يتحدث الآية التالية عن موقف مُصِرّ على رفض كل هداية إلهية:
The next verse speaks about a determined attitude to reject all divine guidance:
قال الكفار: لن نؤمن بهذا القرآن ولا بالذي بين يديه، وهذا القول منهم صريح في أنهم لن يؤمنوا لا بالقرآن ولا بأي كتاب إلهي سبقه، مع أن ذلك في الحقيقة يؤكد صدقه. وهم لا يستعدون للإيمان بشيء من ذلك في أي وقت في المستقبل كذلك، بل هم مصممون على الكفر، يرفضون عمدًا حتى النظر في كل ما يدل على الإيمان. فالأمر إذن موقف متعمَّد مدروس. ولهذا تضع السورة أمام أعينهم ما يلقونه يوم القيامة نتيجة إصرارهم على الرفض:
“The unbelievers say: We will never believe in this Qur’ān, nor in any earlier revelations.” (Verse 31) They make it clear that they will never believe, neither in the Qur’ān nor in any divine book that preceded the Qur’ān, which in fact confirms its truth. They are not prepared to believe in any of this at any time in the future either. They are determined to disbelieve, deliberately refusing even to consider anything that points to faith. It is all, then, a well considered stance. Therefore, the sūrah puts before their eyes what happens to them on the Day of Judgement as a result of their stubborn rejection:
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ الْقَوْلَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لَوْلَا أَنتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا أَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنَاكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَىٰ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَكُم بَلْ كُنتُم مُّجْرِمِينَ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا بَلْ مَكْرُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَا أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَندَادًا ۚ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ ۚ وَجَعَلْنَا الْأَغْلَالَ فِي أَعْنَاقِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
If only you could see how the wrongdoers shall be made to stand before their Lord, hurling reproaches at one another. Those of them who were weak on earth will say to those who had deemed themselves mighty: Had it not been for you, we would certainly have been believers.’ The ones who deemed themselves mighty will say to those who were weak: ‘Was it we who prevented you from following right guidance after it had been given you? Certainly not! It was you who were guilty.’ Those who were weak will reply to those who deemed themselves mighty: Not so! It was your scheming, night and day, ordering us to disbelieve in God and to set up equals to Him.’ When they see the punishment awaiting them, they will all harbour utter and unmitigated remorse. We shall put chains round the necks of the unbelievers. Are they to be requited for anything other than what they did? (Verses 31-33)
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ الْقَوْلَ ۖ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لَوْلَا أَنتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ
Their assertion that they will never believe in any revealed book is made in this life. So, what will they say in a totally different situation? If only we could see these wrongdoers when they are ‘made to stand’, i.e. forced into it against their will or better judgement. They are guilty, made to stand and await a decision by their Lord, in whose words and scriptures they profess they will never believe. Yet now they stand before Him. If you could watch them, you would see how they reproach one another, exchanging accusations and trying to blame each other. So, what is it that they say?
"﴿الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لَوْلَا أَنتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ﴾" (الآية 31). يلومون قادتهم، ويتهمونهم بأنهم المسؤولون عن هذا الذل وعما سيأتي بعده من عذاب عظيم. إنهم يقولون هذا الآن، لكنهم لم يكونوا قادرين تماماً على مواجهتهم بهذا الشكل في حياتهم الدنيا، إذ منعهم من ذلك ضعفهم وخضوعهم. لقد باعوا الحرية والكرامة التي منحهم الله إياها، وكذلك العقل الذي أنعم به عليهم. والآن، وقد سقطت كل القيم الزائفة، وصاروا وجهاً لوجه أمام عذاب دائم، يستطيعون أن يعبّروا عن أنفسهم دون خوف: ﴿لَوْلَا أَنتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ﴾ (الآية 31).
“Those of them who were weak on earth will say to those who had deemed themselves mighty: Had it not been for you, we would certainly have been believers.” (Verse 31) They blame their leaders, accusing them of being responsible for this humiliation and what will come next of great suffering. They state this now but were totally unable to confront them in this way during their life on earth, prevented as they were by their weakness and submission. They had sold out the freedom and dignity God had granted them, as well as the reasoning He had blessed them with. Now that all false values have been discarded, and they are put face to face with a long-lasting suffering, they can express themselves without fear: “Had it not been for you, we would certainly have been believers.” (Verse 31)
أولئك الذين كانوا يعتدّون بسلطتهم قد ضاقوا ذرعاً بمن كانوا يستذلّونهم. كلاهما يواجه العقوبة نفسها، لكنّ الفئة الضعيفة تريد منهم أن يتحمّلوا مسؤولية إضلالهم، وهو ما أوصلهم إلى هذا العذاب. لذلك يأتي ردّهم مستكبراً، يتنصّل من أي مسؤولية. ويقولون لهم بوقاحة ما يرونه فيهم: ﴿قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا أَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنَاكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَىٰ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَكُمْ ۖ بَلْ كُنتُم مُّجْرِمِينَ﴾ (الآية ٣٢)
Those who used to think much of their power base are fed up with those whom they treated with humiliation. Both face the same punishment, but the weaker elements want them to bear responsibility for leading them astray, which is what has brought them to this suffering. Therefore, their reply is haughty, disowning any responsibility. They also tell them rudely what they think of them: “The ones who deemed themselves mighty will say to those who were weak: Was it we who prevented you from following right guidance after it had been given you? Certainly not! It was you who were guilty.” (Verse 32)
ليس الأمر أنهم ينكرون المسؤولية عن غيرهم فحسب، بل إنهم يقرّون بأن الرسالة التي تلقوها كانت رسالة هداية. ففي حياتهم الأولى لم يكونوا يلقون بالاً إلى الضعفاء أو إلى آرائهم، بل كانوا يعاملونهم كأنهم غير موجودين، لا يقبلون منهم حجة ولا اعتراضاً. والآن، وقد صاروا يواجهون عذاب الآخرة، يسألونهم بلوم: ﴿أَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنَاكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَىٰ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَكُمْ ۖ بَلْ كُنْتُمْ مُجْرِمِينَ﴾ (الآية 32). ومع هذا الإنكار تأتي التهمة: ﴿بَلْ كُنْتُمْ مُجْرِمِينَ﴾ (الآية 32). لقد رفضتم الهدى الذي جاءكم لأنكم أنفسكم كنتم مجرمين.
It is not only that they deny responsibility for others, but they acknowledge that the message they received was one of guidance. In their first life, they paid little heed to the weak or their views. In fact, they treated them as if they did not exist, accepting neither argument nor opposition from them. Now that they are facing the punishment of the hereafter, they reproachfully ask them: “Was it we who prevented you from following right guidance after it had been given you?” (Verse 32) With this denial comes an accusation: “It was you who were guilty.” (Verse 32) You refused the guidance that was given you because you yourselves were guilty.
لو جرى هذا الحوار في هذه الحياة، لظلّ الضعفاء ساكتين لا يستطيعون أن ينطقوا بكلمة. لكن يوم القيامة، حين تُكشف الأباطيل على حقيقتها، وتظهر الحقائق التي كانت مستورة، لا يقبل الضعفاء هذا الاتهام، بل يتكلمون ويقولون للآخرين إن الذين كانوا يدبّرون باستمرار لصدّهم عن هدى الله هم أنتم، وإنكم أنتم من أقمتم المعتقدات الباطلة، وأثرتم اللبس حول الحق، واستعملتم السلطة والنفوذ لإضلال الناس: {وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا بَلْ مَكْرُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَا أَن نَّكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَندَادًا} (سبأ: 33)
Had this exchange taken place in this life, the weak would have sat quietly, unable to utter a word. But on the Day of Judgement, when false airs are seen for what they are, and when the facts that were hidden are brought into the open, the weak do not accept this accusation. Instead, they speak out telling the others that it was they who consistently schemed to turn them away from God’s guidance, it was they who established false beliefs, created confusion around the truth, and who used power and influence to keep people astray: “Those who were weak will reply to those who deemed themselves mighty: Not so! It was your scheming, night and day, ordering us to disbelieve in God and to set up equals to Him.” (Verse 33)
ثم سيدركون أن مثل هذا الحوار المؤلم لا يفيد أيًّا من الفريقين، ولن يخفف عن أي منهما العقوبةَ التي يستحقها. فكل طائفة مسؤولة عن ذنوبها: فأما الذين ادّعَوا السلطة فعليهم أن يُحاسَبوا على آثامهم، وكذلك على إضلالهم للآخرين؛ وأما الضعفاء فهم مسؤولون عن ذنوبهم، وعن اتباعهم للطغاة. ولا يُعفَون من المساءلة بحجة أنهم كانوا ضعفاء، فقد منحهم الله العقل والحرية، لكنهم أعرضوا عن استعمال عقولهم وباعوا حريتهم، فقبلوا الذل والخضوع. ولذلك استحق الجميع العقوبة. وحين يرون العذاب الذي سيُقاسونه، يغمرهم حزن عميق وندم على كل ما فعلوه: ﴿وَأَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ﴾ [يونس: 54] — (الآية 33). وهذا وصف لحالةٍ من الندم الشامل الذي يُعجز صاحبه عن النطق بكلمة واحدة.
