Hud — Verse 106

The Condition of the Wretched People and their Destination Allah, the Exalted, says, لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ (in it they will experience Zafir and Shahiq.) Ibn `Abbas said, "Az-Zafir is a sound in the throat and Ash-Shahiq is a sound in the chest. This means that their exhaling will be Zafir and their inhaling will Shahiq." This will be due to the torment that they will be experiencing. We seek refuge with Allah from such evil. خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ السَّمَـوَتُ وَالاٌّرْضُ (They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure,) Imam Abu Ja`far bin Jarir said, "It was from the customs of the Arabs that when they wanted to describe something that would last forever, they would say, `This is as enduring as the heavens and the earth.' Or, `It will last as until the night and day separate.' They would say, `As long as talkers at night continue to chat.' They meant by these statements the condition of eternity. Therefore, Allah addressed them in a manner that they were familiar with among themselves. Thus, He said, خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ السَّمَـوَتُ وَالاٌّرْضُ (They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure,) The literal meaning is also intended with; "for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure." This is due to the fact that there will be heavens and earth in the life of the next world, just as Allah said, يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الاٌّرْضُ غَيْرَ الاٌّرْضِ وَالسَّمَـوَتُ (On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens.) 14:48 For this reason, Al-Hasan Al-Basri said concerning the statement of Allah, مَا دَامَتِ السَّمَـوَتُ وَالاٌّرْضُ (the heavens and the earth endure.) "Allah is referring to a heaven other than this heaven (which we see now) and an earth other than this earth. That (new) heaven and earth will be eternal." Concerning Allah's statement, إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ (except as your Lord wills. Verily, your Lord is the doer of whatsoever He intends.) This is similar to His statement, النَّارُ مَثْوَاكُمْ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ (The Fire be your dwelling place, you will dwell therein forever, except as Allah may will. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.) 6:128 It has been said that the exception mentioned in this verse refers to the disobedient among the people of Tawhid. It is these whom Allah will bring out of the Fire by the intercession of the interceders. Those who will be allowed to intercede are the angels, the Prophets and the believers. They will intercede even on behalf of those who committed major sins. Then, the generous mercy of Allah will remove from the Fire those who have never done any good, except for saying La ilaha illallah one day of their life. This has been mentioned in numerous authentic reports from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, including narrations from Anas bin Malik, Jabir bin `Abdullah, Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri, Abu Hurayrah and other Companions. No one remains in the Fire after this final intercession, except those who will remain there forever without escape. This is the opinion held by many of the scholars, both past and present, concerning the explanation of this verse.

As for those who are damned according to God’s prior knowledge they will be in the Fire; their lot therein will be wailing which is a loud sound and sighing which is a faint sound;

فأما الذين شَقُوا في الدنيا لفساد عقيدتهم وسوء أعمالهم، فالنار مستقرهم، لهم فيها من شدة ما هم فيه من العذاب زفير وشهيق، وهما أشنع الأصوات وأقبحها، ماكثين في النار أبدًا ما دامت السموات والأرض، فلا ينقطع عذابهم ولا ينتهي، بل هو دائم مؤكَّد، إلا ما شاء ربك من إخراج عصاة الموحدين بعد مدَّة من مكثهم في النار. إن ربك -أيها الرسول- فعَّال لما يريد.

يقول تعالى "لهم فيها زفير وشهيق" قال ابن عباس: الزفير في الحلق والشهيق في الصدر أي تنفسهم زفير وأخذهم النفس شهيق لما هم فيه من العذاب عياذا بالله من ذلك.

ثم فصل - سبحانه - أحوال الأشقياء والسعداء فقال : ( فَأَمَّا الذين شَقُواْ فَفِي النار لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ ) .قال الآلوسى : قال الراغب : الزفير ترديد النفس حتى تنتفخ الضلوع منه مأخوذ من زفر فلان إذا حمل حملا بمشقة فتردد فيه نفسه ، ومنه قيل للإِماء الحاملاتِ الماءَ : زوافر .والشهيق : رد النفس إلى الصدر بصعوبة وعناء .والمراد بهما : الدلالة على شدة كربهم وغمهم ، وتشبيه حالهم بحال من استولت على قلبه الحرارة ، واستبد به الضيق حتى صار فى كرب شديد .والمعنى : فأما الذين كان نصيبهم الشقاء فى الآخرة ، بسبب كفرهم واقترافهم للمعاصى فى الدنيا ، فمصيرهم إلى الاستقرار فى النار ، لهم فيها من ضيق الأنفاس . وحرج الصدور ، وشدة الكروب ما يجعلهم يفضلون الموت على ما هم فيه من هم وغم .وخص - سبحانه - من بين أحوالهم الأليمة حالة الزفير والشهيق؛ تنفيرا من الأسباب التى توصل إلى النار ، وتبشيعا لتلك الحالة التى فيها ما فيها من سوء المنظر ، وتعاسة الحال . . .

