Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Those who have been destroyed, will never return to this World. وَحَرَامٌ عَلَى قَرْيَةٍ (And a ban is laid on every town) Ibn `Abbas said, "it is enforced", i.e., it has been decreed that the people of each township that has been destroyed will never return to this world before the Day of Resurrection, as is reported clearly through other narrations from Ibn `Abbas, Abu Ja`far Al-Baqir, Qatadah and others. Ya'juj and Ma'juj حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ (Until, when Ya`juj and Ma`juj are let loose,) We have already mentioned that they are from the progeny of Adam, upon him be peace; they are also descents of Nuh through his son Yafith (Japheth), who was the father of the Turks, Turk referring to the group of them who were left behind the barrier which was built by Dhul-Qarnayn. Allah says: هَـذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّى فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّى جَعَلَهُ دَكَّآءَ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّى حَقّاًوَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِى بَعْضٍ (This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the promise of my Lord is ever true. And on that Day, We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another...)18:98-99. And in this Ayah, Allah says: حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ (Until, when Ya`juj and Ma`juj are let loose, and they swoop down from every Hadab.) meaning, they will come forth quickly to spread corruption. A Hadab is a raised portion of land. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Abu Salih, Ath-Thawri and others. This is how their emergence is described, as if the listener can see it. وَلاَ يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ (And none can inform you like Him Who is the All-Knower.) 35:14. This is information given by the One Who knows what has happened and what is yet to come, the One Who knows the unseen in the heavens and on earth. There is no god except Him. Ibn Jarir narrated that `Ubaydullah bin Abi Yazid said, "Ibn `Abbas saw some young boys playing and pouncing on one another, and said, this is how Ya'juj and Ma'juj will emerge." Their emergence has been described in numerous Hadiths of the Prophet . The First Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: «تُفْتَحُ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ، فَيَخْرُجُونَ عَلَى النَّاسِ، كَمَا قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: وَهُمْ مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ فَيَغْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ وَيَنْحَازُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَنْهُمْ إِلَى مَدَائِنِهِمْ وَحُصُونِهِمْ، وَيَضُمُّونَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَوَاشِيَهُمْ، وَيَشْرَبُونَ مِيَاهَ الْأَرْضِ، حَتَّى إِنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ لَيَمُرُّ بِالنَّهَرِ فَيَشْرَبُونَ مَا فِيهِ حَتَّى يَتْرُكُوهُ يَابِسًا، حَتَّى إِنَّ مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ لَيَمُرُّ بِذَلِكَ النَّهَرِ فَيَقُولُ: قَدْ كَانَ هَهُنَا مَاءٌ مَرَّةً، حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا أَحَدٌ فِي حِصْنٍ أَوْ مَدِينَةٍ، قَالَ قَائِلُهُمْ: هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلُ الْأَرْضِ قَدْ فَرَغْنَا مِنْهُمْ بَقِيَ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ، قَالَ: ثُمَّ يَهُزُّ أَحَدُهُمْ حَرْبَتَهُ، ثُمَّ يَرْمِي بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَتَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ مُخضَّبَةً دَمًا لِلْبَلَاءِ وَالْفِتْنَةِ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، بَعَثَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ دُودًا فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ كَنَغَفِ الْجَرَادِ الَّذِي يَخْرُجُ فِي أَعْنَاقِهِ، فَيُصْبِحُونَ مَوْتَى لَا يُسْمَعُ لَهُمْ حِسٌّ، فَيَقُولُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ: أَلَا رَجُلٌ يَشْرِي لَنَا نَفْسَهُ فَيَنْظُرَ مَا فَعَلَ هَذَا الْعَدُوُّ؟ قَالَ: فَيَتَجَرَّدُ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ مُحْتَسِبًا نَفْسَهُ، قَدْ أَوْطَنَهَا عَلَى أَنَّهُ مَقْتُولٌ، فَيَنْزِلُ فَيَجِدُهُمْ مَوْتَى، بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ، فَيُنَادِي: يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، أَلَا أَبْشِرُوا إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدْ كَفَاكُمْ عَدُوَّكُمْ، فَيَخْرُجُونَ مِنْ مَدَائِنِهِمْ وَحُصُونِهِمْ، وَيُسَرِّحُونَ مَوَاشِيَهُمْ، فَمَا يَكُونُ لَهُمْ رَعْيٌ إِلَّا لُحُومُهُمْ، فَتَشْكَرُ عَنْهُمْ كَأَحْسَنِ مَا شَكِرَتْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ مِنَ النَّبَاتِ أَصَاَبَتْهُ قَط» (Ya'juj and Ma'juj will be let loose and will emerge upon mankind, as Allah says: (and they swoop down from every Hadab.) They will overwhelm the people, and the Muslims will retreat to their cities and strongholds, bringing their flocks with them. They Ya'juj and Ma'juj will drink all the water of the land until some of them will pass a river and drink it dry, then those who come after them will pass by that place and will say, "There used to be water here once." Then there will be no one left except those who are in their strongholds and cities. Then one of them will say, "We have defeated the people of the earth; now the people of heaven are left." One of them will shake his spear and hurl it into the sky, and it will come back stained with blood, as a test and a trial for them. While this is happening, Allah will send a worm in their necks, like the worm that is found in date-stones or in the nostrils of sheep, and they will die and their clamor will cease. Then the Muslims will say, "Who will volunteer to find out what the enemy is doing" One of them will step forward and volunteer, knowing that he will likely be killed. He will go down and will find them dead, lying on top of one another. Then he will call out, "O Muslims! Rejoice that Allah has sufficed you against your enemy!" Then they will come out of their cities and strongholds, and will let their flocks out to graze, but they will have nothing to graze upon except the flesh of these people (Ya'juj and Ma'juj), but it will fill them better than any vegetation they have ever eaten before.) It was also recorded by Ibn Majah. The Second Hadith Imam Ahmad also recorded from An-Nawwas bin Sam`an Al-Kilabi that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned the Dajjal one morning. "Sometimes he described him as insignificant and sometimes he described him as so significant that we felt as if he were in the cluster of palm trees. He said: «غَيْرُ الدَّجَّالِ أَخْوَفُنِي عَلَيْكُمْ. فَإِنْ يَخْرُجْ وَأَنَا فِيكُمْ، فَأَنَا حَجِيجُهُ دُونَكُمْ، وَإِنْ يَخْرُجْ وَلَسْتُ فِيكُمْ، فَكُلُّ امْرِىءٍ حَجيجُ نَفْسِهِ، وَاللهُ خَلِيفَتِي عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ، وَإِنَّهُ شَابٌّ جَعْدٌ قَطَطٌ، عَيْنُهُ طَافِيَةٌ، وَإِنَّهُ يَخْرُجُ خَلَّةً بَيْنَ الشَّامِ وَالْعِرَاقِ فَعَاثَ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالًا، يَا عِبَادَ اللهِ اثْبُتُوا» (There are other things that I fear for you more than the Dajjal. If he emerges while I am among you, I will deal with him for you. If he emerges when I am not among you, then each man will have to deal with him for himself, and Allah will take care of each Muslim on my behalf. He (the Dajjal) will be a young man with short, curly hair and a floating eye. He will emerge in a place between Syria and Iraq and will spread mischief right and left. O servants of Allah, be steadfast!) We said, `O Messenger of Allah, how long will he remain on earth' He said, «أَرْبَعُونَ يَوْمًا، يَوْمٌ كَسَنَةٍ، وَيَوْمٌ كَشَهْرٍ، يَوْمٌ كَجُمُعَةٍ، وَسَائِرُ أَيَّامِهِ كَأَيَّامِكُم» (Forty days: one day like a year, one day like a month, one day like a week, and the rest of the days like your days.) We said, `O Messenger of Allah, on that day which will be like a year, will the prayers of one day and one night be sufficient' He said, «لَا، اقْدُرُوا لَهُ قَدْرَه» (No, but you will have to compute it according to its due proportion (and pray accordingly).) We said, `O Messenger of Allah, how fast will he move across the land' He said, «كَالْغَيْثِ اسْتَدْبَرَتْهُ الرِّيح» (Like a cloud driven by the wind.) He said, «فَيَمُرُّ بِالْحَيِّ فَيَدْعُوهُمْ فَيَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُ، فَيَأْمُرُ السَّمَاءَ فَتُمْطِرُ، وَالْأَرْضَ فَتُنْبِتُ، وَتَرُوحُ عَلَيْهِمْ سَارِحَتُهُمْ، وَهِيَ أَطْوَلُ مَا كَانَتْ ذُرًى، وَأَمَدَّهُ خَوَاصِرَ، وَأَسْبَغَهُ ضُرُوعًا، وَيَمُرُّ بِالْحَيِّ فَيَدْعُوهُمْ فَيَرُدُّونَ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلَهُ، فَتَتْبَعُهُ أَمْوَالُهُمْ فَيُصْبِحُونَ مُمْحِلِينَ، لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ شَيْءٌ، وَيَمُرُّ بِالْخَرِبَةِ فَيَقُولُ لَهَا: أَخْرِجِي كُنُوزَكِ، فَتَتْبَعُهُ كُنُوزُهَا كَيَعَاسِيبِ النَّحْلِ قَالَ: وَيَأْمُرُ بِرَجُلٍ فَيُقْتَلُ، فَيَضْرِبُهُ بِالسَّيْفِ فَيَقْطَعُهُ جَزْلَتَيْنِ رَمْيَةَ الْغَرَضِ، ثُمَّ يَدْعُوهُ فَيُقْبِلُ إِلَيْهِ، يَتَهَلَّلُ وَجْهُهُ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، إِذْ بَعَثَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، فَيَنْزِلُ عِنْدَ الْمَنَارَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ شَرْقِيَّ دِمَشْقَ بَيْنَ مَهْرُودَتَيْنِ، وَاضِعًا يَدَيْهِ عَلَى أَجْنِحَةِ مَلَكَيْنِ، فَيَتْبَعُهُ فَيُدْرِكُهُ فَيَقْتُلُهُ عِنْدَ بَابِ لُدَ الشَّرْقِيِّ قَالَ: فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ، إِذْ أَوْحَى اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنِّي قَدْ أَخْرَجْتُ عِبَادًا مِنْ عِبَادِي، لَا يَدَانِ لَكَ بِقِتَالِهِمْ، فَحَرِّزْ عِبَادِي إِلَى الطُّورِ، فَيَبْعَثُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: وَهُمْ مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ (He will come to a people and call them to his way and they will respond to him. He will issue a command to the sky and it will rain, and to the earth and it will bring forth vegetation, then their livestock will come to them in the evening with their humps very high and their udders full of milk and their flanks wide and fat. Then he will come to another people and call them to his way and they will refuse, and their wealth will leave with him, and they will be faced with drought, with none of their wealth left. Then he will walk through the wasteland and will say to it, "Bring forth your treasure," and its treasure will come forth like a swarm of bees. Then he will issue commands that a man be killed, and he will strike him with a sword and cut him into two pieces, and (put these pieces as far apart) as the distance between an archer and his target. Then he will call him, and the man will come to him with his face shining. At that point Allah will send the Messiah `Isa bin Maryam, who will come down to the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus, wearing two garments lightly dyed with saffron and with his hands resting on the wings of two angels. He will search for him (the Dajjal) until he catches up with him at the eastern gate of Ludd, where he will kill him. Then Allah will reveal to `Isa ibn Maryam the words: "I have brought forth from amongst My creatures people against whom none will be able to fight. Take My servants safely to the Mount (Tur)." Then Allah will send Ya'juj and Ma'juj, as Allah says: (and they swoop down from every Hadab.)) فَيَرْغَبُ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، فَيُرْسِلُ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَغَفًا فِي رِقَابِهِمْ فَيُصْبِحُونَ فَرْسَى كَمَوْتِ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، فَيَهْبِطُ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ فَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بَيْتًا إِلَّا قَدْ مَلَأَهُ زَهَمُهُمْ وَنَتَنُهُمْ، فَيَرْغَبُ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ،فَيُرْسِلُ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا كَأَعْنَاقِ الْبُخْتِ، فَتَحْمِلُهُمْ فَتَطْرَحُهُمْ حَيْثُ شَاءَ الله» (`Isa and his companions will beseech Allah, and Allah will send against them insects which will attack their necks, and in the morning they will all perish as one. Then `Isa and his companions will come down and they will not find a single spot on earth that is free from their putrefaction and stench. Then `Isa and his companions will again beseech Allah, and He will send birds with necks like those of Bactrian camels, and they will carry them and throw them wherever Allah wills.) Ibn Jabir said: "`Ata' bin Yazid As-Saksaki told me, from Ka`b or someone else: `They will throw them into Al-Mahbal.' Ibn Jabir said: "I said, `O Abu Yazid, and where is Al-Mahbal" He said, "In the east (where the sun rises)." He said: «وَيُرْسِلُ اللهُ مَطَرًا لَا يَكُنُّ مِنْهُ بَيْتُ مَدَرٍ وَلَا وَبَرٍ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، فَيَغْسِلُ الْأَرْضَ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَهَا كَالزَّلَفَةِ، وَيُقَالُ لِلْأَرْضِ: أَنْبِتِي ثَمَرَكِ وَرُدِّي بَرَكَتَكِ، قَالَ: فَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَأْكُلُ النَّفَرُ مِنَ الرُّمَّانَةِ فَيَسْتَظِلُّونَ بِقِحْفِهَا، وَيُبَارَكُ فِي الرِّسْلِ حَتَّى إِنَّ اللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الْإِبِلِ لَتَكْفِي الْفِئَامَ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَاللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ تَكْفِي الْفَخِذَ، وَالشَّاةَ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ تَكْفِي أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ، قَالَ: فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، إِذْ بَعَثَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ رِيحًا طَيِّبَةً، فَتَأْخُذُهُمْ تَحْتَ آبَاطِهِمْ فَتَقْبِضُ رُوحَ كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ أَوْ قَالَ: كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَيَبْقَى شِرَارُ النَّاسِ، يَتَهَارَجُونَ تَهَارُجَ الْحُمُرِ، وَعَلَيْهِمْ تَقُومُ السَّاعَة» (Then Allah will send rain which no house of clay or (tent of) camel's hair will be able to keep out, for forty days, and the earth will be washed until it looks like a mirror. Then it will be said to the earth: bring forth your fruit and restore your blessing. On that day a group of people will be able to eat from one pomegranate and seek shade under its skin, and everything will be blessed. A milch-camel will give so much milk that it will be sufficient for a whole group of people, and a milch-cow will give so much milk that it will be sufficient for a whole clan, and a sheep will be sufficient for an entire household. At that time Allah will send a pleasant wind which will reach beneath their armpits and will take the soul of every Muslim -- or every believer -- and there will be left only the most evil of people who will commit fornication like mules, and then the Hour will come upon them.)" This was also recorded by Muslim but not by Al-Bukhari. It was also recorded by the Sunan compilers, with different chains of narrators. At-Tirmidhi said, "It is Hasan Sahih." The Third Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn Harmalah, from his maternal aunt who said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave a Khutbah, and he had a bandage on his finger where he had been stung by a scorpion. He said: «إِنَّكُمْ تَقُولُونَ: لَا عَدُوَّ لَكُمْ، وَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَزَالُونَ تُقَاتِلُونَ عَدُوًّا، حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ: عِرَاضَ الْوُجُوهِ، صِغَارَ الْعُيُونِ، صُهْبَ الشِّعَافِ، مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطْرَقَة» (You say that you have no enemy, but you will keep fighting your enemies until Ya'juj and Ma'juj come, with their wide faces, small eyes and reddish hair, pouring down from every mound with their faces looking like burnished shields.)" Ibn Abi Hatim recorded a Hadith of Muhammad bin `Amr from Khalid bin `Abdullah bin Harmalah Al-Mudlaji, from his paternal aunt, from the Prophet , and he mentioned something similar. It was confimred by Hadiths that `Isa bin Maryam will perform Hajj to the Al-Bayt Al-`Atiq (i.e., the Ka`bah). Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «لَيُحَجَّنَّ هَذَا الْبَيْتُ وَلَيُعْتَمَرَنَّ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوج» (He will certainly come to this House and perform Hajj and `Umrah, after the emergence of Ya'juj and Ma'juj.