Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

How the Idolators mocked the Prophet Allah tells His Prophet ... وَإِذَا رَآكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ (And when those who disbelieved see you,) meaning, the disbelievers of the Quraysh, such as Abu Jahl and his like. إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً (they take you not except for mockery) means, they make fun of you and insult you, saying, أَهَـذَا الَّذِى يَذْكُرُ آلِهَتَكُمْ ("Is this the one who talks about your gods") meaning, is this the one who insults your gods and ridicules your intelligence Allah says: وَهُمْ بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَـنِ هُمْ كَـفِرُونَ (While they disbelieve at the mention of the Most Gracious.) meaning, they disbelieve in Allah and yet they mock the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. As Allah says: وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً أَهَـذَا الَّذِى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولاً - إِن كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا لَوْلاَ أَن صَبْرَنَا عَلَيْهَا وَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ حِينَ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ مَنْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً (And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger He would have nearly misled us from our gods, had it not been that we were patient and constant in their worship!" And they will know, when they see the torment, who it is that is most astray from the path!) 25:41-42 خُلِقَ الإنْسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ (Man is created of haste.) This is like the Ayah: وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ عَجُولاً (and man is ever hasty) 17:11, in all matters. The reason why the haste of man is mentioned here is that when mention is made of those who mock the Messenger , (the believers) will want to avenge them swiftly, and that so should happen sooner. Allah says, خُلِقَ الإنْسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ (Man is created of haste.) because He delays (the punishment) until a time when, once He seizes him, He will never let him go. He delays it, then He hastens it; He waits, then He does not delay any longer. So He says: سَأُوْرِيكُمْ ءَايَـتِى (I will show you My Ayat) meaning, My vengeance, ruling and power over those who disobey Me. فَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِلُونِ (So ask Me not to hasten (them).)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

How the Idolators mocked the Prophet Allah tells His Prophet ... وَإِذَا رَآكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ (And when those who disbelieved see you,) meaning, the disbelievers of the Quraysh, such as Abu Jahl and his like. إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً (they take you not except for mockery) means, they make fun of you and insult you, saying, أَهَـذَا الَّذِى يَذْكُرُ آلِهَتَكُمْ ("Is this the one who talks about your gods") meaning, is this the one who insults your gods and ridicules your intelligence Allah says: وَهُمْ بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَـنِ هُمْ كَـفِرُونَ (While they disbelieve at the mention of the Most Gracious.) meaning, they disbelieve in Allah and yet they mock the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. As Allah says: وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً أَهَـذَا الَّذِى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولاً - إِن كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا لَوْلاَ أَن صَبْرَنَا عَلَيْهَا وَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ حِينَ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ مَنْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً (And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger He would have nearly misled us from our gods, had it not been that we were patient and constant in their worship!" And they will know, when they see the torment, who it is that is most astray from the path!) 25:41-42 خُلِقَ الإنْسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ (Man is created of haste.) This is like the Ayah: وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ عَجُولاً (and man is ever hasty) 17:11, in all matters. The reason why the haste of man is mentioned here is that when mention is made of those who mock the Messenger , (the believers) will want to avenge them swiftly, and that so should happen sooner. Allah says, خُلِقَ الإنْسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ (Man is created of haste.) because He delays (the punishment) until a time when, once He seizes him, He will never let him go. He delays it, then He hastens it; He waits, then He does not delay any longer. So He says: سَأُوْرِيكُمْ ءَايَـتِى (I will show you My Ayat) meaning, My vengeance, ruling and power over those who disobey Me. فَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِلُونِ (So ask Me not to hasten (them).)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Idolators seek to hasten on the Punishment Allah also tells us how the idolators seek to hasten punishment upon themselves, out of denial, rejection, disbelief, stubbornness and a belief that it will never happen. He says: وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ (And they say: "When will this promise (come to pass), if you are truthful".) And Allah says: لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ (If only those who disbelieved knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs,) meaning, if only they knew for certain that it will inevitably come to pass, they would not seek to hasten it. If only they knew how the torment will overwhelm them from above them and from beneath their feet. لَهُمْ مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ مِّنَ النَّارِ وَمِن تَحْتِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ (They shall have coverings of Fire, above them and coverings (of Fire) beneath them) 39:16 لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ (Theirs will be a bed of Hell (Fire), and over them coverings (of Hellfire)) 7:41. And in this Ayah Allah says: حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ (when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs,) And Allah says: سَرَابِيلُهُم مِّن قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمْ النَّارُ (Their garments will be of tar, and fire will cover their faces) 14:50. The torment will surround them on all sides, وَلاَ هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ (and they will not be helped.) means, and they will have no helper. This is like the Ayah: وَمَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ (And they have no guardian against Allah) 13:34. بَلْ تَأْتِيهِم بَغْتَةً (Nay, it will come upon them all of a sudden) means, the Fire will come upon them suddenly, i.e., it will take them by surprise. فَتَبْهَتُهُمْ (and will perplex them,) means, it will scare them, and they will succumb to it in confusion, not knowing what they are doing. فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ رَدَّهَا (and they will have no power to avert it) means, they will have no means of doing so. وَلاَ هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ (nor will they get respite. ) means, it will not be delayed for them even for an instant.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Idolators seek to hasten on the Punishment Allah also tells us how the idolators seek to hasten punishment upon themselves, out of denial, rejection, disbelief, stubbornness and a belief that it will never happen. He says: وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ (And they say: "When will this promise (come to pass), if you are truthful".) And Allah says: لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ (If only those who disbelieved knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs,) meaning, if only they knew for certain that it will inevitably come to pass, they would not seek to hasten it. If only they knew how the torment will overwhelm them from above them and from beneath their feet. لَهُمْ مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ مِّنَ النَّارِ وَمِن تَحْتِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ (They shall have coverings of Fire, above them and coverings (of Fire) beneath them) 39:16 لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ (Theirs will be a bed of Hell (Fire), and over them coverings (of Hellfire)) 7:41. And in this Ayah Allah says: حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ (when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs,) And Allah says: سَرَابِيلُهُم مِّن قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمْ النَّارُ (Their garments will be of tar, and fire will cover their faces) 14:50. The torment will surround them on all sides, وَلاَ هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ (and they will not be helped.) means, and they will have no helper. This is like the Ayah: وَمَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ (And they have no guardian against Allah) 13:34. بَلْ تَأْتِيهِم بَغْتَةً (Nay, it will come upon them all of a sudden) means, the Fire will come upon them suddenly, i.e., it will take them by surprise. فَتَبْهَتُهُمْ (and will perplex them,) means, it will scare them, and they will succumb to it in confusion, not knowing what they are doing. فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ رَدَّهَا (and they will have no power to avert it) means, they will have no means of doing so. وَلاَ هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ (nor will they get respite. ) means, it will not be delayed for them even for an instant.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Idolators seek to hasten on the Punishment Allah also tells us how the idolators seek to hasten punishment upon themselves, out of denial, rejection, disbelief, stubbornness and a belief that it will never happen. He says: وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ (And they say: "When will this promise (come to pass), if you are truthful".) And Allah says: لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ (If only those who disbelieved knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs,) meaning, if only they knew for certain that it will inevitably come to pass, they would not seek to hasten it. If only they knew how the torment will overwhelm them from above them and from beneath their feet. لَهُمْ مِّن فَوْقِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ مِّنَ النَّارِ وَمِن تَحْتِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ (They shall have coverings of Fire, above them and coverings (of Fire) beneath them) 39:16 لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ (Theirs will be a bed of Hell (Fire), and over them coverings (of Hellfire)) 7:41. And in this Ayah Allah says: حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ (when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs,) And Allah says: سَرَابِيلُهُم مِّن قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمْ النَّارُ (Their garments will be of tar, and fire will cover their faces) 14:50. The torment will surround them on all sides, وَلاَ هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ (and they will not be helped.) means, and they will have no helper. This is like the Ayah: وَمَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ (And they have no guardian against Allah) 13:34. بَلْ تَأْتِيهِم بَغْتَةً (Nay, it will come upon them all of a sudden) means, the Fire will come upon them suddenly, i.e., it will take them by surprise. فَتَبْهَتُهُمْ (and will perplex them,) means, it will scare them, and they will succumb to it in confusion, not knowing what they are doing. فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ رَدَّهَا (and they will have no power to avert it) means, they will have no means of doing so. وَلاَ هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ (nor will they get respite. ) means, it will not be delayed for them even for an instant.