يقول: تعالى ذكره: ( فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ شَقُوا فَفِي النَّارِ لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ ) ، وهو أوّل نُهاق الحمار وشبهه ، ( وَشَهِيقٌ ) ، وهو آخر نهيقه إذا ردده في الجوف عند فراغه من نُهاقه، كما قال رؤبة بن العجاج:حَشْـرَجَ فِـي الجَوْفِ سَحِيلا أَوْ شَهَقْحَــتَّى يُقَــالَ نَـاهِقٌ وَمَـا نَهَـقْ (18)* * *وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.*ذكر من قال ذلك :18567- حدثني المثني قال ، حدثنا أبو صالح قال، حدثني معاوية، عن علي، عن ابن عباس قوله: ( لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ ) ، يقول: صوت شديدٌ وصوت ضعيف.18568-. . . . قال، حدثنا إسحاق قال ، حدثنا ابن أبي جعفر، عن أبيه، عن أبي العالية في قوله: ( لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ ) ، قال: " الزفير " في الحلق، و " الشهيق " في الصدر.18569- حدثنا القاسم قال ، حدثنا الحسين قال، حدثني حجاج، عن أبي جعفر، عن الربيع بن أنس، عن أبي العالية ، بنحوه.18570- حدثني المثني قال ، حدثنا إسحاق قال، أخبرنا عبد الرزاق، عن معمر، عن قتادة قال: صوت الكافر في النار صوت الحمار، أوّله زفير وآخره شهيق18571- حدثنا أبو هشام الرفاعي ، ومحمد بن معمر البحراني ، ومحمد بن المثني ، ومحمد بن بشار قالوا، حدثنا أبو عامر قال ، حدثنا سليمان بن سفيان قال ، حدثنا عبد الله بن دينار، عن ابن عمر عن عمر قال، لما نـزلت هذه الآية : ( فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِيٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ ) ، سألت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقلت: يا نبيّ الله، فعلام عَمَلُنا؟ على شيء قد فرغ منه ، أم على شيء لم يفرغ منه؟ قال: فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: على شيء قد فُرِغ منه ، يا عمر ، وجرت به الأقلام، ولكن كلٌّ مُيَسَّر لما خُلق له ، اللفظ لحديث ابن معمر. (19)-----------------------الهوامش :(19) الأثر : 15871 " سليمان بن سفيان التميمي " ، ضعيف ، منكر الحديث ، يروي عن الثقات أحاديث مناكير . مترجم في التهذيب ، والكبير 2 / 2 / 18 ، وابن أبي حاتم 2 / 1 / 119 ، وميزان الاعتدال 1 : 415 . وهذا خبر ضعيف الإسناد ، ذكره ابن كثير في تفسيره 4 : 395 ، عن مسند أبي يعلي ، وذكره الحافظ الذهبي في الميزان ، بإسناده ، عن أبي عامر العقدي . لكن معنى الخبر له شواهد في الصحيح .

قوله : ( فأما الذين شقوا ففي النار لهم فيها زفير وشهيق ) قال ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما : الزفير : الصوت الشديد ، والشهيق الصوت الضعيف . وقال الضحاك ومقاتل : الزفير أول نهيق الحمار ، والشهيق آخره إذا ردده في جوفه . وقال أبو العالية : الزفير في الحلق والشهيق في الصدر .

والزّفير : إخراج الأنفاس بدفع وشدّة بسبب ضغط التنفّس . والشّهيق : عكسه وهو اجتلاب الهواء إلى الصّدر بشدّة لقوة الاحتياج إلى التنفس .وخص بالذّكر من أحوالهم في جهنّم الزّفير والشّهيق تنفيراً من أسباب المصير إلى النّار لما في ذكر هاتين الحالتين من التّشويه بهم وذلك أخوف لهم من الألم .

وأما جزاؤهم { فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ شَقُوا ْ} أي: حصلت لهم الشقاوة، والخزي والفضيحة، { فَفِي النَّارِ ْ} منغمسون في عذابها، مشتد عليهم عقابها، { لَهُمْ فِيهَا ْ} من شدة ما هم فيه { زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ ْ} وهو أشنع الأصوات وأقبحها.

قوله تعالى : فأما الذين شقوا ابتداء .ففي النار في موضع الخبر ، وكذا لهم فيها زفير وشهيق قال أبو العالية : الزفير من الصدر . والشهيق من الحلق ; وعنه أيضا ضد ذلك . وقال الزجاج : الزفير من شدة الأنين ، والشهيق من الأنين المرتفع جدا ; قال : وزعم أهل اللغة من الكوفيين والبصريين أن الزفير بمنزلة ابتداء صوت الحمير في النهيق ، والشهيق بمنزلة آخر صوت الحمار في النهيق . وقال ابن عباس - رضي الله عنه - عكسه ; قال : الزفير الصوت الشديد ، والشهيق الصوت الضعيف . وقال الضحاك ومقاتل : الزفير مثل أول نهيق الحمار ، والشهيق مثل آخره حين فرغ من صوته ; قال الشاعر :حشرج في الجوف سحيلا أو شهق حتى يقال ناهق وما نهقوقيل : الزفير إخراج النفس ، وهو أن يمتلئ الجوف غما فيخرج بالنفس ، والشهيق رد النفس وقيل : الزفير ترديد النفس من شدة الحزن ; مأخوذ من الزفر وهو الحمل على الظهر لشدته ; والشهيق النفس الطويل الممتد ; مأخوذ من قولهم : جبل شاهق ; أي طويل . والزفير والشهيق من أصوات المحزونين .

