Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ (And every Ummah has), meaning, each generation and nation, أَجَلٌ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ (its appointed term; when their term comes) which they were destined for, لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ (neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment)). Allah then warned the Children of Adam that He sent to them Messengers who conveyed to them His Ayat. Allah also conveyed good news, as well as warning, فَمَنِ اتَّقَى وَأَصْلَحَ (then whosoever has Taqwa and becomes righteous) by abandoning the prohibitions and performing acts of obedience, فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَوَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَآ (on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve. But those who reject Our Ayat and treat them with arrogance,) meaning, their hearts denied the Ayat and they were too arrogant to abide by them, أُولَـئِكَ أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ (they are the dwellers of the Fire, they will abide therein forever.) without end to their dwelling in it.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Idolators enjoy Their destined Share in This Life, but will lose Their Supporters upon Death Allah said, فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِآيَـتِهِ (Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat) meaning, none is more unjust than whoever invents a lie about Allah or rejects the Ayat that He has revealed. Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi said that, أُوْلَـئِكَ يَنَالُهُمْ نَصِيبُهُم مِّنَ الْكِتَـبِ (For such their appointed portion will reach them from the Book) refers to each person's deeds, alloted provisions and age. Similar was said by Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Allah said in similar statements, قُلْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لاَ يُفْلِحُونَ - مَتَـعٌ فِى الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ نُذِيقُهُمُ الْعَذَابَ الشَّدِيدَ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ (Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah, will never be successful. (A brief) enjoyment in this world! And then unto Us will be their return, then We shall make them taste the severest torment because they used to disbelieve.) 10:69-70 and, وَمَن كَفَرَ فَلاَ يَحْزُنكَ كُفْرُهُ إِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ فَنُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلاً (And whoever disbelieves, let not his disbelief grieve you. To Us is their return, and We shall inform them what they have done. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts (of men). We let them enjoy for a little while.) 31:23-24. Allah said next, حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا يَتَوَفَّوْنَهُمْ (until when Our messengers come to them to take their souls.) Allah states that when death comes to the idolators and the angels come to capture their souls to take them to Hellfire, the angels horrify them, saying, "Where are the so-called partners (of Allah) whom you used to call in the life of this world, invoking and worshipping them instead of Allah Call them so that they save you from what you are suffering." However, the idolators will reply, ضَـلُّواْ عَنَّا ("They have vanished and deserted us") meaning, we have lost them and thus, we do not hope in their benefit or aid, وَشَهِدُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ (And they will bear witness against themselves) they will admit and proclaim against themselves, أَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ كَـفِرِينَ (that they were disbelievers.)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

People of the Fire will dispute and curse Each Other Allahmentioned what He will say to those who associate others withHim, invent lies about Him, and reject His Ayat, ادْخُلُواْ فِى أُمَمٍ (Enter you in the company of nations), who are your likes and similar to you in conduct, قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ (Who passed away before you) from the earlier disbelieving nations, مِّن الْجِنِّ وَالإِنْسِ فِى النَّارِ (Of men and Jinn, into the Fire.) Allah said next, كُلَّمَا دَخَلَتْ أُمَّةٌ لَّعَنَتْ أُخْتَهَا (Every time a new nation enters, it curses its sister nation (that went before)) Al-Khalil (Prophet Ibrahim), peace be upon him, said, ثُمَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُمْ بِبَعْضٍ ("But on the Day of Resurrection, you shall deny each other) 29:25. Also, Allah said, إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ وَرَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الاٌّسْبَابُ - وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تَبَرَّءُواْ مِنَّا كَذَلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ اللَّهُ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ حَسَرَتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا هُم بِخَـرِجِينَ مِنَ النَّارِ (When those who were followed declare themselves innocent of those who followed (them), and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from them. And those who followed will say: "If only we had one more chance to return (to the worldly life), we would declare ourselves as innocent from them as they have declared themselves as innocent from us." Thus Allah will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire) 2:166-167. Allah's statement, حَتَّى إِذَا ادَّارَكُواْ فِيهَا جَمِيعًا (until they are all together in the Fire) means, they are all gathered in the Fire, قَالَتْ أُخْرَاهُمْ لاٍّولَـهُمْ (The last of them will say to the first of them) that is, the nation of followers that enter last will say this to the first nations to enter. This is because the earlier nations were worse criminals than those who followed them, and this is why they entered the Fire first. For this reason, their followers will complain against them to Allah, because they were the ones who misguided them from the correct path, saying, رَبَّنَا هَـؤُلاءِ أَضَلُّونَا فَـَاتِهِمْ عَذَابًا ضِعْفًا مِّنَ النَّارِ ("Our Lord! These misled us, so give them a double torment of the Fire.") multiply their share of the torment. Allah said in another instance, يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِى النَّارِ يَقُولُونَ يلَيْتَنَآ أَطَعْنَا اللَّهَ وَأَطَعْنَا الرَّسُولاَ - وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّآ أَطَعْنَا سَادَتَنَا وَكُبَرَآءَنَا فَأَضَلُّونَا السَّبِيلاْ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِهِمْ ضِعْفَيْنِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ (On the Day when their faces will be turned over in the Fire, they will say: "Oh! Would that we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger." And they will say: "Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us from the (right) way. Our Lord! Give them a double torment.") 