The Criterion, The Standard — Verse 13

What the Disbelievers said about the Messenger , refutation of Their Words, and Their ultimate Destiny Allah tells us about the disbelievers' stubborn resistance to and rejection of the truth, with no proof or evidence for doing so. Their excuse was, as they said: مَا لِهَـذَا الرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ الطَّعَامَ (Why does this Messenger eat food,) meaning, `as we eat, and why does he need food as we need it' وَيَمْشِى فِى الاٌّسْوَاقِ (and walk about in the markets.) means, he walks around and goes there often seeking to trade and earn a living. لَوْلا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُ نَذِيراً (Why is not an angel sent down to him to be a warner with him) They were saying: why doesn't an angel come down to him from Allah, to be a witness that what he is claiming is true This is like when Fira`wn said: فَلَوْلاَ أُلْقِىَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِّن ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ ("Why then are not golden bracelets bestowed on him, or angels sent along with him") (43:53). These people had a similar mentality and said the same kind of thing. They said: أَوْ يُلْقَى إِلَيْهِ كَنْزٌ (Or (why) has not a treasure been granted to him) meaning, treasure that he could spend on his needs and wants. أَوْ تَكُونُ لَهُ جَنَّةٌ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا (or why has he not a garden whereof he may eat) meaning, a garden that would go with him wherever he went. All of this is easy for Allah, but He had a reason for not doing any of these things, and with Him is the perfect proof and argument. وَقَالَ الظَّـلِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ رَجُلاً مَّسْحُوراً (And the wrongdoers say: "You follow none but a man bewitched.") Allah said: انْظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُواْ لَكَ الاٌّمْثَالَ فَضَلُّواْ (See how they coin similitudes for you, so they have gone astray,) meaning, they accused you and belied you when they said that you were a sorcerer or bewitched or crazy or a liar or a poet, but all of these are false ideas. Everyone who has the slightest understanding will recognize that they are lying. Allah says: فُضِّلُواْ (so they have gone astray) from the path of guidance. فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعْونَ سَبِيلاً (and they cannot find a path.) Everyone who steps outside of the way of truth and guidance has gone astray, no matter what direction he takes, because the truth is one and its methodology is unified, parts of it confirming other parts. Then Allah tells His Prophet that if He willed, He could bestow on him in this world something far better than what they were saying. He said: تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى إِن شَآءَ جَعَلَ لَكَ خَيْراً مِّن ذلِكَ (Blessed be He Who, if He wills, will assign you better than (all) that...) Mujahid said, "This means in this world." And he said: "The Quraysh used to call every house that was made of stone a `palace', whether it was large or small." بَلْ كَذَّبُواْ بِالسَّاعَةِ (Nay, they deny the Hour,) means, they say this in stubborn disbelief, not because they are seeking insight and guidance, but because their disbelief in the Day of Resurrection makes them say what they say. وَأَعْتَدْنَا (And We have prepared) means, `We have made ready,' لِمَن كَذَّبَ بِالسَّاعَةِ سَعِيراً (for those who deny the Hour, a flaming Fire.) means, an unbearably hot and painful torment in the fire of Hell. إِذَا رَأَتْهُمْ (When it sees them) means, when Hell sees them, مِن مَّكَانِ بَعِيدٍ (from a far place,) means from the place of gathering (on the Day of Resurrection), سَمِعُواْ لَهَا تَغَيُّظاً وَزَفِيراً (they will hear its raging and its roaring.) means, (it will make those sounds) out of hatred towards them. This is like the Ayah, إِذَآ أُلْقُواْ فِيهَا سَمِعُواْ لَهَا شَهِيقًا وَهِىَ تَفُورُ تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ الغَيْظِ (When they are cast therein, they will hear the (terrible) drawing in of its breath as it blazes forth. It almost bursts up with fury) (67:7-8), which means that parts of it almost separate from other parts because of its intense hatred towards those who disbelieved in Allah. Imam Abu Ja`far bin Jarir narrated that Ibn `Abbas said: "A man will be dragged towards Hell, which will be expanding and contracting, and Ar-Rahman will say to it: `What is the matter with you' It will say: `He is seeking refuge from me.' So Allah will say, `Let My servant go.' Another man will be dragged towards Hell and he will say, `O Lord, I never expected this from You.' Allah will say, `What did you expect' The man will say, `I expected that Your mercy would be great enough to include me.' So Allah will say, `Let My servant go.' Another man will be dragged towards Hell, and Hell will bray at him like a donkey braying at barley. Then it will give a moan that will instill fear in everyone." Its chain of narrators is Sahih. سَمِعُواْ لَهَا تَغَيُّظاً وَزَفِيراً (they will hear its raging and its roaring. ) `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that `Ubayd bin `Umayr said: "Hell will utter a moan such that there will be no angel who is close to Allah and no Prophet sent to mankind, but he will fall on his face, shaking all over. Even Ibrahim, peace be upon him, will fall to his knees and say: `O Lord, I do not ask You for salvation this Day except for myself."' وَإَذَآ أُلْقُواْ مِنْهَا مَكَاناً ضَيِّقاً مُّقَرَّنِينَ (And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place thereof, chained together,) Qatadah narrated from Abu Ayyub that `Abdullah bin `Amr said: "Like the point of a spear, i.e., in its narrowness." مُقْرِنِينَ (chained together,) Abu Salih said, "This means, tied from their shoulders." دَعَوْاْ هُنَالِكَ ثُبُوراً (they will exclaim therein for destruction.) means, they will utter cries of woe, regret and sorrow. لاَّ تَدْعُواْ الْيَوْمَ ثُبُوراً وَحِداً (Exclaim not today for one destruction...)

