Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

`Isa is the Servant of Allah and not His Son Allah, the Exalted, says to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, `This is the story which We have related to you about `Isa,' upon him be peace. قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِى فِيهِ يَمْتُرُونَ ((It is) a statement of truth about which they doubt.) lThis means that the people of falsehood and the people of truth are in disagreement, of those who believe in him and those who disbelieve believe in him. For this reason most of the reciters recited this Ayah with Qawlul-Haqq (statement of truth) as the subject, referring to `Isa himself. `Asim and `Abdullah bin `Amir both recited it Qawlal-Haqq (statement of truth) referring to the story in its entirety that the people differed about. It is reported from Ibn Mas`ud that he recited it as Qalal-Haqqa, which means that he (`Isa) said the truth. The recitation of the Ayah with the Qawlul-Haqq being the subject referring to `Isa, is the most apparent meaning grammatically. It has support for it in the statement of Allah after the story of `Isa, الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ ((This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:60 When Allah mentioned that He created him as a servant and a Prophet, He extolled Himself, the Most Holy, by saying, مَا كَانَ للَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ مِن وَلَدٍ سُبْحَـنَهُ (It befits not (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glorified be He.) Means glory be unto Him, He is far exalted above that which these ignorant, wrongdoing, transgressing people say about Him. إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ (When He decrees a thing, He only says to it: "Be!" -- and it is.) Whenever He wants something, He merely commands it and it happens as He wills. This is as Allah says, إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِندَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ - الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ (Verily, the likeness of `Isa before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be" -- and he was. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:59-60 `Isa commanded the Worship of Allah Alone, then the People differed after Him Allah said; وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (And verily, Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Among those things which `Isa said to his people while he was in his cradle is that Allah was his Lord and their Lord, and he commanded them to worship Him alone. He said, فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Meaning, "That which I have come to you with from Allah is the straight path." This means that the path is correct; whoever follows it will be rightly guided and whoever opposes it will deviate and go astray. Allah's statement, فَاخْتَلَفَ الاٌّحْزَابُ مِن بَيْنِهِمْ (Then the sects differed,) means that the opinions of the People of the Book differed concerning `Isa even after the explanation of his affair and the clarification of his situation. They disagreed about his being the servant of Allah, His Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam and a spirit from Himself. So a group of them -- who were the majority of the Jews (may Allah's curses be upon them) -- determined that he was a child of fornication and that his speaking in his cradle was merely sorcery. Another group said that it was Allah Who was speaking (not `Isa). Others said that he (`Isa) was the son of Allah. Some said that he was the third part of a divine trinity with Allah. Yet, others said that he was the servant of Allah and His Messenger. This latter view is the statement of truth, which Allah guided the believers to. A report similar with this meaning has been reported from `Amr bin Maymun, Ibn Jurayj, Qatadah and others from the Salaf (predecessors) and the Khalaf (later generations). Allah said, فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (so woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) This is a threat and severe warning for those who lie about Allah, invent falsehood and claim that He (Allah) has a son. However, Allah has given them respite until the Day of Resurrection, and He has delayed their term out of gentleness and confident reliance upon His divine decree overcoming them. Verily, Allah does not hasten the affair of those who disobey Him. This has been related in a Hadith collected in the Two Sahihs, «إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه» (Verily, Allah gives respite to the wrongdoer until He seizes him and he will not be able to escape Him.) Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the Ayah, وَكَذلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ (Such is the punishment of your Lord when He punishes the towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful, (and) severe.) 11:102 In the Two Sahihs it is also reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «لَا أَحَدَ أَصْبَرُ عَلَى أَذىً سَمِعَهُ مِنَ اللهِ، إِنَّهُمْ يَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُوَ يَرْزُقُهُمْ وَيُعَافِيهِم» (No one is more patient with something harmful that he hears than Allah. Verily, they attribute to Him a son, while He is the One Who provides them sustenance and good health.) Allah says, وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ (And many a township did I give respite while it was given to wrongdoing. Then I punished it. And to me is the (final) return (of all).) 