33:66-68. Allah said in reply, قَالَ لِكُلٍّ ضِعْفٌ (He will say: "For each one there is double (torment)..."), We did what you asked, and recompensed each according to their deeds.' Allah said in another Ayah, الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ زِدْنَـهُمْ عَذَابًا (Those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from the path of Allah, for them We will add torment)16:88. Furthermore, Allah said, وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالاً مَّعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْ (And verily, they shall bear their own loads, and other loads besides their own) 29:13 and, وَمِنْ أَوْزَارِ الَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ (And also (some thing) of the burdens of those whom they misled without knowledge) 16:25. وَقَالَتْ أُولَـهُمْ لاٌّخْرَاهُمْ (The first of them will say to the last of them) meaning, the followed will say to the followers, فَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍ ("You were not better than us. ..") meaning, you were led astray as we were led astray, according to As-Suddi. فَذُوقُواْ الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْسِبُونَ ("So taste the torment for what you used to earn.") Allah again described the condition of the idolators during the gathering (of Resurrection), when He said; قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ أَنَحْنُ صَدَدنَـكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَى بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَكُمْ بَلْ كُنتُمْ مُّجْرِمِينَ - وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ بَلْ مَكْرُ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَآ أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَندَاداً وَأَسَرُّواْ النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُاْ اْلَعَذَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا الاٌّغْلَـلَ فِى أَعْنَاقِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (And those who were arrogant will say to those who were deemed weak: "Did we keep you back from guidance after it come to you Nay, but you were criminals." Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: "Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day, when you ordered us to disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals to Him!" And each of them (parties) will conceal their own regrets, when they behold the torment. And We shall put iron collars round the necks of those who disbelieved. Are they requited aught except what they used to do) 34:32-33

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

People of the Fire will dispute and curse Each Other Allahmentioned what He will say to those who associate others withHim, invent lies about Him, and reject His Ayat, ادْخُلُواْ فِى أُمَمٍ (Enter you in the company of nations), who are your likes and similar to you in conduct, قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ (Who passed away before you) from the earlier disbelieving nations, مِّن الْجِنِّ وَالإِنْسِ فِى النَّارِ (Of men and Jinn, into the Fire.) Allah said next, كُلَّمَا دَخَلَتْ أُمَّةٌ لَّعَنَتْ أُخْتَهَا (Every time a new nation enters, it curses its sister nation (that went before)) Al-Khalil (Prophet Ibrahim), peace be upon him, said, ثُمَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُمْ بِبَعْضٍ ("But on the Day of Resurrection, you shall deny each other) 29:25. Also, Allah said, إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ وَرَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الاٌّسْبَابُ - وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تَبَرَّءُواْ مِنَّا كَذَلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ اللَّهُ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ حَسَرَتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا هُم بِخَـرِجِينَ مِنَ النَّارِ (When those who were followed declare themselves innocent of those who followed (them), and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from them. And those who followed will say: "If only we had one more chance to return (to the worldly life), we would declare ourselves as innocent from them as they have declared themselves as innocent from us." Thus Allah will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire) 2:166-167. Allah's statement, حَتَّى إِذَا ادَّارَكُواْ فِيهَا جَمِيعًا (until they are all together in the Fire) means, they are all gathered in the Fire, قَالَتْ أُخْرَاهُمْ لاٍّولَـهُمْ (The last of them will say to the first of them) that is, the nation of followers that enter last will say this to the first nations to enter. This is because the earlier nations were worse criminals than those who followed them, and this is why they entered the Fire first. For this reason, their followers will complain against them to Allah, because they were the ones who misguided them from the correct path, saying, رَبَّنَا هَـؤُلاءِ أَضَلُّونَا فَـَاتِهِمْ عَذَابًا ضِعْفًا مِّنَ النَّارِ ("Our Lord! These misled us, so give them a double torment of the Fire.") multiply their share of the torment. Allah said in another instance, يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِى النَّارِ يَقُولُونَ يلَيْتَنَآ أَطَعْنَا اللَّهَ وَأَطَعْنَا الرَّسُولاَ - وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّآ أَطَعْنَا سَادَتَنَا وَكُبَرَآءَنَا فَأَضَلُّونَا السَّبِيلاْ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِهِمْ ضِعْفَيْنِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ (On the Day when their faces will be turned over in the Fire, they will say: "Oh! Would that we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger." And they will say: "Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us from the (right) way. Our Lord! Give them a double torment.") 