And when they are flung into a narrow place thereof read dayyiqan or dayqan ‘narrow’ such that it constricts them; minhā ‘thereof’ is a circumstantial qualifier referring to makānan ‘place’ because it is actually an adjectival qualification of it bound together shackled with their hands bound to their necks in chains the use of the intensive form muqarranīna as opposed to muqranīna is meant to indicate a large number they will at that point pray for their own annihilation and it will be said to them

وإذا أُلقوا في مكان شديد الضيق من جهنم- وقد قُرِنت أيديهم بالسلاسل إلى أعناقهم- دَعَوْا على أنفسهم بالهلاك للخلاص منها.

وقوله "وإذا ألقوا منها مكانا ضيقا مقرنين" قال قتادة عن أبي أيوب عن عبدالله بن عمرو قال: مثل الزج في الرمح أي من ضيقه. وقال عبدالله بن وهب أخبرني نافع بن يزيد عن يحيى بن أبي أسيد يرفع الحديث إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن قول الله "وإذا ألقوا منها مكانا ضيقا مقرنين" قال "والذي نفسي بيده إنهم ليستكرهون في النار كما يستكره الوتد في الحائط" وقوله "مقرنين" قال أبو صالح يعني مكتفين "دعوا هنالك ثبورا" أي بالويل والحسرة والخيبة.

ثم حكى - سبحانه - حالهم عندما يستقرون فيها فقال : ( وَإَذَآ أُلْقُواْ مِنْهَا مَكَاناً ضَيِّقاً مُّقَرَّنِينَ دَعَوْاْ هُنَالِكَ ثُبُوراً ) .أى : أن النار إن رأت هؤلاء المجرمين سمعوا لها ما يزعجهم ويفزعهم ، ( وَإَذَآ أُلْقُواْ مِنْهَا مَكَاناً ضَيِّقاً ) أى : وإذا ما طرحوا فيها فى مكان ضيق منها ، حالة كونهم ( مُّقَرَّنِين ) أى : مقيدين بالأغلال بعضهم مع بعض أو مع الشياطين الذين أضلوهم .( دَعَوْاْ هُنَالِكَ ) أى : تنادوا هنالك فى ذلك المكان بقولهم ( ثُبُوراً ) أى : هلاكا وخسرانا يقال فلان ثبره الله - تعالى - أى : أهلكه إهلاكا لا قيام له منه .أى : يقولون عندما يلقون فيها ، يا هلاكنا أقبل فهذا أوانك ، فإنك أرحم بنا مما نحن فيه .

يقول تعالى ذكره: وإذا ألقي هؤلاء المكذّبون بالساعة من النار مكانا ضيقا, قد قرنت أيديهم إلى أعناقهم في الأغلال ( دَعَوْا هُنَالِكَ ثُبُورًا )واختلف أهل التأويل في معنى الثبور, فقال بعضهم: هو الويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني علي, قال: ثنا أبو صالح, قال: ثني معاوية, عن عليّ, عن ابن عباس. في قوله: ( وَادْعُوا ثُبُورًا كَثِيرًا ) يقول: ويلا.حدثني محمد بن سعد, قال: ثني أبي, قال: ثني عمي, قال: ثني أبي, عن أبيه, عن ابن عباس ( لا تَدْعُوا الْيَوْمَ ثُبُورًا وَاحِدًا ) يقول: لا تدعوا اليوم ويلا واحدا, وادعوا ويلا كثيرا.وقال آخرون: الثبور الهلاك.* ذكر من قال ذلك:

( وإذا ألقوا منها مكانا ضيقا ) قال ابن عباس : تضيق عليهم كما يضيق الزج . في الرمح ، ) ( مقرنين ) مصفدين قد قرنت أيديهم إلى أعناقهم في الأغلال . وقيل : مقرنين مع الشياطين في السلاسل ، ( دعوا هنالك ثبورا ) قال ابن عباس : ويلا . وقال الضحاك : هلاكا ، وفي الحديث : " إن أول من يكسى حلة من النار إبليس ، فيضعها على حاجبيه ويسحبها من خلفه ، وذريته من خلفه ، وهو يقول : يا ثبوراه ، وهم ينادون : يا ثبورهم ، حتى يقفوا على النار فينادون : يا ثبوراه ، وينادي : يا ثبورهم ، فيقال لهم

