Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Certainty of Life after Death Allah says: `Ask these people, those who deny the resurrection, which is harder to create Are they more difficult to create or the heavens, the earth, the angels, devils, the mighty creatures -- everything in between them' Ibn Mas`ud said that they admitted that these things were harder to create than they were. If this is the case, then why do they deny the resurrection, when they see things that are greater than that which they deny As Allah says: لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not) (40:57) Then Allah explains that they were created from something weak, as He says: إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُم مِّن طِينٍ لاَّزِبٍ (Verily, We created them of a sticky clay.) Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak said, "This is the useful kind of mud which sticks to itself." Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and `Ikrimah said, "It is sticky and useful." Qatadah said, "It is that which sticks to the hand." بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخُرُونَ (Nay, you wondered while they mock.) means, `you were astounded, O Muhammad, at these people who denied the resurrection whilst you were certain that it is true, when they disbelieved in what Allah told you of this wondrous matter, which is the re-creation of their bodies after they have disintegrated. They oppose what you say because of their intense disbelief and they make fun of what you tell them about that.' Qatadah said, "Muhammad was astounded by the mockery of the misguided ones among the sons of Adam." وَإِذَا رَأَوْاْ ءَايَةً (And when they see an Ayah) means, clear evidence and proof, يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ (they mock at it.) Mujahid and Qatadah said, "They make fun of it." وَقَالُواْ إِن هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (And they say: "This is nothing but evident magic!") means, `this that you have brought is nothing but plain magic.' أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَاباً وَعِظَـماً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ - أَوَ ءَابَآؤُنَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ (When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we (then) verily be resurrected And also our fathers of old) They thought that this was unlikely to happen, and they did not believe it. قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنتُمْ دَخِرُونَ (Say: "Yes, and you shall then be humiliated".) means, `tell them, O Muhammad: Yes, you will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection, after you have become dust and bones, and you will be humiliated,' i.e., put to shame before His great might. This is like the Ayat: وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَخِرِينَ (And all shall come to Him, humbled) (27:87), and إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ (Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!) (40:60) Then Allah says: فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ (It will be a single Zajrah, and behold, they will be staring!) means, it will be a single command from Allah, He will call them once to come forth from the earth, then they will be standing before Him, staring at the horrors of the Day of Resurrection. And Allah knows best.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Certainty of Life after Death Allah says: `Ask these people, those who deny the resurrection, which is harder to create Are they more difficult to create or the heavens, the earth, the angels, devils, the mighty creatures -- everything in between them' Ibn Mas`ud said that they admitted that these things were harder to create than they were. If this is the case, then why do they deny the resurrection, when they see things that are greater than that which they deny As Allah says: لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not) (40:57) Then Allah explains that they were created from something weak, as He says: إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُم مِّن طِينٍ لاَّزِبٍ (Verily, We created them of a sticky clay.) Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak said, "This is the useful kind of mud which sticks to itself." Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and `Ikrimah said, "It is sticky and useful." Qatadah said, "It is that which sticks to the hand." بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخُرُونَ (Nay, you wondered while they mock.) means, `you were astounded, O Muhammad, at these people who denied the resurrection whilst you were certain that it is true, when they disbelieved in what Allah told you of this wondrous matter, which is the re-creation of their bodies after they have disintegrated. They oppose what you say because of their intense disbelief and they make fun of what you tell them about that.' Qatadah said, "Muhammad was astounded by the mockery of the misguided ones among the sons of Adam." وَإِذَا رَأَوْاْ ءَايَةً (And when they see an Ayah) means, clear evidence and proof, يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ (they mock at it.) Mujahid and Qatadah said, "They make fun of it." وَقَالُواْ إِن هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (And they say: "This is nothing but evident magic!") means, `this that you have brought is nothing but plain magic.' أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَاباً وَعِظَـماً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ - أَوَ ءَابَآؤُنَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ (When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we (then) verily be resurrected