Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Rebuking the People of Hell, their admission of Their Wretchedness and their Request to be brought out of Hell This is a rebuke from Allah to the people of Hell for the disbelief, sins, unlawful deeds and evil actions that they committed, because of which they were doomed. Allah says: أَلَمْ تَكُنْ ءَايَـتِى تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنْتُمْ بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ ("Were not My Ayat recited to you, and then you used to deny them") meaning, `I sent Messengers to you, and revealed Books, and cleared the confusion for you, so you have no excuse.' This is like the Ayat: لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ (in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers) 4:165 وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً (And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger) 17:15. كُلَّمَا أُلْقِىَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ (Every time a group is cast therein, its keeper will ask: "Did no warner come to you") Until His saying; فَسُحْقًا لاًّصْحَـبِ السَّعِيرِ (So, away with the dwellers of the blazing Fire!) They will say: رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْماً ضَآلِّينَ (Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people.) meaning, evidence has been established against us, but we were so doomed that we could not follow it, so we went astray and were not guided. Then they will say: رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَا فَإِنَّا ظَـلِمُونَ (Our Lord! Bring us out of this. If ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.) meaning, send us back to the world, and if we go back to what we used to do before, then we will indeed be wrongdoers who deserve punishment. This is like the Ayat: فَاعْتَرَفْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا فَهَلْ إِلَى خُرُوجٍ مِّن سَبِيلٍ (Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out) Until His statement: فَالْحُكْمُ للَّهِ الْعَلِـىِّ الْكَبِيرِ (So the judgment is only with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great!") 40:11-12 meaning, there will be no way out, because you used to associate partners in worship with Allah whereas the believers worshipped Him Alone.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Rebuking the People of Hell, their admission of Their Wretchedness and their Request to be brought out of Hell This is a rebuke from Allah to the people of Hell for the disbelief, sins, unlawful deeds and evil actions that they committed, because of which they were doomed. Allah says: أَلَمْ تَكُنْ ءَايَـتِى تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنْتُمْ بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ ("Were not My Ayat recited to you, and then you used to deny them") meaning, `I sent Messengers to you, and revealed Books, and cleared the confusion for you, so you have no excuse.' This is like the Ayat: لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ (in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers) 4:165 وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً (And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger) 17:15. كُلَّمَا أُلْقِىَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ (Every time a group is cast therein, its keeper will ask: "Did no warner come to you") Until His saying; فَسُحْقًا لاًّصْحَـبِ السَّعِيرِ (So, away with the dwellers of the blazing Fire!) They will say: رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْماً ضَآلِّينَ (Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people.) meaning, evidence has been established against us, but we were so doomed that we could not follow it, so we went astray and were not guided. Then they will say: رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَا فَإِنَّا ظَـلِمُونَ (Our Lord! Bring us out of this. If ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.) meaning, send us back to the world, and if we go back to what we used to do before, then we will indeed be wrongdoers who deserve punishment. This is like the Ayat: فَاعْتَرَفْنَا بِذُنُوبِنَا فَهَلْ إِلَى خُرُوجٍ مِّن سَبِيلٍ (Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out) Until His statement: فَالْحُكْمُ للَّهِ الْعَلِـىِّ الْكَبِيرِ (So the judgment is only with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great!") 40:11-12 meaning, there will be no way out, because you used to associate partners in worship with Allah whereas the believers worshipped Him Alone.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah's Response and Rejection of the Disbelievers This is the response of Allah to the disbelievers when they ask Him to bring them out of the Fire and send them back to this world. He will say: اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا (Remain you in it with ignominy!) meaning, abide therein, humiliated, despised and scorned. وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ (And speak you not to Me!) means, `do not ask for this again, for I will not respond to you. Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas concerning this Ayah, اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ (Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!) "These are the words of Ar-Rahman when silencing them." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "The people of Hell will call on Malik for forty years, and he will not answer them. Then he will respond and tell them that they are to abide therein. By Allah, their cries will mean nothing to Malik or to the Lord of Malik. Then they will call on their Lord and will say, قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْماً ضَآلِّينَ - رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَا فَإِنَّا ظَـلِمُونَ (Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people. Our Lord! Bring us out of this. If ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.) 23:106-107 Allah will not answer them for a time span equivalent to twice the duration of this world. Then He will reply: اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ (Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!) By Allah, the people will not utter a single word after that, and they will merely be in the Fire of Hell, sighing in a high and low tone. Their voices are likened to those of donkeys, which start in a high tone and end in a low tone." Then Allah will remind them of their sins in this world and how they used to make fun of His believing servants and close friends: إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِى يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الرَحِمِينَ فَاتَّخَذْتُمُوهُمْ سِخْرِيّاً (Verily, there was a party of My servants who used to say: "Our Lord! We believe, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of all who show mercy!" But you took them for a laughing stock,) meaning, `you made fun of them for calling on Me and praying to Me,' حَتَّى أَنسَوْكُمْ ذِكْرِى (so much so that they made you forget My remembrance) means, your hatred for them made you forget what I would do to you. وَكُنْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ تَضْحَكُونَ (while you used to laugh at them!) means, at their deeds and worship. This is like the Ayah: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُواْ كَانُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يَضْحَكُونَ - وَإِذَا مَرُّواْ بِهِمْ يَتَغَامَزُونَ (Verily, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed. And, whenever they passed by them, used to wink one to another.) 83:29-30 meaning, they used to slander them in mockery. Then Allah tells us how He will reward His friends and righteous servants, and says: إِنِّى جَزَيْتُهُمُ الْيَوْمَ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ (Verily, I have rewarded them this Day for their patience;) meaning, `for the harm and mockery that you inflicted on them, أَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْفَآئِزُونَ (they are indeed the ones that are successful.) I have caused them to attain the victory of joy, safety, Paradise and salvation from the Fire.'