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari. وَاقْتَرَبَ الْوَعْدُ الْحَقُّ (And the true promise (Day of Resurrection) shall draw near.) the Day of Resurrection, when these terrors and earthquakes and this chaos will come to pass. The Hour has drawn nigh and when it comes to pass, the disbelievers will say: "This is a difficult Day." Allah says: فَإِذَا هِىَ شَـخِصَةٌ أَبْصَـرُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ (Then, you shall see the eyes of the disbelievers fixedly staring in horror.) because of the horror of the tremendous events that they are witnessing. يوَيْلَنَآ (Woe to us!) means, they will say, `Woe to us!' قَدْ كُنَّا فِى غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَـذَا (We were indeed heedless of this) means, in the world. بَلْ كُنَّا ظَـلِمِينَ (nay, but we were wrongdoers.) they will admit their wrong- doing at the time when that will not help them at all. إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Those who have been destroyed, will never return to this World. وَحَرَامٌ عَلَى قَرْيَةٍ (And a ban is laid on every town) Ibn `Abbas said, "it is enforced", i.e., it has been decreed that the people of each township that has been destroyed will never return to this world before the Day of Resurrection, as is reported clearly through other narrations from Ibn `Abbas, Abu Ja`far Al-Baqir, Qatadah and others. Ya'juj and Ma'juj حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ (Until, when Ya`juj and Ma`juj are let loose,) We have already mentioned that they are from the progeny of Adam, upon him be peace; they are also descents of Nuh through his son Yafith (Japheth), who was the father of the Turks, Turk referring to the group of them who were left behind the barrier which was built by Dhul-Qarnayn. Allah says: هَـذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّى فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّى جَعَلَهُ دَكَّآءَ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّى حَقّاًوَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِى بَعْضٍ (This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the promise of my Lord is ever true. And on that Day, We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another...)18:98-99. And in this Ayah, Allah says: حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ (Until, when Ya`juj and Ma`juj are let loose, and they swoop down from every Hadab.) meaning, they will come forth quickly to spread corruption. A Hadab is a raised portion of land. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Abu Salih, Ath-Thawri and others. This is how their emergence is described, as if the listener can see it. وَلاَ يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ (And none can inform you like Him Who is the All-Knower.) 35:14. This is information given by the One Who knows what has happened and what is yet to come, the One Who knows the unseen in the heavens and on earth. There is no god except Him. Ibn Jarir narrated that `Ubaydullah bin Abi Yazid said, "Ibn `Abbas saw some young boys playing and pouncing on one another, and said, this is how Ya'juj and Ma'juj will emerge." Their emergence has been described in numerous Hadiths of the Prophet . The First Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: «تُفْتَحُ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ، فَيَخْرُجُونَ عَلَى النَّاسِ، كَمَا قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: وَهُمْ مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ فَيَغْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ وَيَنْحَازُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَنْهُمْ إِلَى مَدَائِنِهِمْ وَحُصُونِهِمْ، وَيَضُمُّونَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَوَاشِيَهُمْ، وَيَشْرَبُونَ مِيَاهَ الْأَرْضِ، حَتَّى إِنَّ بَعْضَهُمْ لَيَمُرُّ بِالنَّهَرِ فَيَشْرَبُونَ مَا فِيهِ حَتَّى يَتْرُكُوهُ يَابِسًا، حَتَّى إِنَّ مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ لَيَمُرُّ بِذَلِكَ النَّهَرِ فَيَقُولُ: قَدْ كَانَ هَهُنَا مَاءٌ مَرَّةً، حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا أَحَدٌ فِي حِصْنٍ أَوْ مَدِينَةٍ، قَالَ قَائِلُهُمْ: هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلُ الْأَرْضِ قَدْ فَرَغْنَا مِنْهُمْ بَقِيَ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ، قَالَ: ثُمَّ يَهُزُّ أَحَدُهُمْ حَرْبَتَهُ، ثُمَّ يَرْمِي بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَتَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ مُخضَّبَةً دَمًا لِلْبَلَاءِ وَالْفِتْنَةِ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، بَعَثَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ دُودًا فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ كَنَغَفِ الْجَرَادِ الَّذِي يَخْرُجُ فِي أَعْنَاقِهِ، فَيُصْبِحُونَ مَوْتَى لَا يُسْمَعُ لَهُمْ حِسٌّ، فَيَقُولُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ: أَلَا رَجُلٌ يَشْرِي لَنَا نَفْسَهُ فَيَنْظُرَ مَا فَعَلَ هَذَا الْعَدُوُّ؟ قَالَ: فَيَتَجَرَّدُ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ مُحْتَسِبًا نَفْسَهُ، قَدْ أَوْطَنَهَا عَلَى أَنَّهُ مَقْتُولٌ، فَيَنْزِلُ فَيَجِدُهُمْ مَوْتَى، بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ، فَيُنَادِي: يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، أَلَا أَبْشِرُوا إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدْ كَفَاكُمْ عَدُوَّكُمْ، فَيَخْرُجُونَ مِنْ مَدَائِنِهِمْ وَحُصُونِهِمْ، وَيُسَرِّحُونَ مَوَاشِيَهُمْ، فَمَا يَكُونُ لَهُمْ رَعْيٌ إِلَّا لُحُومُهُمْ، فَتَشْكَرُ عَنْهُمْ كَأَحْسَنِ مَا شَكِرَتْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ مِنَ النَّبَاتِ أَصَاَبَتْهُ قَط» (Ya'juj and Ma'juj will be let loose and will emerge upon mankind, as Allah says: (and they swoop down from every Hadab.) They will overwhelm the people, and the Muslims will retreat to their cities and strongholds, bringing their flocks with them. They Ya'juj and Ma'juj will drink all the water of the land until some of them will pass a river and drink it dry, then those who come after them will pass by that place and will say, "There used to be water here once." Then there will be no one left except those who are in their strongholds and cities. Then one of them will say, "We have defeated the people of the earth; now the people of heaven are left." One of them will shake his spear and hurl it into the sky, and it will come back stained with blood, as a test and a trial for them. While this is happening, Allah will send a worm in their necks, like the worm that is found in date-stones or in the nostrils of sheep, and they will die and their clamor will cease. Then the Muslims will say, "Who will volunteer to find out what the enemy is doing" One of them will step forward and volunteer, knowing that he will likely be killed. He will go down and will find them dead, lying on top of one another. Then he will call out, "O Muslims! Rejoice that Allah has sufficed you against your enemy!" Then they will come out of their cities and strongholds, and will let their flocks out to graze, but they will have nothing to graze upon except the flesh of these people (Ya'juj and Ma'juj), but it will fill them better than any vegetation they have ever eaten before.) It was also recorded by Ibn Majah. The Second Hadith Imam Ahmad also recorded from An-Nawwas bin Sam`an Al-Kilabi that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned the Dajjal one morning. "Sometimes he described him as insignificant and sometimes he described him as so significant that we felt as if he were in the cluster of palm trees. He said: «غَيْرُ الدَّجَّالِ أَخْوَفُنِي عَلَيْكُمْ. فَإِنْ يَخْرُجْ وَأَنَا فِيكُمْ، فَأَنَا حَجِيجُهُ دُونَكُمْ، وَإِنْ يَخْرُجْ وَلَسْتُ فِيكُمْ، فَكُلُّ امْرِىءٍ حَجيجُ نَفْسِهِ، وَاللهُ خَلِيفَتِي عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ، وَإِنَّهُ شَابٌّ جَعْدٌ قَطَطٌ، عَيْنُهُ طَافِيَةٌ، وَإِنَّهُ يَخْرُجُ خَلَّةً بَيْنَ الشَّامِ وَالْعِرَاقِ فَعَاثَ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالًا، يَا عِبَادَ اللهِ اثْبُتُوا» (There are other things that I fear for you more than the Dajjal. If he emerges while I am among you, I will deal with him for you. If he emerges when I am not among you, then each man will have to deal with him for himself, and Allah will take care of each Muslim on my behalf. He (the Dajjal) will be a young man with short, curly hair and a floating eye. He will emerge in a place between Syria and Iraq and will spread mischief right and left. O servants of Allah, be steadfast!) We said, `O Messenger of Allah, how long will he remain on earth' He said, «أَرْبَعُونَ يَوْمًا، يَوْمٌ كَسَنَةٍ، وَيَوْمٌ كَشَهْرٍ، يَوْمٌ كَجُمُعَةٍ، وَسَائِرُ أَيَّامِهِ كَأَيَّامِكُم» (Forty days: one day like a year, one day like a month, one day like a week, and the rest of the days like your days.) We said, `O Messenger