And also our fathers of old) They thought that this was unlikely to happen, and they did not believe it. قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنتُمْ دَخِرُونَ (Say: "Yes, and you shall then be humiliated".) means, `tell them, O Muhammad: Yes, you will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection, after you have become dust and bones, and you will be humiliated,' i.e., put to shame before His great might. This is like the Ayat: وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَخِرِينَ (And all shall come to Him, humbled) (27:87), and إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ (Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!) (40:60) Then Allah says: فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ (It will be a single Zajrah, and behold, they will be staring!) means, it will be a single command from Allah, He will call them once to come forth from the earth, then they will be standing before Him, staring at the horrors of the Day of Resurrection. And Allah knows best.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Certainty of Life after Death Allah says: `Ask these people, those who deny the resurrection, which is harder to create Are they more difficult to create or the heavens, the earth, the angels, devils, the mighty creatures -- everything in between them' Ibn Mas`ud said that they admitted that these things were harder to create than they were. If this is the case, then why do they deny the resurrection, when they see things that are greater than that which they deny As Allah says: لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not) (40:57) Then Allah explains that they were created from something weak, as He says: إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُم مِّن طِينٍ لاَّزِبٍ (Verily, We created them of a sticky clay.) Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak said, "This is the useful kind of mud which sticks to itself." Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and `Ikrimah said, "It is sticky and useful." Qatadah said, "It is that which sticks to the hand." بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخُرُونَ (Nay, you wondered while they mock.) means, `you were astounded, O Muhammad, at these people who denied the resurrection whilst you were certain that it is true, when they disbelieved in what Allah told you of this wondrous matter, which is the re-creation of their bodies after they have disintegrated. They oppose what you say because of their intense disbelief and they make fun of what you tell them about that.' Qatadah said, "Muhammad was astounded by the mockery of the misguided ones among the sons of Adam." وَإِذَا رَأَوْاْ ءَايَةً (And when they see an Ayah) means, clear evidence and proof, يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ (they mock at it.) Mujahid and Qatadah said, "They make fun of it." وَقَالُواْ إِن هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (And they say: "This is nothing but evident magic!") means, `this that you have brought is nothing but plain magic.' أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَاباً وَعِظَـماً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ - أَوَ ءَابَآؤُنَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ (When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we (then) verily be resurrected And also our fathers of old) They thought that this was unlikely to happen, and they did not believe it. قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنتُمْ دَخِرُونَ (Say: "Yes, and you shall then be humiliated".) means, `tell them, O Muhammad: Yes, you will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection, after you have become dust and bones, and you will be humiliated,' i.e., put to shame before His great might. This is like the Ayat: وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَخِرِينَ (And all shall come to Him, humbled) (27:87), and إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ (Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!) (40:60) Then Allah says: فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ (It will be a single Zajrah, and behold, they will be staring!) means, it will be a single command from Allah, He will call them once to come forth from the earth, then they will be standing before Him, staring at the horrors of the Day of Resurrection. And Allah knows best.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Certainty of Life after Death Allah says: `Ask these people, those who deny the resurrection, which is harder to create Are they more difficult to create or the heavens, the earth, the angels, devils, the mighty creatures -- everything in between them' Ibn Mas`ud said that they admitted that these things were harder to create than they were. If this is the case, then why do they deny the resurrection, when they see things that are greater than that which they deny As Allah says: لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not) (40:57) Then Allah explains that they were created from something weak, as He says: إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُم مِّن طِينٍ لاَّزِبٍ (Verily, We created them of a sticky clay.) Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak said, "This is the useful kind of mud which sticks to itself." Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and `Ikrimah said, "It is sticky and useful." Qatadah said, "It is that which sticks to the hand." بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخُرُونَ (Nay, you wondered while they mock.) means, `you were astounded, O Muhammad, at these people who denied the resurrection whilst you were certain that it is true, when they disbelieved in what Allah told you of this wondrous matter, which is the re-creation of their bodies after they have disintegrated. They oppose what you say because of their intense disbelief and they make fun of what you tell them about that.' Qatadah said, "Muhammad was astounded by the mockery of the misguided ones among the sons of Adam." وَإِذَا رَأَوْاْ ءَايَةً (And when they see an Ayah) means, clear evidence and proof, يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ (they mock at it.) Mujahid and Qatadah said, "They make fun of it." وَقَالُواْ إِن هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (And they say: "This is nothing but evident magic!") means, `this that you have brought is nothing but plain magic.' أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَاباً وَعِظَـماً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ - أَوَ ءَابَآؤُنَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ (When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we (then) verily be resurrected And also our fathers of old) They thought that this was unlikely to happen, and they did not believe it. قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنتُمْ دَخِرُونَ (Say: "Yes, and you shall then be humiliated".) means, `tell them, O Muhammad: Yes, you will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection, after you have become dust and bones, and you will be humiliated,' i.e., put to shame before His great might. This is like the Ayat: وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَخِرِينَ (And all shall come to Him, humbled) (27:87), and إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ (Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!) (40:60) Then Allah says: فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ (It will be a single Zajrah, and behold, they will be staring!) means, it will be a single command from Allah, He will call them once to come forth from the earth, then they will be standing before Him, staring at the horrors of the Day of Resurrection. And Allah knows best.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Day of Recompense Allah tells us what the disbeliever will say on the Day of Resurrection, how they will blame themselves and admit that they wronged themselves in this world. When they see the horrors of the Day of Resurrection with their own eyes, they will be filled with regret at the time when regret will not avail them anything. وَقَالُواْ يوَيْلَنَا هَـذَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ (They will say: "Woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense!") And the angels and the believers will say: هَـذَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ الَّذِى كُنتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ (This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny.) This will be said to them as a rebuke and reproof. Allah will command the angels to separate the disbeliever from the believers in the place where they are standing. Allah says: احْشُرُواْ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزْوَجَهُمْ ((It will be said to the angels:) Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions) An-Nu`man bin Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Their companions means their counterparts, those who are like them." This was also the view of Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, As-Suddi, Abu Salih, Abu Al-`Aliyah and Zayd bin Aslam." Sharik said, narrating from Simak, from An-Nu`man: "I heard `Umar say: احْشُرُواْ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزْوَجَهُمْ (Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions) means, `Those who are like them. So those who committed Zina will be gathered with others who committed Zina, those who dealt in Riba will be gathered with others who dealt in Riba, those who drank wine will be gathered with others who drank wine.' Mujahid and Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbas: وَأَزْوَجُهُمْ (their companions) means "Their friends." وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَمِن دُونِ اللَّهِ (and what they used to worship. Instead of Allah,) means, instead of Allah, i.e., their idols and false gods will be gathered together with them in the same place. فَاهْدُوهُمْ إِلَى صِرَطِ الْجَحِيمِ (and lead them on to the way of flaming Fire.) means, take them to the way to Hell. This is like the Ayah: وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْيًا وَبُكْمًا وَصُمًّا مَّأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَاهُمْ سَعِيرًا (and We shall gather them together on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their abode will be Hell; whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire) (17:97). وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَّسْئُولُونَ (But stop them, verily, they are to be questioned.) means, stop them so that they may be questioned about the things they did and said in this world. As Ad-Dahhak said, narrating from Ibn `Abbas, this means, `detain them, for they are to be brought to account.' `Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak said, "I heard `Uthman bin Za'idah say, `The first thing about which a man will be asked is the company that he kept. Then by way of rebuke, it will be said to them: مَا لَكُمْ لاَ تَنَـصَرُونَ (What is the matter with you Why do you not help one another)."' meaning, `as you claimed that you would all help one another.' بَلْ هُمُ الْيَوْمَ مُسْتَسْلِمُونَ (Nay, but that Day they shall surrender.) means, they will be subjected to the command of Allah, and they will not be able to resist it or avoid it. And Allah knows best.