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah's Response and Rejection of the Disbelievers This is the response of Allah to the disbelievers when they ask Him to bring them out of the Fire and send them back to this world. He will say: اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا (Remain you in it with ignominy!) meaning, abide therein, humiliated, despised and scorned. وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ (And speak you not to Me!) means, `do not ask for this again, for I will not respond to you. Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas concerning this Ayah, اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ (Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!) "These are the words of Ar-Rahman when silencing them." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "The people of Hell will call on Malik for forty years, and he will not answer them. Then he will respond and tell them that they are to abide therein. By Allah, their cries will mean nothing to Malik or to the Lord of Malik. Then they will call on their Lord and will say, قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْماً ضَآلِّينَ - رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَا فَإِنَّا ظَـلِمُونَ (Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people. Our Lord! Bring us out of this. If ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.) 23:106-107 Allah will not answer them for a time span equivalent to twice the duration of this world. Then He will reply: اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ (Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!) By Allah, the people will not utter a single word after that, and they will merely be in the Fire of Hell, sighing in a high and low tone. Their voices are likened to those of donkeys, which start in a high tone and end in a low tone." Then Allah will remind them of their sins in this world and how they used to make fun of His believing servants and close friends: إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِى يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الرَحِمِينَ فَاتَّخَذْتُمُوهُمْ سِخْرِيّاً (Verily, there was a party of My servants who used to say: "Our Lord! We believe, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of all who show mercy!" But you took them for a laughing stock,) meaning, `you made fun of them for calling on Me and praying to Me,' حَتَّى أَنسَوْكُمْ ذِكْرِى (so much so that they made you forget My remembrance) means, your hatred for them made you forget what I would do to you. وَكُنْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ تَضْحَكُونَ (while you used to laugh at them!) means, at their deeds and worship. This is like the Ayah: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُواْ كَانُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يَضْحَكُونَ - وَإِذَا مَرُّواْ بِهِمْ يَتَغَامَزُونَ (Verily, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed. And, whenever they passed by them, used to wink one to another.) 83:29-30 meaning, they used to slander them in mockery. Then Allah tells us how He will reward His friends and righteous servants, and says: إِنِّى جَزَيْتُهُمُ الْيَوْمَ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ (Verily, I have rewarded them this Day for their patience;) meaning, `for the harm and mockery that you inflicted on them, أَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْفَآئِزُونَ (they are indeed the ones that are successful.) I have caused them to attain the victory of joy, safety, Paradise and salvation from the Fire.'

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah's Response and Rejection of the Disbelievers This is the response of Allah to the disbelievers when they ask Him to bring them out of the Fire and send them back to this world. He will say: اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا (Remain you in it with ignominy!) meaning, abide therein, humiliated, despised and scorned. وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ (And speak you not to Me!) means, `do not ask for this again, for I will not respond to you. Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas concerning this Ayah, اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ (Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!) "These are the words of Ar-Rahman when silencing them." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "The people of Hell will call on Malik for forty years, and he will not answer them. Then he will respond and tell them that they are to abide therein. By Allah, their cries will mean nothing to Malik or to the Lord of Malik. Then they will call on their Lord and will say, قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنَا شِقْوَتُنَا وَكُنَّا قَوْماً ضَآلِّينَ - رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عُدْنَا فَإِنَّا ظَـلِمُونَ (Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were (an) erring people. Our Lord! Bring us out of this. If ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.) 23:106-107 Allah will not answer them for a time span equivalent to twice the duration of this world. Then He will reply: اخْسَئُواْ فِيهَا وَلاَ تُكَلِّمُونِ (Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!) By Allah, the people will not utter a single word after that, and they will merely be in the Fire of Hell, sighing in a high and low tone. Their voices are likened to those of donkeys, which start in a high tone and end in a low tone." Then Allah will remind them of their sins in this world and how they used to make fun of His believing servants and close friends: إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِى يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الرَحِمِينَ فَاتَّخَذْتُمُوهُمْ سِخْرِيّاً (Verily, there was a party of My servants who used to say: "Our Lord! We believe, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the Best of all who show mercy!" But you took them for a laughing stock,) meaning, `you made fun of them for calling on Me and praying to Me,' حَتَّى أَنسَوْكُمْ ذِكْرِى (so much so that they made you forget My remembrance) means, your hatred for them made you forget what I would do to you. وَكُنْتُمْ مِّنْهُمْ تَضْحَكُونَ (while you used to laugh at them!) means, at their deeds and worship. This is like the Ayah: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُواْ كَانُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يَضْحَكُونَ - وَإِذَا مَرُّواْ بِهِمْ يَتَغَامَزُونَ (Verily, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed. And, whenever they passed by them, used to wink one to another.) 83:29-30 meaning, they used to slander them in mockery. Then Allah tells us how He will reward His friends and righteous servants, and says: إِنِّى جَزَيْتُهُمُ الْيَوْمَ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ (Verily, I have rewarded them this Day for their patience;) meaning, `for the harm and mockery that you inflicted on them, أَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْفَآئِزُونَ (they are indeed the ones that are successful.) I have caused them to attain the victory of joy, safety, Paradise and salvation from the Fire.'