of Allah, on that day which will be like a year, will the prayers of one day and one night be sufficient' He said, «لَا، اقْدُرُوا لَهُ قَدْرَه» (No, but you will have to compute it according to its due proportion (and pray accordingly).) We said, `O Messenger of Allah, how fast will he move across the land' He said, «كَالْغَيْثِ اسْتَدْبَرَتْهُ الرِّيح» (Like a cloud driven by the wind.) He said, «فَيَمُرُّ بِالْحَيِّ فَيَدْعُوهُمْ فَيَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُ، فَيَأْمُرُ السَّمَاءَ فَتُمْطِرُ، وَالْأَرْضَ فَتُنْبِتُ، وَتَرُوحُ عَلَيْهِمْ سَارِحَتُهُمْ، وَهِيَ أَطْوَلُ مَا كَانَتْ ذُرًى، وَأَمَدَّهُ خَوَاصِرَ، وَأَسْبَغَهُ ضُرُوعًا، وَيَمُرُّ بِالْحَيِّ فَيَدْعُوهُمْ فَيَرُدُّونَ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلَهُ، فَتَتْبَعُهُ أَمْوَالُهُمْ فَيُصْبِحُونَ مُمْحِلِينَ، لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ شَيْءٌ، وَيَمُرُّ بِالْخَرِبَةِ فَيَقُولُ لَهَا: أَخْرِجِي كُنُوزَكِ، فَتَتْبَعُهُ كُنُوزُهَا كَيَعَاسِيبِ النَّحْلِ قَالَ: وَيَأْمُرُ بِرَجُلٍ فَيُقْتَلُ، فَيَضْرِبُهُ بِالسَّيْفِ فَيَقْطَعُهُ جَزْلَتَيْنِ رَمْيَةَ الْغَرَضِ، ثُمَّ يَدْعُوهُ فَيُقْبِلُ إِلَيْهِ، يَتَهَلَّلُ وَجْهُهُ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، إِذْ بَعَثَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، فَيَنْزِلُ عِنْدَ الْمَنَارَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ شَرْقِيَّ دِمَشْقَ بَيْنَ مَهْرُودَتَيْنِ، وَاضِعًا يَدَيْهِ عَلَى أَجْنِحَةِ مَلَكَيْنِ، فَيَتْبَعُهُ فَيُدْرِكُهُ فَيَقْتُلُهُ عِنْدَ بَابِ لُدَ الشَّرْقِيِّ قَالَ: فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ، إِذْ أَوْحَى اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنِّي قَدْ أَخْرَجْتُ عِبَادًا مِنْ عِبَادِي، لَا يَدَانِ لَكَ بِقِتَالِهِمْ، فَحَرِّزْ عِبَادِي إِلَى الطُّورِ، فَيَبْعَثُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: وَهُمْ مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ (He will come to a people and call them to his way and they will respond to him. He will issue a command to the sky and it will rain, and to the earth and it will bring forth vegetation, then their livestock will come to them in the evening with their humps very high and their udders full of milk and their flanks wide and fat. Then he will come to another people and call them to his way and they will refuse, and their wealth will leave with him, and they will be faced with drought, with none of their wealth left. Then he will walk through the wasteland and will say to it, "Bring forth your treasure," and its treasure will come forth like a swarm of bees. Then he will issue commands that a man be killed, and he will strike him with a sword and cut him into two pieces, and (put these pieces as far apart) as the distance between an archer and his target. Then he will call him, and the man will come to him with his face shining. At that point Allah will send the Messiah `Isa bin Maryam, who will come down to the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus, wearing two garments lightly dyed with saffron and with his hands resting on the wings of two angels. He will search for him (the Dajjal) until he catches up with him at the eastern gate of Ludd, where he will kill him. Then Allah will reveal to `Isa ibn Maryam the words: "I have brought forth from amongst My creatures people against whom none will be able to fight. Take My servants safely to the Mount (Tur)." Then Allah will send Ya'juj and Ma'juj, as Allah says: (and they swoop down from every Hadab.)) فَيَرْغَبُ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، فَيُرْسِلُ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَغَفًا فِي رِقَابِهِمْ فَيُصْبِحُونَ فَرْسَى كَمَوْتِ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، فَيَهْبِطُ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ فَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بَيْتًا إِلَّا قَدْ مَلَأَهُ زَهَمُهُمْ وَنَتَنُهُمْ، فَيَرْغَبُ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ،فَيُرْسِلُ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا كَأَعْنَاقِ الْبُخْتِ، فَتَحْمِلُهُمْ فَتَطْرَحُهُمْ حَيْثُ شَاءَ الله» (`Isa and his companions will beseech Allah, and Allah will send against them insects which will attack their necks, and in the morning they will all perish as one. Then `Isa and his companions will come down and they will not find a single spot on earth that is free from their putrefaction and stench. Then `Isa and his companions will again beseech Allah, and He will send birds with necks like those of Bactrian camels, and they will carry them and throw them wherever Allah wills.) Ibn Jabir said: "`Ata' bin Yazid As-Saksaki told me, from Ka`b or someone else: `They will throw them into Al-Mahbal.' Ibn Jabir said: "I said, `O Abu Yazid, and where is Al-Mahbal" He said, "In the east (where the sun rises)." He said: «وَيُرْسِلُ اللهُ مَطَرًا لَا يَكُنُّ مِنْهُ بَيْتُ مَدَرٍ وَلَا وَبَرٍ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، فَيَغْسِلُ الْأَرْضَ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَهَا كَالزَّلَفَةِ، وَيُقَالُ لِلْأَرْضِ: أَنْبِتِي ثَمَرَكِ وَرُدِّي بَرَكَتَكِ، قَالَ: فَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَأْكُلُ النَّفَرُ مِنَ الرُّمَّانَةِ فَيَسْتَظِلُّونَ بِقِحْفِهَا، وَيُبَارَكُ فِي الرِّسْلِ حَتَّى إِنَّ اللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الْإِبِلِ لَتَكْفِي الْفِئَامَ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَاللِّقْحَةَ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ تَكْفِي الْفَخِذَ، وَالشَّاةَ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ تَكْفِي أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ، قَالَ: فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، إِذْ بَعَثَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ رِيحًا طَيِّبَةً، فَتَأْخُذُهُمْ تَحْتَ آبَاطِهِمْ فَتَقْبِضُ رُوحَ كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ أَوْ قَالَ: كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَيَبْقَى شِرَارُ النَّاسِ، يَتَهَارَجُونَ تَهَارُجَ الْحُمُرِ، وَعَلَيْهِمْ تَقُومُ السَّاعَة» (Then Allah will send rain which no house of clay or (tent of) camel's hair will be able to keep out, for forty days, and the earth will be washed until it looks like a mirror. Then it will be said to the earth: bring forth your fruit and restore your blessing. On that day a group of people will be able to eat from one pomegranate and seek shade under its skin, and everything will be blessed. A milch-camel will give so much milk that it will be sufficient for a whole group of people, and a milch-cow will give so much milk that it will be sufficient for a whole clan, and a sheep will be sufficient for an entire household. At that time Allah will send a pleasant wind which will reach beneath their armpits and will take the soul of every Muslim -- or every believer -- and there will be left only the most evil of people who will commit fornication like mules, and then the Hour will come upon them.)" This was also recorded by Muslim but not by Al-Bukhari. It was also recorded by the Sunan compilers, with different chains of narrators. At-Tirmidhi said, "It is Hasan Sahih." The Third Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn Harmalah, from his maternal aunt who said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave a Khutbah, and he had a bandage on his finger where he had been stung by a scorpion. He said: «إِنَّكُمْ تَقُولُونَ: لَا عَدُوَّ لَكُمْ، وَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَزَالُونَ تُقَاتِلُونَ عَدُوًّا، حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ: عِرَاضَ الْوُجُوهِ، صِغَارَ الْعُيُونِ، صُهْبَ الشِّعَافِ، مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطْرَقَة» (You say that you have no enemy, but you will keep fighting your enemies until Ya'juj and Ma'juj come, with their wide faces, small eyes and reddish hair, pouring down from every mound with their faces looking like burnished shields.)" Ibn Abi Hatim recorded a Hadith of Muhammad bin `Amr from Khalid bin `Abdullah bin Harmalah Al-Mudlaji, from his paternal aunt, from the Prophet , and he mentioned something similar. It was confimred by Hadiths that `Isa bin Maryam will perform Hajj to the Al-Bayt Al-`Atiq (i.e., the Ka`bah). Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «لَيُحَجَّنَّ هَذَا الْبَيْتُ وَلَيُعْتَمَرَنَّ بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوج» (He will certainly come to this House and perform Hajj and `Umrah, after the emergence of Ya'juj and Ma'juj.