وَإِذَا أُلْقُوا مِنْهَا مَكَانًا ضَيِّقًا مُقَرَّنِينَ دَعَوْا هُنَالِكَ ثُبُورًا (13) والإلقاء : الرمي . وهو هنا كناية عن الإهانة .وانتصب { مكاناً } على نزع الخافض ، أي في مكان ضيّق .وقرأ الجمهور { ضيقاً } بتشديد الياء ، وقرأه ابن كثير { ضيْقاً } بسكون الياء وكلاهما للمبالغة في الوصف مثل : ميّت وميْت ، لأن الضيّق بالتشديد صيغة تمكُّن الوصف من الموصوف ، والضيْق بالسكون وصف بالمصدر .و { مقرنين } حال من ضمير { ألقوا } أي مقرَّناً بعضهم في بعض كحال الأسرى والمساجين أن يُقرن عدد منهم في وثاق واحد ، كما قال تعالى :{ وآخرين مقرنين في الأصفاد } [ ص : 38 ] . والمقرَّن : المقرون ، صيغت له مادة التفعيل للإشارة إلى شدة القرن .

{ وَإِذَا أُلْقُوا مِنْهَا مَكَانًا ضَيِّقًا مُقَرَّنِينَ } أي: وقت عذابهم وهم في وسطها، جمع في مكان بين ضيق المكان وتزاحم السكان وتقرينهم بالسلاسل والأغلال، فإذا وصلوا لذلك المكان النحس وحبسوا في أشر حبس { دَعَوْا هُنَالِكَ ثُبُورًا } دعوا على أنفسهم بالثبور والخزي والفضيحة وعلموا أنهم ظالمون معتدون، قد عدل فيهم الخالق حيث أنزلهم بأعمالهم هذا المنزل، وليس ذلك الدعاء والاستغاثة بنافعة لهم ولا مغنية من عذاب الله

قوله تعالى : وإذا ألقوا منها مكانا ضيقا مقرنين قال قتادة : ذكر لنا أن عبد الله كان يقول : إن جهنم لتضيق على الكافر كتضييق الزج على الرمح ; ذكره ابن المبارك في رقائقه . وكذا قال ابن عباس ، ذكره الثعلبي والقشيري عنه ، وحكاه الماوردي عن عبد الله بن عمرو . ومعنى مقرنين مكتفين ; قاله أبو صالح . وقيل : مصفدين قد قرنت أيديهم إلى أعناقهم في [ ص: 10 ] الأغلال . وقيل : قرنوا مع الشياطين ; أي قرن كل واحد منهم إلى شيطانه ; قاله يحيى بن سلام . وقد مضى هذا في ( إبراهيم ) وقال عمرو بن كلثوم :فآبوا بالنهاب وبالسبايا وأبنا بالملوك مقرنينادعوا هنالك ثبورا أي هلاكا ، قاله الضحاك . ابن عباس : ويلا . وروي عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال : أول من يقوله إبليس وذلك أنه أول من يكسى حلة من النار فتوضع على حاجبيه ويسحبها من خلفه وذريته من خلفه وهو يقول واثبوراه . وانتصب على المصدر ، أي ثبرنا ثبورا ; قاله الزجاج . وقال غيره : هو مفعول به .

The opponents of Truth frequently make the character of the preacher of Truth their target. In order to prove him untrustworthy, they indulge in all sorts of slander. Thus they give the impression that they would have accepted what the preacher had to say, had he been up to their standard. But this is not correct. Their real problem is not that they do not find the preacher of truth trustworthy. Their real problem is that they have no fear of the reckoning of Judgement Day. Therefore, they go on casting aspersions in an irresponsible manner. The matter of Truth and untruth is important because they will be examined on this basis in the life hereafter. Those who are fearless about being censured in the Hereafter are consequently not serious about Truth or untruth. And when a man is not serious about something, he does not realise its importance, though numerous arguments may be advanced in its support. The meaningless utterances of such people will cease only when the terrible roar of Doomsday snatches away their words.

The Second Objection was that if the Holy Prophet ﷺ was a prophet, he should not have been eating and drinking like common people; instead he should have been free from eating and drinking like angels. And if this was not so, he should have at least enough wealth and gardens to take care of his day to day needs, so that he may not need to care for his living. Furthermore, how could he be accepted as a prophet when he is neither an angel nor does an angel accompany him to endorse what he preaches, therefore it appears that he has been charmed by someone which has turned his head and that is why he talks like this. A general answer to this objection is given in the verse انظُرْ‌ كَيْفَ ضَرَ‌بُوا لَكَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ at is (See how they coined similes for you, so they have gone astray and cannot find a way. - 25:9). The detailed answer to the objection is given in the next few verses.

(And when they are flung into a narrow place) the narrowness of an arrowhead (thereof) in the Fire, (chained together) chained with the satans, (they pray for destruction there) at that point, in despair they pray.