah, where Allah says:
فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِى الصُّورِ فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ
(Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another.) This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim.
فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَزِينُهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
(Then, those whose Scales are heavy, these! they are the successful.) means, the one whose good deeds outweigh his bad deeds, even by one. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas.
فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
(they are the successful.) means, those who have attained victory and been saved from Hell and admitted to Paradise. Ibn `Abbas said, “These are the ones who have attained what they wanted and been saved from an evil from which there is no escape.”
وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَزِينُهُ
(And those whose Scales are light,) means, their evil deeds outweigh their good deeds.
فَأُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُم
(they are those who lose themselves,) means, they are doomed and have ended up with the worst deal. Allah says:
فِى جَهَنَّمَ خَـلِدُونَ
(in Hell will they abide. ) meaning, they will stay there forever and will never leave.
تَلْفَحُ وُجُوهَهُمُ النَّارُ
(The Fire will burn their faces,) This is like the Ayah:
وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمْ النَّارُ
(and fire will cover their faces) 14:50. and:
لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ
(If only those who disbelieved knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs) 21:39.
وَهُمْ فِيهَا كَـلِحُونَ
(and therein they will grin, with displaced lips.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah narrated from Ibn `Abbas, “Frowning.”
Verse Number 105-107
Rebuking the People of Hell, their admission of Their Wretchedness and their Request to be brought out of Hell
This is a rebuke from Allah to the people of Hell for the disbelief, sins, unlawful deeds and evil actions that they committed, because of which they were doomed. Allah says:
أَلَمْ تَكُنْ ءَايَـتِى تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنْتُمْ بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ
(“Were not My Ayat recited to you, and then you used to deny them”) meaning, `I sent Messengers to you, and revealed Books, and cleared the confusion for you, so you have no excuse.’ This is like the Ayat:
لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ
(in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers) 4:165
وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً
(And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger) 17:15.
كُلَّمَا أُلْقِىَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ
(Every time a group is cast therein, its keeper will ask: “Did no warner come to you”) Until His saying;
فَسُحْقًا لاًّصْحَـبِ السَّعِيرِ
(So, away with the dwellers of the blazing Fire!) They will say:
رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْماً ضَآلِّينَ
(Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people.) meaning, evidence has been established against us, but we were so doomed that we could not follow it, so we went astray and were not guided. Then they will say:
رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَا فَإِنَّا ظَـلِمُونَ
(Our Lord! Bring us out of this. If ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.) meaning, send us back to the world, and if we go back to what we used to do before, then we will indeed be wrongdoers who deserve punishment. This is like the Ayat:
فَاعْتَرَفْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا فَهَلْ إِلَى خُرُوجٍ مِّن سَبِيلٍ
(Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out) Until His statement:
فَالْحُكْمُ للَّهِ الْعَلِـىِّ الْكَبِيرِ
(So the judgment is only with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great!”) 40:11-12 meaning, there will be no way out, because you used to associate partners in worship with Allah whereas the believers worshipped Him Alone.
Verse Number 108-111
Allah’s Response and Rejection of the Disbelievers
This is the response of Allah to the disbelievers when they ask Him to bring them out of the Fire and send them back to this world. He will say:
اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا
(Remain you in it with ignominy!) meaning, abide therein, humiliated, despised and scorned.
وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ
(And speak you not to Me!) means, `do not ask for this again, for I will not respond to you. Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas concerning this Ayah,
اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ
(Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!) “These are the words of Ar-Rahman when silencing them.” Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, “The people of Hell will call on Malik for forty years, and he will not answer them. Then he will respond and tell them that they are to abide therein. By Allah, their cries will mean nothing to Malik or to the Lord of Malik. Then they will call on their Lord and will say,
قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْماً ضَآلِّينَ – رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَا فَإِنَّا ظَـلِمُونَ
(Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people. Our Lord! Bring us out of this. If ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.) 23:106-107 Allah will not answer them for a time span equivalent to twice the duration of this world. Then He will reply:
اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ
(Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!) By Allah, the people will not utter a single word after that, and they will merely be in the Fire of Hell, sighing in a high and low tone. Their voices are likened to those of donkeys, which start in a high tone and end in a low tone.” Then Allah will remind them of their sins in this world and how they used to make fun of His believing servants and close friends:
إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِى يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الرَحِمِينَ فَاتَّخَذْتُمُوهُمْ سِخْرِيّاً
(Verily, there was a party of My servants who used to say: “Our Lord! We believe, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of all who show mercy!” But you took them for a laughing stock,) meaning, `you made fun of them for calling on Me and praying to Me,’
حَتَّى أَنسَوْكُمْ ذِكْرِى
(so much so that they made you forget My remembrance) means, your hatred for them made you forget what I would do to you.
وَكُنْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ تَضْحَكُونَ
(while you used to laugh at them!) means, at their deeds and worship. This is like the Ayah:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُواْ كَانُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يَضْحَكُونَ – وَإِذَا مَرُّواْ بِهِمْ يَتَغَامَزُونَ
(Verily, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed. And, whenever they passed by them, used to wink one to another.) 83:29-30 meaning, they used to slander them in mockery. Then Allah tells us how He will reward His friends and righteous servants, and says:
إِنِّى جَزَيْتُهُمُ الْيَوْمَ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ
(Verily, I have rewarded them this Day for their patience;) meaning, `for the harm and mockery that you inflicted on them,
أَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْفَآئِزُونَ
(they are indeed the ones that are successful.) I have caused them to attain the victory of joy, safety, Paradise and salvation from the Fire.’
Verse Number 112-116
Allah tells them how much they wasted in their short lives in this world by failing to obey Allah and worship Him Alone.
If they had been patient during their short stay in this world, they would have attained victory just like His pious close friends.
قَـلَ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَ
(He will say: “What number of years did you stay on earth”) means, how long did you stay in this world
قَالُواْ لَبِثْنَا يَوْماً أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَاسْأَلِ الْعَآدِّينَ
(They will say: “We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account.”) meaning, those who keep the records.
قَالَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
(He will say: “You stayed not but a little…”) meaning, it was only a short time, no matter how you look at it.
لَّوْ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
(if you had only known!) means, you would not have preferred the transient to the eternal, and treated yourself in this bad way, and earned the wrath of Allah in this short period. If you had patiently obeyed Allah and worshipped Him as the believers did, you would have attained victory just as they did.
Allah did not create His Servants in vain
أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ عَبَثاً
(Did you think that We had created you in play,) means, `did you think that you were created in vain, with no purpose, with nothing required of you and no wisdom on Our part’ Or it was said that “in play” meant to play and amuse yourselves, like the animals were created, who have no reward or punishment. But you were created to worship Allah and carry out His commands.
وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لاَ تُرْجَعُونَ
(and that you would not be brought back to Us) means, that you would not be brought back to the Hereafter. This is like the Ayah:
أَيَحْسَبُ الإِنسَـنُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى
(Does man think that he will be left neglected) 75:36
فَتَعَـلَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ
(So Exalted be Allah, the True King.) means, sanctified be He above the idea that he should create anything in vain, for He is the True King Who is far above doing such a thing.
لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
(None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Lord of Al-`Arsh Al-Karim!) The Throne is mentioned because it is the highest point of all creation, and it is described as Karim, meaning beautiful in appearance and splendid in form, as Allah says elsewhere:
أَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ
(every good kind We cause to grow therein) 26:7.
Verse Number 117-118
Shirk is the Worst form of Wrong, its Practitioner shall never succeed. Allah threatens those who associate anything else withHim and worship anything with Him. He informs that those whoassociate others with Allah:
لاَ بُرْهَانَ لَهُ
(of whom he has no proof), meaning no evidence for what he says. Then Allah says:
وَمَن يَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ لاَ بُرْهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ
(And whoever invokes, besides Allah, any other god, of whom he has no proof;) this is a conditional sentence, whose fulfilling clause is:
فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ
(then his reckoning is only with his Lord.) meaning, Allah will call him to account for that. Then Allah tells us:
إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الْكَـفِرُونَ
(Surely, disbelievers will not be successful.) meaning, they will not be successful with Him on the Day of Resurrection; they will not prosper or be saved.
وَقُل رَّبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَأنتَ خَيْرُ الرَحِمِينَ
(And say: “My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the best of those who show mercy!”) Here Allah is teaching us to recite this supplication, for forgiveness, in a general sense, means wiping away sins and concealing them from people, and mercy means guiding a person and helping him to say and do good things.
END