33:66-68. Allah said in reply, قَالَ لِكُلٍّ ضِعْفٌ (He will say: "For each one there is double (torment)..."), We did what you asked, and recompensed each according to their deeds.' Allah said in another Ayah, الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ زِدْنَـهُمْ عَذَابًا (Those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from the path of Allah, for them We will add torment)16:88. Furthermore, Allah said, وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالاً مَّعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْ (And verily, they shall bear their own loads, and other loads besides their own) 29:13 and, وَمِنْ أَوْزَارِ الَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ (And also (some thing) of the burdens of those whom they misled without knowledge) 16:25. وَقَالَتْ أُولَـهُمْ لاٌّخْرَاهُمْ (The first of them will say to the last of them) meaning, the followed will say to the followers, فَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍ ("You were not better than us. ..") meaning, you were led astray as we were led astray, according to As-Suddi. فَذُوقُواْ الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْسِبُونَ ("So taste the torment for what you used to earn.") Allah again described the condition of the idolators during the gathering (of Resurrection), when He said; قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ أَنَحْنُ صَدَدنَـكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَى بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَكُمْ بَلْ كُنتُمْ مُّجْرِمِينَ - وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ بَلْ مَكْرُ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَآ أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَندَاداً وَأَسَرُّواْ النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُاْ اْلَعَذَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا الاٌّغْلَـلَ فِى أَعْنَاقِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (And those who were arrogant will say to those who were deemed weak: "Did we keep you back from guidance after it come to you Nay, but you were criminals." Those who were deemed weak will say to those who were arrogant: "Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day, when you ordered us to disbelieve in Allah and set up rivals to Him!" And each of them (parties) will conceal their own regrets, when they behold the torment. And We shall put iron collars round the necks of those who disbelieved. Are they requited aught except what they used to do) 34:32-33

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Doors of Heaven shall not open for Those Who deny Allah's Ayat, and They shall never enter Paradise Allah said, لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَبُ السَّمَآءِ (for them the gates of the heavens will not be opened,) meaning, their good deeds and supplication will not ascend through it, according to Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Ibn `Abbas, as Al-`Awfi and `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from him. Ath-Thawri narrated that, Layth said that `Ata' narrated this from Ibn `Abbas. It was also said that the meaning here is that the doors of the heavens will not be opened for the disbelievers' souls, according to Ad-Dahhak who reported this from Ibn `Abbas. As-Suddi and several others mentioned this meaning. What further supports this meaning, is the report from Ibn Jarir that Al-Bara' said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned capturing the soul of the `Fajir' (wicked sinner or disbeliever), and that his or her soul will be ascended to heaven. The Prophet said, «فَيَصْعَدُونَ بِهَا، فَلَا تَمُرُّ عَلَى مَلَأٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ إِلَّا قَالُوا مَا هَذِهِ الرُّوحُ الْخَبِيثَةُ؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: فُلَانٌ بِأَقْبَحِ أَسْمَائِهِ الَّتِي كَانَ يُدْعَى بِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا، حَتَّى يَنْتَهَوا بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَيَسْتَفْتَحُونَ بَابَهَا لَهُ فَلَا يَفْتَحُ لَه» (So they (angels) ascend it and it will not pass by a gathering of the angels, but they will ask, who's wicked soul is this' They will reply, `The soul of so-and-so,' calling him by the worst names he was called in this life. When they reach the (lower) heaven, they will ask that its door be opened for the soul, but it will not be opened for it.) The Prophet then recited, لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَبُ السَّمَآءِ (For them the gates of heaven will not be opened). This is a part of a long Hadith which was also recorded by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. Ibn Jurayj commented on the Ayah, لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَبُ السَّمَآءِ (for them the gates of heaven will not be opened,) "(The gates of heaven) will not be opened for their deeds or souls." This explanation combines the two meanings we gave above, and Allah knows best. Allah's statement, وَلاَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِى سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ (and they will not enter Paradise until the Jamal goes through the eye of the needle.) refers to the male camel. Ibn Mas`ud said it is a male camel from the she camel. In another narration it refers to the spouse of the she camel. Mujahid and `Ikrimah said that Ibn `Abbas used to recite this Ayah this way, "Until the Jummal goes through the eye of the needle", whereas `Jummal' is a thick rope. Allah's statement, لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ (Theirs will be Mihad from the Fire) means, beds, while; وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ (and over them Ghawash), means, coverings, according to Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi. Similar was said by Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim and As-Suddi. Allah said next, وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الظَّـلِمِينَ (Thus do We recompense the wrongdoers.)