Both groups will then realize that such a depressing dialogue benefits neither. It will not spare either the punishment they deserve. Each party is guilty of their own sins: the ones who claimed power have to account for their own sins, as well as for leading others astray; and similarly the weak are responsible for their own sins and for following tyrants. They cannot he exempt on account of the fact that they were weak. God favoured them with reason and freedom, but they chose not to use their reason and sold their freedom, accepting humiliation and servility. Thus, they all deserve to be punished. When they see the suffering they have to endure, they are in deep sorrow, regretting all that they have done: “When they see the punishment awaiting them, they will all harbour utter and unmitigated remorse.” (Verse 33) This is a description of a state of total regret that leaves the person unable to utter a word.
القلوب مدفونة، والشفاه مختومة.
Hearts are buried and lips are sealed.
ثُمَّ يُؤْخَذُونَ إِلَى حَيْثُ يُنَفَّذُ فِيهِمُ الْعَذَابُ، الشَّدِيدُ الْمُؤْلِمُ.
They are then taken to where their punishment, hard and painful, is meted out:
"إِنَّا سَنَجْعَلُ فِي أَعْنَاقِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَغْلَالًا" (الآية 32). وبينما هم يُساقون على هذا النحو، يخاطب السورة المتفرجين قائلة: "هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ؟" (الآية 33).
“We shall put chains round the necks of the unbelievers.” (Verse 32) As they are being so driven, the sūrah addresses the onlookers, saying: “Are they to be requited for anything other than what they did?” (Verse 33)
أُسدِلَ الستار، فلم يبقَ إلا الذين تمتعوا بالسلطان، والذين كانوا خاضعين له مستسلمين. فكلاهما ظالم؛ فالفريق الأول ظلم بالاستبداد، وتحريف الحق، وتجاوز الحدود، والفريق الثاني ظلم بالتفريط في كرامته الإنسانية وعقله وحريته، وبقبوله الطغيان. وكلا الفريقين يُجزى بالعدل، فلا يُجزى كلٌّ منهما إلا بما كان قد عمل.
The curtains are drawn leaving behind both those who enjoyed power and those who were servile. Both are wrongdoers. One group does wrong by tyrannizing, distorting the truth and exceeding their limits, while the other does wrong by surrendering their human dignity, reason and freedom, and accepting tyranny. Both groups are equally punished; both are requited only for what they did.
يُصوِّرُ هذا المشهدُ للظالمين ما سيلقونه، فيُحضِرُه أمام أعينهم، فيرون أنفسهم في الآخرة وهم ما زالوا في هذه الحياة. ولا يقتصر الأمر على ذلك، بل يرى غيرُهم أيضًا مصيرَهم. وكلُّ هذا يُصنَع والوقتُ ما زال متسعًا أمام الجميع ليُصلِحوا ما أفسدوه ويُقوِّموا مواقفهم.
The scene shows the wrongdoers what they will face, bringing it alive before their very eyes. They see themselves in the hereafter while they are still in this life. Not only so, but others also see their end. All this is done when there is still time for all to make amends and correct their attitudes.