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari. وَاقْتَرَبَ الْوَعْدُ الْحَقُّ (And the true promise (Day of Resurrection) shall draw near.) the Day of Resurrection, when these terrors and earthquakes and this chaos will come to pass. The Hour has drawn nigh and when it comes to pass, the disbelievers will say: "This is a difficult Day." Allah says: فَإِذَا هِىَ شَـخِصَةٌ أَبْصَـرُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ (Then, you shall see the eyes of the disbelievers fixedly staring in horror.) because of the horror of the tremendous events that they are witnessing. يوَيْلَنَآ (Woe to us!) means, they will say, `Woe to us!' قَدْ كُنَّا فِى غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَـذَا (We were indeed heedless of this) means, in the world. بَلْ كُنَّا ظَـلِمِينَ (nay, but we were wrongdoers.) they will admit their wrong- doing at the time when that will not help them at all. إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Idolators and their gods are Fuel for Hell Allah says to the people of Makkah, the idolators of the Quraysh and those who followed their religion of idol worship: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell!). Ibn `Abbas said: "Kindling." This is like the Ayah: وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ (whose fuel is men and stones) 66:6. According to another report, Ibn `Abbas said: حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Hasab for Hell) means firewood in (the dialect of the people of) Zanjiyyah. Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Qatadah said: "Its fuel." Ad-Dahhak said: "The fuel of Hell means that which is thrown into it." This was also the view of others. أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ ((Surely) you will enter it.) means, you will go into it. لَوْ كَانَ هَـؤُلاءِ ءَالِهَةً مَّا وَرَدُوهَا (Had these been gods, they would not have entered there,) means, if these idols and false gods which you worshipped instead of Allah, had really been gods, they would not have entered the Hellfire. وَكُلٌّ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ (and all of them will abide therein forever.) means, the worshippers and the objects of their worship will all abide therein forever. لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ (Therein they will be breathing out with deep sighs and roaring) This is like the Ayah: لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ (they will have (in the Fire), Zafir and Shahiq) 11:106. Zafir refers to their exhalation, and Shahiq refers to their inhalation. وَهُمْ فِيهَا لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ (and therein they will hear not.) The State of the Blessed إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى (Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us,) `Ikrimah said, "Mercy." Others said it means being blessed. أُوْلَـئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ (they will be removed far therefrom.) When Allah mentions the people of Hell and their punishment for their associating others in worship with Allah, He follows that with a description of the blessed who believed in Allah and His Messengers. These are the ones for whom the blessing has preceded from Allah, and they did righteous deeds in the world, as Allah says: لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ الْحُسْنَى وَزِيَادَةٌ (For those who have done good is the best reward and even more) 10:26 هَلْ جَزَآءُ الإِحْسَـنِ إِلاَّ الإِحْسَـنُ (Is there any reward for good other than good) 55:60 Just as they did good in this world, Allah will make their final destiny and their reward good; He will save them from punishment and give them a great reward. أُوْلَـئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَلاَ يَسْمَعُونَ حَسِيَسَهَا (they will be removed far therefrom. They shall not hear the slightest sound of it,) means, they will not feel its heat in their bodies. وَهُمْ فِى مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنفُسُهُمْ خَـلِدُونَ (while they abide in that which their own selves desire.) means, they will be safe from that which they fear, and they will have all that they love and desire. It was said that this was revealed to point out an exception in the case of those who are worshipped instead of Allah, and to exclude `Uzayr and the Messiah from their number. Hajjaj bin Muhammad Al-A`war reported from Ibn Jurayj, and `Uthman bin `Ata' reported from Ibn `Abbas: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ (Certainly you (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it.) Then He made an exception and said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى (Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us.) It was said that this referred to the angels and `Isa, and others who are worshipped instead of Allah. This was the view of `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan and Ibn Jurayj. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said in his book of Sirah: "According to what I have heard, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat down one day with Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah in the Masjid, and An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came and sat down with them. There were also other men of Quraysh in the Masjid. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke, then An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came up to him and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke to him until he defeated him in argument. Then he recited to him and to them, إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ (Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it.) Until His Statement, وَهُمْ فِيهَا لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ (and therein they will hear not.) Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up and went to sit with `Abdullah bin Al-Zab`ari As-Sahmi. Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah said to `Abdullah bin Al-Zab`ari, "By Allah, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith could not match the son of `Abd Al-Muttalib in argument. Muhammad claims that we and these gods that we worship are fuel for Hell." `Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said: "By Allah, if I meet with him I will defeat him in argument. Ask Muhammad whether everyone that is worshipped instead of Allah will be in Hell with those who worshipped him, for we worship the angels, and the Jews worship `Uzayr, and the Christians worship Al-Masih, `Isa bin Maryam." Al-Walid and those who were sitting with him were amazed at what `Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said, and they thought that he had come up with a good point. He said this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who said: «كُلُّ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُعْبَدَ مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ، فَهُوَ مَعَ مَنْ عَبَدَهُ، إِنَّهُمْ إِنَّمَا يَعْبُدُونَ الشَّيْطَانَ وَمَنْ أَمَرَهُمْ بِعِبَادَتِه» (Everyone who likes to be worshipped instead of Allah will be with the ones who worshipped him, for indeed they are worshipping the Shaytan and whoever told them to worship him.) Then Allah revealed the words: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى أُوْلَـئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ - لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ حَسِيَسَهَا وَهُمْ فِى مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنفُسُهُمْ خَـلِدُونَ (Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us, they will be removed far therefrom (Hell). They shall not hear the slightest sound of it (Hell), while they abide in that which their own selves desire.) It was revealed about the mention of `Isa, `Uzayr and rabbis and monks who were also worshipped, who had spent their lives in devotion towards Allah, but the misguided people who came after them took them as lords instead of Allah. Concerning the notion of worshipping the angels as daughters of Allah, the following words were revealed: وَقَالُواْ اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَلَداً سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ (And they say: "The Most Gracious has begotten children. " Glory to Him! They are but honored slaves). Until His saying, وَمَن يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّى إِلَـهٌ مِّن دُونِهِ فَذلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الظَّـلِمِينَ (And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am a god besides Him," such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the wrongdoers.) 