22:48 Allah, the Exalted, also says, وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَـفِلاً عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّـلِمُونَ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَـرُ (Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the wrongdoers do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.)14:42 This is the reason that Allah says here, فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (So woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) referring to the Day of Resurrection. It has been related in an authentic Hadith that is agreed upon (in Al-Bukhari and Muslim), on the authority of `Ubadah bin As-Samit who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «مَنْ شَهِدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَأَنَّ عِيسَى عَبْدُاللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ، وَأَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارَ حَقٌّ، أَدْخَلَهُ اللهُ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنَ الْعَمَل» (Whoever testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and that `Isa was Allah's servant and Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam, and a spirit from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are both real, then Allah will admit him into Paradise regardless of whatever he did.) أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا لَـكِنِ الظَّـلِمُونَ الْيَوْمَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

`Isa is the Servant of Allah and not His Son Allah, the Exalted, says to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, `This is the story which We have related to you about `Isa,' upon him be peace. قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِى فِيهِ يَمْتُرُونَ ((It is) a statement of truth about which they doubt.) lThis means that the people of falsehood and the people of truth are in disagreement, of those who believe in him and those who disbelieve believe in him. For this reason most of the reciters recited this Ayah with Qawlul-Haqq (statement of truth) as the subject, referring to `Isa himself. `Asim and `Abdullah bin `Amir both recited it Qawlal-Haqq (statement of truth) referring to the story in its entirety that the people differed about. It is reported from Ibn Mas`ud that he recited it as Qalal-Haqqa, which means that he (`Isa) said the truth. The recitation of the Ayah with the Qawlul-Haqq being the subject referring to `Isa, is the most apparent meaning grammatically. It has support for it in the statement of Allah after the story of `Isa, الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ ((This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:60 When Allah mentioned that He created him as a servant and a Prophet, He extolled Himself, the Most Holy, by saying, مَا كَانَ للَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ مِن وَلَدٍ سُبْحَـنَهُ (It befits not (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glorified be He.) Means glory be unto Him, He is far exalted above that which these ignorant, wrongdoing, transgressing people say about Him. إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ (When He decrees a thing, He only says to it: "Be!" -- and it is.) Whenever He wants something, He merely commands it and it happens as He wills. This is as Allah says, إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِندَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ - الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مِّن الْمُمْتَرِينَ (Verily, the likeness of `Isa before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be" -- and he was. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.) 3:59-60 `Isa commanded the Worship of Allah Alone, then the People differed after Him Allah said; وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (And verily, Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Among those things which `Isa said to his people while he was in his cradle is that Allah was his Lord and their Lord, and he commanded them to worship Him alone. He said, فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (So worship Him. That is the straight path.) Meaning, "That which I have come to you with from Allah is the straight path." This means that the path is correct; whoever follows it will be rightly guided and whoever opposes it will deviate and go astray. Allah's statement, فَاخْتَلَفَ الاٌّحْزَابُ مِن بَيْنِهِمْ (Then the sects differed,) means that the opinions of the People of the Book differed concerning `Isa even after the explanation of his affair and the clarification of his situation. They disagreed about his being the servant of Allah, His Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam and a spirit from Himself. So a group of them -- who were the majority of the Jews (may Allah's curses be upon them) -- determined that he was a child of fornication and that his speaking in his cradle was merely sorcery. Another group said that it was Allah Who was speaking (not `Isa). Others said that he (`Isa) was the son of Allah. Some said that he was the third part of a divine trinity with Allah. Yet, others said that he was the servant of Allah and His Messenger. This latter view is the