ثُمَّ تَأْخُذُ السُّورَةُ فِي نَوْعٍ آخَرَ مِنَ الْمُفَاخَرَةِ فَتُنْكِرُهُ هِيَ الْأُخْرَى.
The sūrah then picks up on another type of boast and decries it also:
أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي كَفَرَ بِآيَاتِنَا وَقَالَ لَأُوتَيَنَّ مَالًا وَوَلَدًا (77) أَطَّلَعَ الْغَيْبَ أَمِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ عَهْدًا (78) كَلَّا ۚ سَنَكْتُبُ مَا يَقُولُ وَنَمُدُّ لَهُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ مَدًّا (79) وَنَرِثُهُ مَا يَقُولُ وَيَأْتِينَا فَرْدًا (80)
Have you ever considered [the case of] the one who denies Our signs and boasts: ‘I shall surely be given wealth and children!’ Has he, perchance, attained to a realm which is beyond the reach of a created being’s perception? Or has he concluded a covenant with the Most Merciful? By no means! We shall record what he says, and We shall long extend his suffering, and We shall divest him of all that he is now speaking of and he shall appear before Us all alone. (Verses 77-80)
عن خباب بن الأرت قال: «كنتُ قَيْنًا (حدّادًا) فعملتُ للعاص بن وائل، فاجتمعَ لي عنده دَيْن، فأتيتُه أتقاضاه، فقال: لا والله لا أقضيك حتى تكفرَ بمحمدٍ ﷺ، فقلتُ: لا والله لا أكفرُ بمحمدٍ ﷺ حتى يُميتك الله ثم تُبعث. قال: وإني لميّتٌ ثم مبعوث؟ قال: نعم. قال: فإنه سيكون لي ثَمَّ مالٌ وولدٌ فأقضيك». فأنزل الله تعالى هذه الآيات.
وإنما كانت كلمات العاص مجرد مثالٍ على السخرية التي قابل بها الكفار دعوةَ الإسلام، واستهزائهم بفكرة البعث كلها. وقد أبرز القرآن تفرّدَ دعواه: ﴿أَطَّلَعَ الْغَيْبَ أَمِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ عَهْدًا﴾ (الآية ٧٨).
The immediate cause of the revelation of these verses is reported by Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt who said: “I was an ironmonger, and I had money due to be paid to me by al-`Āş ibn Wā’il. I went to him to demand payment. He said, ‘By God! I am not going to repay you until you reject Muĥammad and his message.’ I said, ‘I shall not reject Muĥammad until you have died and been resurrected.’ He said to me, ‘Well! Wait then. For, when I have been resurrected after my death, I will have wealth and children. You can come to me then and I will pay you what I owe you.’ God then revealed these verses.” Al-`Āş’s words serve merely as an example of the ridicule with which the unbelievers responded to the call of Islam and their derision of the whole concept of resurrection. The Qur’ān highlights the singularity of his claims: “Has he, perchance, attained to a realm which is beyond the reach of a created being’s perception?” (Verse 78)
وسيكون ذلك مصدرا جيدا للمعرفة، يمنحه علما بما قد يحدث في ذلك العالم. "أم اتخذ عند الرحمن عهدا؟" (الآية 78) ففي هذه الحال يكون على يقين بأن عهد الله سيتحقق. ويتبع ذلك عبارة نفي قاطع، وهي في العربية تحمل دلالات النهي: "كلا!" (الآية 79) فهو لم يبلغ شيئا من ذلك العالم، ولم يعقد مع الله أي عهد، وإنما يكفر بالحق ويستهزئ بوعده.
That would be a good source of information, giving him knowledge of what may happen in that world. “Or has he concluded a covenant with the Most Merciful?” (Verse 78) In such a case, he would be certain that God’s covenant will be fulfilled. This is followed by an expression of categorical negation which, in Arabic, adds connotations of a prohibition: “By no means!” (Verse 79) He neither attained to any such realm, nor made any covenant with God. He merely rejects the truth and derides its promise.
وهنا يكون التحذير الشديد مناسبًا جدًا لوقف مثل هذه الادعاءات المتعالية: ﴿كَلَّا ۚ سَنَكْتُبُ مَا يَقُولُ وَنَمُدُّ لَهُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ مَدًّا﴾ (الآية 79). سنكتب كل ما يقوله حتى لا يُنسى، ولا يُقبل أي جدال في يوم القيامة. وهذه أيضًا صورة تمثيلية فحسب، إذ لا مجال للجدال أو المراء، لأن علم الله يحيط بكل التفاصيل الدقيقة. وفضلًا عن ذلك، فإن العذاب الذي يُنزل بهؤلاء المجرمين سيتضاعف أضعافًا في مدته وقدره، ليستمر دون انقطاع.