21:26-29. Concerning `Isa bin Maryam, the fact that he is worshipped alongside Allah, and the amazement of Al-Walid and the others who were present at the argument of `Abdullah bin Az-Zab'ari, the following words were revealed: وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلاً إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ - وَقَالُواْ ءَأَالِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلاَّ جَدَلاَ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ - إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَـهُ مَثَلاً لِّبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ - وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ مَّلَـئِكَةً فِى الاٌّرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ فَلاَ تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا (And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud (laugh out at the example). And say: "Are our gods better or is he" They quoted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people. He was not more than a slave. We granted Our favor to him, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel. And if it were Our will, We would have made angels to replace you on the earth. And he shall be a known sign for the Hour. Therefore have no doubt concerning it.) 43:57-61 meaning, the miracles and signs that happened at his hands, such as raising the dead and healing the sick, are sufficient as signs of the approach of the Hour, فَلاَ تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَاتَّبِعُونِ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (Therefore have no doubt concerning it. And follow Me (Allah)! This is the straight path) 43:63." What Ibn Az-Zab`ari said was a serious mistake, because the Ayah was addressed to the people of Makkah concerning their worship of idols which were inanimate and could not think. It was a rebuke for their worship of them, so Allah said: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Certainly you (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell!) How could this be applied to Al-Masih, `Uzayr and others who did righteous deeds and did not accept the worship of those who worshipped them لاَ يَحْزُنُهُمُ الْفَزَعُ الاٌّكْبَرُ (The greatest terror will not grieve them,) It was said that this means death, as was narrated by `Abdur-Razzaq from Yahya bin Rabi`ah from `Ata.' Or it was said that the greatest terror refers to the blast of the Trumpet, as Al-`Awfi said narrating from Ibn `Abbas and Abu Sinan, Sa`id bin Sinan Ash-Shaybani. This was the view favored by Ibn Jarir in his Tafsir. وَتَتَلَقَّـهُمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ هَـذَا يَوْمُكُمُ الَّذِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ (and the angels will meet them, (with the greeting:) "This is your Day which you were promised".) meaning, the angels will greet them on the Day of Resurrection when they emerge from their graves with the words: هَـذَا يَوْمُكُمُ الَّذِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ ("This is your Day which you were promised".) meaning, hope for the best.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Idolators and their gods are Fuel for Hell Allah says to the people of Makkah, the idolators of the Quraysh and those who followed their religion of idol worship: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell!). Ibn `Abbas said: "Kindling." This is like the Ayah: وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ (whose fuel is men and stones) 66:6. According to another report, Ibn `Abbas said: حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Hasab for Hell) means firewood in (the dialect of the people of) Zanjiyyah. Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Qatadah said: "Its fuel." Ad-Dahhak said: "The fuel of Hell means that which is thrown into it." This was also the view of others. أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ ((Surely) you will enter it.) means, you will go into it. لَوْ كَانَ هَـؤُلاءِ ءَالِهَةً مَّا وَرَدُوهَا (Had these been gods, they would not have entered there,) means, if these idols and false gods which you worshipped instead of Allah, had really been gods, they would not have entered the Hellfire. وَكُلٌّ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ (and all of them will abide therein forever.) means, the worshippers and the objects of their worship will all abide therein forever. لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ (Therein they will be breathing out with deep sighs and roaring) This is like the Ayah: لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ (they will have (in the Fire), Zafir and Shahiq) 11:106. Zafir refers to their exhalation, and Shahiq refers to their inhalation. وَهُمْ فِيهَا لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ (and therein they will hear not.) The State of the Blessed إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى (Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us,) `Ikrimah said, "Mercy." Others said it means being blessed. أُوْلَـئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ (they will be removed far therefrom.) When Allah mentions the people of Hell and their punishment for their associating others in worship with Allah, He follows that with a description of the blessed who believed in Allah and His Messengers. These are the ones for whom the blessing has preceded from Allah, and they did righteous deeds in the world, as Allah says: لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ الْحُسْنَى وَزِيَادَةٌ (For those who have done good is the best reward and even more) 10:26 هَلْ جَزَآءُ الإِحْسَـنِ إِلاَّ الإِحْسَـنُ (Is there any reward for good other than good) 55:60 Just as they did good in this world, Allah will make their final destiny and their reward good; He will save them from punishment and give them a great reward. أُوْلَـئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَلاَ يَسْمَعُونَ حَسِيَسَهَا (they will be removed far therefrom. They shall not hear the slightest sound of it,) means, they will not feel its heat in their bodies. وَهُمْ فِى مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنفُسُهُمْ خَـلِدُونَ (while they abide in that which their own selves desire.) means, they will be safe from that which they fear, and they will have all that they love and desire. It was said that this was revealed to point out an exception in the case of those who are worshipped instead of Allah, and to exclude `Uzayr and the Messiah from their number. Hajjaj bin Muhammad Al-A`war reported from Ibn Jurayj, and `Uthman bin `Ata' reported from Ibn `Abbas: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ (Certainly you (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it.) Then He made an exception and said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى (Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us.) It was said that this referred to the angels and `Isa, and others who are worshipped instead of Allah. This was the view of `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan and Ibn Jurayj. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said in his book of Sirah: "According to what I have heard, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat down one day with Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah in the Masjid, and An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came and sat down with them. There were also other men of Quraysh in the Masjid. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke, then An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came up to him and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke to him until he defeated him in argument. Then he recited to him and to them, إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ (Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it.) Until His Statement, وَهُمْ فِيهَا لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ (and therein they will hear not.) Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up and went to sit with `Abdullah bin Al-Zab`ari As-Sahmi. Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah said to `Abdullah bin Al-Zab`ari, "By Allah, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith could not match the son of `Abd Al-Muttalib in argument. Muhammad claims that we and these gods that we worship are fuel for Hell." `Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said: "By Allah, if I meet with him I will defeat him in argument. Ask Muhammad whether everyone that is worshipped instead of Allah will be in Hell with those who worshipped him, for we worship the angels, and the Jews worship `Uzayr, and the Christians worship Al-Masih, `Isa bin Maryam." Al-Walid and those who were sitting with him were amazed at what `Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said, and they thought that he had come up with a good point. He said this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who said: «كُلُّ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُعْبَدَ مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ، فَهُوَ مَعَ مَنْ عَبَدَهُ، إِنَّهُمْ إِنَّمَا يَعْبُدُونَ الشَّيْطَانَ وَمَنْ أَمَرَهُمْ بِعِبَادَتِه» (Everyone who likes to be worshipped instead of Allah will be with the ones who worshipped him, for indeed they are worshipping the Shaytan and whoever told them to worship him.) Then Allah revealed the words: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى أُوْلَـئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ - لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ حَسِيَسَهَا وَهُمْ فِى مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنفُسُهُمْ خَـلِدُونَ (Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us, they will be removed far therefrom (Hell). They shall not hear the slightest sound of it (Hell), while they abide in that which their own selves desire.) It was revealed about the mention of `Isa, `Uzayr and rabbis and monks who were also worshipped, who had spent their lives in devotion towards Allah, but the misguided people who came after them took them as lords instead of Allah. Concerning the notion of worshipping the angels as daughters of Allah, the following words were revealed: وَقَالُواْ اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَلَداً سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ (And they say: "The Most Gracious has begotten children. " Glory to Him! They are but honored slaves). Until His saying, وَمَن يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّى إِلَـهٌ مِّن دُونِهِ فَذلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الظَّـلِمِينَ (And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am a god besides Him," such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the wrongdoers.) 21:26-29. Concerning `Isa bin Maryam, the fact that he is worshipped alongside Allah, and the amazement of Al-Walid and the others who were present at the argument of `Abdullah bin Az-Zab'ari, the following words were revealed: وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلاً إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ - وَقَالُواْ ءَأَالِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلاَّ جَدَلاَ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ - إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَـهُ مَثَلاً لِّبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ - وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ مَّلَـئِكَةً فِى الاٌّرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ فَلاَ تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا (And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud (laugh out at the example). And say: "Are our gods better or is he" They quoted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people. He was not more than a slave. We granted Our favor to him, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel. And if it were Our will, We would have made angels to replace you on the earth. And he shall be a known sign for the Hour. Therefore have no doubt concerning it.) 43:57-61 meaning, the miracles and signs that happened at his hands, such as raising the dead and healing the sick, are sufficient as signs of the approach of the Hour, فَلاَ تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَاتَّبِعُونِ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (Therefore have no doubt concerning it. And follow Me (Allah)! This is the straight path) 43:63." What Ibn Az-Zab`ari said was a serious mistake, because the Ayah was addressed to the people of Makkah concerning their worship of idols which were inanimate and could not think. It was a rebuke for their worship of them, so Allah said: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Certainly you (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell!) How could this be applied to Al-Masih, `Uzayr and others who did righteous deeds and did not accept the worship of those who worshipped them لاَ يَحْزُنُهُمُ الْفَزَعُ الاٌّكْبَرُ (The greatest terror will not grieve them,) It was said that this means death, as was narrated by `Abdur-Razzaq from Yahya bin Rabi`ah from `Ata.' Or it was said that the greatest terror refers to the blast of the Trumpet, as Al-`Awfi said narrating from Ibn `Abbas and Abu Sinan, Sa`id bin Sinan Ash-Shaybani. This was the view favored by Ibn Jarir in his Tafsir. وَتَتَلَقَّـهُمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ هَـذَا يَوْمُكُمُ الَّذِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ (and the angels will meet them, (with the greeting:) "This is your Day which you were promised".) meaning, the angels will greet them on the Day of Resurrection when they emerge from their graves with the words: هَـذَا يَوْمُكُمُ الَّذِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ ("This is your Day which you were promised".) meaning, hope for the best.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Idolators and their gods are Fuel for Hell Allah says to the people of Makkah, the idolators of the Quraysh and those who followed their religion of idol worship: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell!). Ibn `Abbas said: "Kindling." This is like the Ayah: وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ (whose fuel is men and stones) 66:6. According to another report, Ibn `Abbas said: حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Hasab for Hell) means firewood in (the dialect of the people of) Zanjiyyah. Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Qatadah said: "Its fuel." Ad-Dahhak said: "The fuel of Hell means that which is thrown into it." This was also the view of others. أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ ((Surely) you will enter it.) means, you will go into it. لَوْ كَانَ هَـؤُلاءِ ءَالِهَةً مَّا وَرَدُوهَا (Had these been gods, they would not have entered there,) means, if these idols and false gods which you worshipped instead of Allah, had really been gods, they would not have entered the Hellfire. وَكُلٌّ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ (and all of them will abide therein forever.) means, the worshippers and the objects of their worship will all abide therein forever. لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ (Therein they will be breathing out with deep sighs and roaring) This is like the Ayah: لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ (they will have (in the Fire), Zafir and Shahiq) 11:106. Zafir refers to their exhalation, and Shahiq refers to their inhalation. وَهُمْ فِيهَا لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ (and therein they will hear not.) The State of the Blessed إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى (Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us,) `Ikrimah said, "Mercy." Others said it means being blessed. أُوْلَـئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ (they will be removed far therefrom.) When Allah mentions the people of Hell and their punishment for their associating others in worship with Allah, He follows that with a description of the blessed who believed in Allah and His Messengers. These are the ones for whom the blessing has preceded from Allah, and they did righteous deeds in the world, as Allah says: لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ الْحُسْنَى