statement of truth, which Allah guided the believers to. A report similar with this meaning has been reported from `Amr bin Maymun, Ibn Jurayj, Qatadah and others from the Salaf (predecessors) and the Khalaf (later generations). Allah said, فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (so woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) This is a threat and severe warning for those who lie about Allah, invent falsehood and claim that He (Allah) has a son. However, Allah has given them respite until the Day of Resurrection, and He has delayed their term out of gentleness and confident reliance upon His divine decree overcoming them. Verily, Allah does not hasten the affair of those who disobey Him. This has been related in a Hadith collected in the Two Sahihs, «إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه» (Verily, Allah gives respite to the wrongdoer until He seizes him and he will not be able to escape Him.) Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the Ayah, وَكَذلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ (Such is the punishment of your Lord when He punishes the towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His punishment is painful, (and) severe.) 11:102 In the Two Sahihs it is also reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «لَا أَحَدَ أَصْبَرُ عَلَى أَذىً سَمِعَهُ مِنَ اللهِ، إِنَّهُمْ يَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُوَ يَرْزُقُهُمْ وَيُعَافِيهِم» (No one is more patient with something harmful that he hears than Allah. Verily, they attribute to Him a son, while He is the One Who provides them sustenance and good health.) Allah says, وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِىَ ظَـلِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ (And many a township did I give respite while it was given to wrongdoing. Then I punished it. And to me is the (final) return (of all).) 22:48 Allah, the Exalted, also says, وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَـفِلاً عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّـلِمُونَ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَـرُ (Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the wrongdoers do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.)14:42 This is the reason that Allah says here, فَوْيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن مَّشْهِدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (So woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of a great Day.) referring to the Day of Resurrection. It has been related in an authentic Hadith that is agreed upon (in Al-Bukhari and Muslim), on the authority of `Ubadah bin As-Samit who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «مَنْ شَهِدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَأَنَّ عِيسَى عَبْدُاللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ، وَأَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارَ حَقٌّ، أَدْخَلَهُ اللهُ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنَ الْعَمَل» (Whoever testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and that `Isa was Allah's servant and Messenger, and His Word that He cast upon Maryam, and a spirit from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are both real, then Allah will admit him into Paradise regardless of whatever he did.) أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا لَـكِنِ الظَّـلِمُونَ الْيَوْمَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Disbeliever's warning of the Day of Distress Allah, the Exalted, says informing about the disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection that they will be made to have the clearest hearing and sight. This is as Allah says, وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا (And if you only could see when the criminals hang their heads before their Lord (saying): "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard.") 32:12 They will say that when it will not benefit them, nor will it be of any use to them. If they had used these senses properly before seeing the torment, then it would have brought them some benefit and saved them from the Allah's punishment. This is why Allah says, أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ (How clearly will they (disbelievers) see and hear,) This means that no one will hear and see better than they will. يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا (the day when they will appear before Us.) The Day of Resurrection. لَـكِنِ الظَّـلِمُونَ الْيَوْمَ (But the wrongdoers today are...) now, in the life of this world, فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ (...in plain error.) They do not hear, see or think. When they are requested to follow guidance, they are not guided and they succumb to those things that do not benefit them. Then, Allah says, وَأَنْذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْحَسْرَةِ (And warn them of the Day of grief and regrets,) warn the creation of the Day of Distress, إِذْ قُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ (when the case has been decided,) when the people of Paradise and the people of Hell will be sorted out, and everyone will reach his final abode which he was destined to remain in forever. وَهُمْ (while (now) they are) today, in the present life of this world, فِى غَفْلَةٍ (in a state of carelessness.) with the warning of the Day of grief and regret, they are heedless. وَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ (and they believe not.) meaning they do not believe that it is true. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِذَا دَخَلَ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَهْلُ النَّارِ النَّارَ، يُجَاءُ بِالْمَوْتِ كَأَنَّهُ كَبْشٌ أَمْلَحُ فَيُوقَفُ بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ، فَيُقَالُ: يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا، قَالَ: فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ:نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ قَالَ: فَيُقَالُ: يَاأَهْلَ النَّارِ، هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا؟ قَالَ: فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ: نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ قَالَ: فَيُؤْمَرُ بِهِ فَيُذْبَحُ، قَالَ: وَيُقَالُ: يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ، خُلُودٌ وَلَا مَوْتَ، وَيَا أَهْلَ النَّارِ، خُلُودٌ وَلَا مَوْت» (When the people of Paradise enter Paradise and the people of the Hellfire enter the Hellfire, death will be brought in the form of a handsome ram and it will be placed between Paradise and the Hellfire. Then, it will be said, "O people of Paradise, do you know what this is" Then, they will turn their gazes and look, and they will say, "Yes, this is death." Then, it will be said, "O people of the Hellfire, do you know what this is" Then, they will turn their gazes and look, and they will say, "Yes, this is death." Then, the order will be given for it to be slaughtered and it will be said, "O people of Paradise, eternity and no more death, O people of Hellfire, eternity and no more death.") Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the Ayah, وَأَنْذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْحَسْرَةِ إِذْ قُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍ وَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ (And warn them of the Day of grief and regret, when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not.) Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made a gesture with his hand and said, «أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا فِي غَفْلَةِ الدُّنْيَا» (The people of this life are in the state of heedlessness of this life.) Thus recorded Imam Ahmad and it was also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in their Sahihs with wording similar to this. It is reported from `Abdullah bin Mas`ud that he mentioned a story in which he said, "There is not a soul except that it will see a residence in Paradise and a residence in the Hellfire, and this will be the Day of distress. So the people of the Hellfire will see the residence that Allah prepared for them if they had believed. Then, it will be said to them, `If you had believed and worked righteous deeds, you would have had this, which you see in Paradise.' Then, they will be overcome with distress and grief. Likewise, the people of Paradise will see the residence that is in the Hellfire and it will be said to them, `If Allah had not bestowed His favor upon you (this would have been your place).' " Concerning Allah's statement, إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَرِثُ الاٌّرْضَ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ (Verily, We will inherit the earth and whatsoever is thereon. And to Us they all shall be returned.) Allah is informing that He is the Creator, the Owner and the Controller of all matters. All of the creation will be destroyed and only He, the Most High and Most Holy, will remain. There is no one who can claim absolute ownership and control of affairs besides Him. He is the Inheritor of all His creation. He is the Eternal, Who will remain after they are gone and He is the Judge of their affairs. Therefore, no soul will be done any injustice, nor wronged even the weight of a mosquito or an atom. Ibn Abi Hatim recor- ded that Hazm bin Abi Hazm Al-Quta`i said, "`Umar bin `Abdul-Aziz wrote to `Abdul-Hamid bin `Abdur-Rahman, who was the governor of Kufah: `Thus, to proceed: Verily, Allah prescribed death for His creatures when He created them and He determined their final destination. He said in that which He revealed in His truthful Book, which He guarded with His knowledge and made His angels testify to its preservation, that He will inherit the earth and all who are on it, and they will all be returned to Him."'

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Disbeliever's warning of the Day of Distress Allah, the Exalted, says informing about the disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection that they will be made to have the clearest hearing and sight. This is as Allah says, وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا (And if you only could see when the criminals hang their heads before their Lord (saying): "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard.") 32:12 They will say that when it will not benefit them, nor will it be of any use to them. If they had used these senses properly before seeing the torment, then it would have brought them some benefit and saved them from the Allah's punishment. This is why Allah says, أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ (How clearly will they (disbelievers) see and hear,) This means that no one will hear and see better than they will. يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا (the day when they will appear before Us.) The Day of Resurrection. لَـكِنِ الظَّـلِمُونَ الْيَوْمَ (But the wrongdoers today are...) now, in the life of this world, فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ (...in plain error.) They do not hear, see or think. When they are requested to follow guidance, they are not guided and they succumb to those things that do not benefit them. Then, Allah says, وَأَنْذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْحَسْرَةِ (And warn them of the Day of grief and regrets,) warn the creation of the Day of Distress, إِذْ قُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ (when the case has been decided,) when the people of Paradise and the people of Hell will be sorted out, and everyone will reach his final abode which he was destined to remain in forever. وَهُمْ (while (now) they are) today, in the present life of this world, فِى غَفْلَةٍ (in a state of carelessness.) with the warning of the Day of grief and regret, they are heedless. وَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ (and they believe not.) meaning they do not believe that it is true. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِذَا دَخَلَ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَهْلُ النَّارِ النَّارَ، يُجَاءُ بِالْمَوْتِ كَأَنَّهُ كَبْشٌ أَمْلَحُ فَيُوقَفُ بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ، فَيُقَالُ: يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا، قَالَ: فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ:نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ قَالَ: فَيُقَالُ: يَاأَهْلَ النَّارِ، هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا؟ قَالَ: فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ: نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ قَالَ: فَيُؤْمَرُ بِهِ فَيُذْبَحُ، قَالَ: وَيُقَالُ: يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ، خُلُودٌ وَلَا مَوْتَ، وَيَا أَهْلَ النَّارِ، خُلُودٌ وَلَا مَوْت» (When the people of Paradise enter Paradise and the people of the Hellfire enter the Hellfire, death will be brought in the form of a handsome ram and it will be placed between Paradise and the Hellfire. Then, it will be said, "O people of Paradise, do you know what this is" Then, they will turn their gazes and look, and they will say, "Yes, this is death." Then, it will be said, "O people of the Hellfire, do you know what this is" Then, they will turn their gazes and look, and they will say, "Yes, this is death." Then, the order will be given for it to be slaughtered and it will be said, "O people of Paradise, eternity and no more death, O people of Hellfire, eternity and no more death.") Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the Ayah, وَأَنْذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْحَسْرَةِ إِذْ قُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍ وَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ (And warn them of the Day of grief and regret, when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not.) Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made a gesture with his hand and said, «أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا فِي غَفْلَةِ الدُّنْيَا» (The people of this life are in the state of heedlessness of this life.) Thus recorded Imam Ahmad and it was also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in their Sahihs with wording similar to this. It is reported from `Abdullah bin Mas`ud that he mentioned a story in which he said, "There is not a soul except that it will see a residence in Paradise and a residence in the Hellfire, and this will be the Day of distress. So the people of the Hellfire will see the residence that Allah prepared for them if they had believed. Then, it will be said to them, `If you had believed and worked righteous deeds, you would have had this, which you see in Paradise.' Then, they will be overcome with distress and grief. Likewise, the people of Paradise will see the residence that is in the Hellfire and it will be said to them, `If Allah had not bestowed His favor upon you (this would have been your place).' " Concerning Allah's statement, إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَرِثُ الاٌّرْضَ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ (Verily, We will inherit the earth and whatsoever is thereon. And to Us they all shall be returned.) Allah is informing that He is the Creator, the Owner and the Controller of all matters. All of the creation will be destroyed and only He, the Most High and Most Holy, will remain. There is no one who can claim absolute ownership and control of affairs besides Him. He is the Inheritor of all His creation. He is the Eternal, Who will remain after they are gone and He is the Judge of their affairs. Therefore, no soul will be done any injustice, nor wronged even the weight of a mosquito or an atom. Ibn Abi Hatim recor- ded that Hazm bin Abi Hazm Al-Quta`i said, "`Umar bin `Abdul-Aziz wrote to `Abdul-Hamid bin `Abdur-Rahman, who was the governor of Kufah: `Thus, to proceed: Verily, Allah prescribed death for His creatures when He created them and He determined their final destination. He said in that which He revealed in His truthful Book, which He guarded with His knowledge and made His angels testify to its preservation, that He will inherit the earth and all who are on it, and they will all be returned to Him."'