A stern warning is, then, very apt here to stop such arrogant claims: “By no means! We shall record what he says, and We shall long extend his suffering.” (Verse 79) We will write down whatever he says, so that it is not forgotten, admitting no dispute on the Day of Judgement. This is again a merely descriptive image, because no dispute or argument is possible as God’s knowledge encompasses every little detail. Moreover, the punishment meted out to such sinners will be increased manifold, in time and volume, so as to continue without interruption.
ومثال آخر للتحذير يُضاف: «وَنَرِثُهُ مَا يَقُولُ وَيَأْتِينَا فَرْدًا». (الآية 80) فيُنزع منه كل ما يتحدث عنه من ماله وأولاده، فلا يبقى له شيء. والتعبير العربي هنا «وَنَرِثُهُ مَا يَقُولُ» يعطي صورة الميراث، ليكون الحرمان تامًا، كما يأخذ الوارث كل ما خلّفه الميت، فلا يترك شيئًا. «وَيَأْتِينَا فَرْدًا». (الآية 80) فلن يكون له شيء مما كان يمنحه المكانة في المجتمع. فلا يملك مالًا ولا عقارًا ولا أقارب ولا أتباعًا ولا أنصارًا وهو يأتي الله وحده، فردًا لا حول له ولا قوة.
A further image of warning is added: “and We shall divest him of all that he is now speaking of and he shall appear before Us all alone.” (Verse 80) Thus, everything that he speaks about of his wealth and children will be taken away from him, so that he is left with nothing. The Arabic text here, narithuhū mā yaqūl, gives an image of inheritance, in order to make the deprivation total, just as when an heir takes away all that a deceased person has left behind, discarding nothing. “He shall appear before Us all alone.” (Verse 80) He will have nothing of what gave him his standing in society. Thus, he will have no money, property, relatives, followers or supporters as he appears before God all alone, a powerless individual.
أفرأيتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ، ثُمَّ يَتَكَلَّمُ عَنْ ثَرْوَتِهِ يَوْمَ لَا يَمْلِكُ مَكَانَةً وَلَا نُفُوذًا؟ إِنَّهُ يَوْمٌ يُحْرَمُ فِيهِ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا كَانَ يَمْنَحُهُ السُّلْطَةَ فِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةِ. وَهَذَا نَوْعٌ وَاحِدٌ فَقَطْ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ، وَالِادِّعَاءِ الْكَاذِبِ، وَالسُّخْرِيَةِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ.
Have you, then, considered this person who denies God’s revelation, yet speaks about his fortunes on a day when he has no position or influence? It is a day when he will be deprived of all that gave him power in this life. This is just one type of unbelief, false claims and ridicule of the truth.
تُواصِلُ السُّورَةُ مُنَاقَشَةَ جَوَانِبَ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ مِنَ الكُفْرِ.
The sūrah continues its discussion of different aspects of unbelief:
وَاتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ آلِهَةً لِّيَكُونُوا لَهُمْ عِزًّا * كَلَّا ۚ سَيَكْفُرُونَ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضِدًّا * أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا الشَّيَاطِينَ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ تَؤُزُّهُمْ أَزًّا * فَلَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا * يَوْمَ نَحْشُرُ الْمُتَّقِينَ إِلَى الرَّحْمَٰنِ وَفْدًا * وَنَسُوقُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ وِرْدًا * لَّا يَمْلِكُونَ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ عَهْدًا
They have taken to worshipping deities other than God, hoping that they will give them power and glory. By no means! They will renounce their worship and turn against them. Have you not seen how We let loose satanic forces upon the unbelievers to repeatedly incite them to evil? So, be not in haste: We only allow them a fixed number of days. The day [will surely come] when We shall gather the God-fearing before [God] the Most Merciful, as honoured guests, and drive those who are lost in sin to hell as a thirsty herd. None will have power to intercede for them except one who has received permission from [God] the Most Merciful. (Verses 81-87)
الذين يكفرون بآيات الله ينسبون الألوهية إلى كائنات غير الله، ويعبدون تلك الآلهة الباطلة راجين أن تمنحهم القوة والنصر والعزة. فمنهم من عبد الملائكة، ومنهم من عبد الجن. كانوا يدعون من عبدوهم، ويستنجدون بهم على أعدائهم.
Those who deny God’s revelations ascribe divinity to beings other than God, and they will worship such false deities hoping that they will give them power, victory and glory. Some worshipped angels, while others worshipped jinn. They called on those whom they worshipped, appealing to them for support against their enemies.