وَزِيَادَةٌ (For those who have done good is the best reward and even more) 10:26 هَلْ جَزَآءُ الإِحْسَـنِ إِلاَّ الإِحْسَـنُ (Is there any reward for good other than good) 55:60 Just as they did good in this world, Allah will make their final destiny and their reward good; He will save them from punishment and give them a great reward. أُوْلَـئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَلاَ يَسْمَعُونَ حَسِيَسَهَا (they will be removed far therefrom. They shall not hear the slightest sound of it,) means, they will not feel its heat in their bodies. وَهُمْ فِى مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنفُسُهُمْ خَـلِدُونَ (while they abide in that which their own selves desire.) means, they will be safe from that which they fear, and they will have all that they love and desire. It was said that this was revealed to point out an exception in the case of those who are worshipped instead of Allah, and to exclude `Uzayr and the Messiah from their number. Hajjaj bin Muhammad Al-A`war reported from Ibn Jurayj, and `Uthman bin `Ata' reported from Ibn `Abbas: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ (Certainly you (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it.) Then He made an exception and said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى (Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us.) It was said that this referred to the angels and `Isa, and others who are worshipped instead of Allah. This was the view of `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan and Ibn Jurayj. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said in his book of Sirah: "According to what I have heard, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat down one day with Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah in the Masjid, and An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came and sat down with them. There were also other men of Quraysh in the Masjid. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke, then An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came up to him and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke to him until he defeated him in argument. Then he recited to him and to them, إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ (Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it.) Until His Statement, وَهُمْ فِيهَا لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ (and therein they will hear not.) Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up and went to sit with `Abdullah bin Al-Zab`ari As-Sahmi. Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah said to `Abdullah bin Al-Zab`ari, "By Allah, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith could not match the son of `Abd Al-Muttalib in argument. Muhammad claims that we and these gods that we worship are fuel for Hell." `Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said: "By Allah, if I meet with him I will defeat him in argument. Ask Muhammad whether everyone that is worshipped instead of Allah will be in Hell with those who worshipped him, for we worship the angels, and the Jews worship `Uzayr, and the Christians worship Al-Masih, `Isa bin Maryam." Al-Walid and those who were sitting with him were amazed at what `Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said, and they thought that he had come up with a good point. He said this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who said: «كُلُّ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُعْبَدَ مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ، فَهُوَ مَعَ مَنْ عَبَدَهُ، إِنَّهُمْ إِنَّمَا يَعْبُدُونَ الشَّيْطَانَ وَمَنْ أَمَرَهُمْ بِعِبَادَتِه» (Everyone who likes to be worshipped instead of Allah will be with the ones who worshipped him, for indeed they are worshipping the Shaytan and whoever told them to worship him.) Then Allah revealed the words: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى أُوْلَـئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ - لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ حَسِيَسَهَا وَهُمْ فِى مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنفُسُهُمْ خَـلِدُونَ (Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us, they will be removed far therefrom (Hell). They shall not hear the slightest sound of it (Hell), while they abide in that which their own selves desire.) It was revealed about the mention of `Isa, `Uzayr and rabbis and monks who were also worshipped, who had spent their lives in devotion towards Allah, but the misguided people who came after them took them as lords instead of Allah. Concerning the notion of worshipping the angels as daughters of Allah, the following words were revealed: وَقَالُواْ اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَلَداً سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ (And they say: "The Most Gracious has begotten children. " Glory to Him! They are but honored slaves). Until His saying, وَمَن يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّى إِلَـهٌ مِّن دُونِهِ فَذلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الظَّـلِمِينَ (And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am a god besides Him," such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the wrongdoers.) 21:26-29. Concerning `Isa bin Maryam, the fact that he is worshipped alongside Allah, and the amazement of Al-Walid and the others who were present at the argument of `Abdullah bin Az-Zab'ari, the following words were revealed: وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلاً إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ - وَقَالُواْ ءَأَالِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلاَّ جَدَلاَ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ - إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَـهُ مَثَلاً لِّبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ - وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ مَّلَـئِكَةً فِى الاٌّرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ فَلاَ تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا (And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud (laugh out at the example). And say: "Are our gods better or is he" They quoted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people. He was not more than a slave. We granted Our favor to him, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel. And if it were Our will, We would have made angels to replace you on the earth. And he shall be a known sign for the Hour. Therefore have no doubt concerning it.) 43:57-61 meaning, the miracles and signs that happened at his hands, such as raising the dead and healing the sick, are sufficient as signs of the approach of the Hour, فَلاَ تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَاتَّبِعُونِ هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (Therefore have no doubt concerning it. And follow Me (Allah)! This is the straight path) 43:63." What Ibn Az-Zab`ari said was a serious mistake, because the Ayah was addressed to the people of Makkah concerning their worship of idols which were inanimate and could not think. It was a rebuke for their worship of them, so Allah said: إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ (Certainly you (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) Hasab for Hell!) How could this be applied to Al-Masih, `Uzayr and others who did righteous deeds and did not accept the worship of those who worshipped them لاَ يَحْزُنُهُمُ الْفَزَعُ الاٌّكْبَرُ (The greatest terror will not grieve them,) It was said that this means death, as was narrated by `Abdur-Razzaq from Yahya bin Rabi`ah from `Ata.' Or it was said that the greatest terror refers to the blast of the Trumpet, as Al-`Awfi said narrating from Ibn `Abbas and Abu Sinan, Sa`id bin Sinan Ash-Shaybani. This was the view favored by Ibn Jarir in his Tafsir. وَتَتَلَقَّـهُمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ هَـذَا يَوْمُكُمُ الَّذِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ (and the angels will meet them, (with the greeting:) "This is your Day which you were promised".) meaning, the angels will greet them on the Day of Resurrection when they emerge from their graves with the words: هَـذَا يَوْمُكُمُ الَّذِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ ("This is your Day which you were promised".) meaning, hope for the best.