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Disbeliever's warning of the Day of Distress Allah, the Exalted, says informing about the disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection that they will be made to have the clearest hearing and sight. This is as Allah says, وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا (And if you only could see when the criminals hang their heads before their Lord (saying): "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard.") 32:12 They will say that when it will not benefit them, nor will it be of any use to them. If they had used these senses properly before seeing the torment, then it would have brought them some benefit and saved them from the Allah's punishment. This is why Allah says, أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ (How clearly will they (disbelievers) see and hear,) This means that no one will hear and see better than they will. يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا (the day when they will appear before Us.) The Day of Resurrection. لَـكِنِ الظَّـلِمُونَ الْيَوْمَ (But the wrongdoers today are...) now, in the life of this world, فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ (...in plain error.) They do not hear, see or think. When they are requested to follow guidance, they are not guided and they succumb to those things that do not benefit them. Then, Allah says, وَأَنْذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْحَسْرَةِ (And warn them of the Day of grief and regrets,) warn the creation of the Day of Distress, إِذْ قُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ (when the case has been decided,) when the people of Paradise and the people of Hell will be sorted out, and everyone will reach his final abode which he was destined to remain in forever. وَهُمْ (while (now) they are) today, in the present life of this world, فِى غَفْلَةٍ (in a state of carelessness.) with the warning of the Day of grief and regret, they are heedless. وَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ (and they believe not.) meaning they do not believe that it is true. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِذَا دَخَلَ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَهْلُ النَّارِ النَّارَ، يُجَاءُ بِالْمَوْتِ كَأَنَّهُ كَبْشٌ أَمْلَحُ فَيُوقَفُ بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ، فَيُقَالُ: يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا، قَالَ: فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ:نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ قَالَ: فَيُقَالُ: يَاأَهْلَ النَّارِ، هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا؟ قَالَ: فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ: نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ قَالَ: فَيُؤْمَرُ بِهِ فَيُذْبَحُ، قَالَ: وَيُقَالُ: يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ، خُلُودٌ وَلَا مَوْتَ، وَيَا أَهْلَ النَّارِ، خُلُودٌ وَلَا مَوْت» (When the people of Paradise enter Paradise and the people of the Hellfire enter the Hellfire, death will be brought in the form of a handsome ram and it will be placed between Paradise and the Hellfire. Then, it will be said, "O people of Paradise, do you know what this is" Then, they will turn their gazes and look, and they will say, "Yes, this is death." Then, it will be said, "O people of the Hellfire, do you know what this is" Then, they will turn their gazes and look, and they will say, "Yes, this is death." Then, the order will be given for it to be slaughtered and it will be said, "O people of Paradise, eternity and no more death, O people of Hellfire, eternity and no more death.") Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the Ayah, وَأَنْذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْحَسْرَةِ إِذْ قُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍ وَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ (And warn them of the Day of grief and regret, when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not.) Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made a gesture with his hand and said, «أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا فِي غَفْلَةِ الدُّنْيَا» (The people of this life are in the state of heedlessness of this life.) Thus recorded Imam Ahmad and it was also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in their Sahihs with wording similar to this. It is reported from `Abdullah bin Mas`ud that he mentioned a story in which he said, "There is not a soul except that it will see a residence in Paradise and a residence in the Hellfire, and this will be the Day of distress. So the people of the Hellfire will see the residence that Allah prepared for them if they had believed. Then, it will be said to them, `If you had believed and worked righteous deeds, you would have had this, which you see in Paradise.' Then, they will be overcome with distress and grief. Likewise, the people of Paradise will see the residence that is in the Hellfire and it will be said to them, `If Allah had not bestowed His favor upon you (this would have been your place).' " Concerning Allah's statement, إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَرِثُ الاٌّرْضَ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ (Verily, We will inherit the earth and whatsoever is thereon. And to Us they all shall be returned.) Allah is informing that He is the Creator, the Owner and the Controller of all matters. All of the creation will be destroyed and only He, the Most High and Most Holy, will remain. There is no one who can claim absolute ownership and control of affairs besides Him. He is the Inheritor of all His creation. He is the Eternal, Who will remain after they are gone and He is the Judge of their affairs. Therefore, no soul will be done any injustice, nor wronged even the weight of a mosquito or an atom. Ibn Abi Hatim recor- ded that Hazm bin Abi Hazm Al-Quta`i said, "`Umar bin `Abdul-Aziz wrote to `Abdul-Hamid bin `Abdur-Rahman, who was the governor of Kufah: `Thus, to proceed: Verily, Allah prescribed death for His creatures when He created them and He determined their final destination. He said in that which He revealed in His truthful Book, which He guarded with His knowledge and made His angels testify to its preservation, that He will inherit the earth and all who are on it, and they will all be returned to Him."'