بل إن الملائكة والجن الذين يُعبَدون الآن يتبرؤون من فعلهم، ويتنصلون من عبادتهم، ويستنكرون موقفهم. وكما يصف القرآن الكريم حالهم، فإن أولئك الذين عُبِدوا في هذه الحياة الدنيا سيَتبرؤون منهم يوم القيامة، ويشهدون بما يدين الكافرين الذين عبدوهم.
But the very angels and jinn they worship now denounce their action, disassociate themselves of their worship and condemn their attitude. As the Qur’ān describes their position, those who were worshipped in this present life will on the Day of Judgement “turn against them,” and will give a testimony that condemns the unbelievers who worshipped them.
تُحرِّضهم القوى الشيطانية، أو الشياطين، دائمًا على ارتكاب الأفعال الآثمة. وقد مُنحت هذه القوى فرصةً لإغواء بني آدم وإضلالهم، منذ أن طلب إبليس، أو الشيطان، من الله أن يمنحه هذه الفرصة. وقد أُمر النبي ﷺ ألّا يستعجل الأمور: ﴿فَلَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ﴾ (الآية 84). وألّا يحزن كثيرًا بسببهم. فقد أُعطوا فرصةً محددةً بأجلٍ معلوم، تُحصى خلالها كل أفعالهم وأقوالهم وتُسجَّل. وتصف الآية هنا دقة هذا الحساب: ﴿إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا﴾ (الآية 84).
Satanic forces, or devils, will always incite them to commit sinful actions. These forces have been given the chance to tempt and misguide human beings, ever since Satan, or Iblīs, requested God to allow him such opportunity. The Prophet is instructed not to precipitate matters: “So, be not in haste.” (Verse 84) He should not be over-grieved about them. They are given a chance, with a definite time limit, during which everything they do or say is counted and recorded. The verse here describes the accuracy of the reckoning: “We only allow them a fixed number of days.” (Verse 84)
وربما ينبغي أن نضيف أن هذه ترجمة غير كافية للعبارة العربية «نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا». ففي النص العربي حُذف المعدود، وذلك ليعطينا انطباعًا بالإحصاء الدقيق والتسجيل لكل شيء. وهذه صورة مهيبة، لأنه حين يكون التسجيل من الله تعالى فإنه لا يغفل عن شيء ولا يُغادر منه شيئًا. فمن يشعر أن رئيسه يراقب أفعاله بدقة ليرصد أي خطأ، لا بد أن يشعر بالقلق والخوف. فكيف يشعر من يعلم أن الله سبحانه وتعالى يراقبه؟
Perhaps we should add that this is an inadequate translation of the Arabic statement, na`ddu lahum `addā. In the Arabic text, the object of what is being numbered is deleted so as to give us an impression of the meticulous counting and recording of everything. This is an awesome image, because when the recording is made by God, it does not overlook or miss anything out. Someone who feels that his boss is carefully monitoring his actions so as to identify any mistake will inevitably feel uneasy and worried. So how does the person who knows that God Almighty is watching him feel?
ثم إن ثمرة كل هذا الحساب تتجلى في صورة أخرى من صور يوم القيامة. فالمؤمنون سيأتون إلى الله في موكب يلقاهم فيه الإكرام والضيافة: ﴿يَوْمَ نَحْشُرُ الْمُتَّقِينَ إِلَى الرَّحْمَٰنِ وَفْدًا﴾ (الآية 85). أما الكافرون فسيُساقون كما تُساق الأنعام حتى يبلغوا مثواهم الأخير: ﴿وَنَسُوقُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ وِرْدًا﴾ (الآية 86). ولا شفاعة يومئذ إلا لمن اتخذ عند الرحمن عهدًا، وهو من عمل عملًا صالحًا في الحياة الدنيا. وهذا العمل يكون كالوعد من الله الذي سيُنجزه، فقد وعد الله الذين عملوا الصالحات بأجر عظيم، والله لا يخلف الميعاد.
The outcome of all this reckoning is shown in yet another image of the Day of Judgement. The believers will come to God in a procession met with honour and hospitality: “The day [will surely come] when We shall gather the God-fearing before [God] the Most Merciful, as honoured guests.” (Verse 86) On the other hand, the unbelievers will be driven like cattle until they arrive at their last abode: “And drive those who are lost in sin to hell as a thirsty herd.” (Verse 86) There will be no intercession on that day, except for one who has done a good deed in this worldly life. Such a deed will be like a promise from God which He will honour. God has promised those who do good works to give them an abundant reward, and God does not fail to honour His promises.