What has been mentioned in the Quran as being of the utmost importance, and has been the most often repeated, is that human beings will not be spared the final reckoning, but after death will be presented in God’s court. There everybody will be consigned either to Paradise or to Hell, according to his performance in this world. The reason for giving this point so much importance and repeating it so often is the ‘doubts’ which people have. People see that there are countless individuals on the earth who do not carry out God’s instructions; there are countless individuals who act independently of God’s instructions; many persons live self-centred lives instead of God-oriented lives, without any loss to themselves; all of them are still successful. Here, apparently, it is nowhere to be seen that those loyal to God receive special rewards and those disobedient to God have to face punishment. For this reason, people start entertaining doubts. They are unable to believe that people are destined to meet any fate other than what they have gone on witnessing with their own eyes. Here the Quran states that people’s upholding of untruth is not because they had studied the problem from every aspect and had found untruth reasonable. It was rather because of their adherence to customs and tradition instead of being open to arguments and reasonableness. If, in spite of this, they are not faced with the result of their actions, it is because of the respite they are given for being tested; for the life on earth before death is a life of trial. So, to make the test valid, the opportunity is given to man here till the time of his death to say whatever he likes and to do whatever he likes. Death marks the end of this period. Death means that man is transported from the place of testing to the place of judgement. There everyone will receive whatever he actually deserves and everyone will lose whatever he had assembled around himself without deserving it.

After having given this good counsel to them, he warned them of the punishment of Allah Ta` ala. He said: وَيَا قَوْمِ لَا يَجْرِ‌مَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِي أَن يُصِيبَكُم مِّثْلُ مَا أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَالِحٍ ۚ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٍ And 0 my people, let not your hostility towards me cause you to suffer what was suffered by the people of Nuh, or the people of Hud, or the people of Salih. And the people of Lut are not far from you. The sense of the last sentence is that the overturned habitations of the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) were close to Madyan where they were. Then, in terms of time, the punishment that came upon them was very close. From this they could learn their lesson and leave their obstinacy. Hearing this, his people were enraged. They said that had it not been for the support he had from his clan, they would have stoned him to death. Despite this threat, Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) true to his mettle as a prophet, did not hesitate to tell them that they feared his clan all right, but would have no fear of Allah who holds everything in His power. Finally, when his people did not listen to anything said to them, Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) told them that they could now wait for the punishment. After that, Allah Ta ala took out Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) and those who had believed in him, as is the Divine practice, from that habitation and the rest of them were destroyed instantly at the harsh Cry of Sayyidna Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) . Injunctions and Rulings: Rules about Lessening of Weights and Measures One of the reasons why punishment fell on the people of Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) was their practice of weighing and measuring less than due - called tatfif. The Holy Qur'an has described the severe punishment for those who do that in Surah al-Mutaffifin which opens with the verse: وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ (Woe to those who give less - 83:1). There is a consensus of the entire Muslim Ummah that doing so is strictly Haram (unlawful). Quoting a saying of Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ ، Imam Malik has said in Mu'atta' that weighing and measuring less essentially means that someone does not fulfill the right of another person due on him, fully and duly. In fact, makes it less, whether it happens to be something given by weight, or measure, or something of another kind. If an employee falls short in performing his or her assigned duty, or an office worker, or a laborer cuts his working hours short, or fails to fulfill his job assignment as due, then, they all will be counted in this cat-egory. Anyone who does not perform his or her Salah with due consideration of everything obligatory and mash En in it has also committed the crime of this ` tatfif.' May Allah keep all of us protected from it! Ruling It appears in Tafsir al-Qurtubi that the people of Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) would save gold and silver by trimming the edges of gold and silver coins, like dinar and dirham, circulating in the country as official currency, and which they would channel back into circulation at par value. Sayyidna Shu'aib (علیہ السلام) prohibited them from doing so. In Hadith as well, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has declared the chipping of the coins of an Islamic state to be Haram (unlawful). Tafsir authority, Zayd ibn Aslam has said exactly this while explaining the verse of the Qur'an: تِسْعَةُ رَ‌هْطٍ يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ وَلَا يُصْلِحُونَ ; (nine family heads spreading corruption in the land and not correcting [ their ways ] - 27:48). He says that these people of the city mentioned in the verse used to chip off gold and silver from dinar and dirham coins and ran a profitable business of their own through this source - something the Qur'an calls a great corruption. During the Khilafah of Sayyidna ` Umar ibn ` Abd al-` Aziz (رح) ، someone was arrested while he was cutting a dirham coin. He was awarded a punishment of lashes and was paraded around head shaved. (Tafsir al Qurtubi)

(As for those who will be wretched (on that day) they will be in the Fire; sighing) like the sighing heard from a donkey when about to bray (and wailing) like the exhaling of a donkey when he stops braying (will be their portion therein).