Ash-Shu'ara 26:209
The Poets · Juz 19 · Page 376
ذِكۡرَىٰ وَمَا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ ٢٠٩
As a reminder; and never have We been unjust.
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 26:200–209
The Deniers will never believe until They see the Torment
Allah says: `thus We caused denial, disbelief, rejection and stubbornness to enter the hearts of the sinners.'
لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ
(They will not believe in it), i.e., the truth,
حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ
(until they see the painful torment.) means, when their excuses will be of no avail, and the curse will be upon them, and theirs will be an evil abode.
فَيَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً
(It shall come to them of a sudden,) means, the punishment of Allah will come upon them suddenly,
وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَفَيَقُولُواْ هَلْ نَحْنُ مُنظَرُونَ
(while they perceive it not. Then they will say: "Can we be respited") means, when they see the punishment, then they will wish they had a little more time so that they can obey Allah -- or so they claim. This is like the Ayah:
وَأَنذِرِ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمُ الْعَذَابُ
(And warn mankind of the Day when the torment will come unto them) until:
مَا لَكُمْ مِّن زَوَالٍ
(that you would not leave) (14: 44). When every sinner and evildoer sees his punishment, he will feel intense regret. Such was the case of Fir`awn, when Musa prayed against him:
رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ ءاتَيْتَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلاّهُ زِينَةً وَأَمْوَالاً فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا
(Our Lord! "You have indeed bestowed on Fir`awn and his chiefs splendor and wealth in the life of this world) until:
قَالَ قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَّعْوَتُكُمَا
((Allah) said: "Verily, the invocation of you both is accepted.") (10:88-89). This supplication had an effect on Fir`awn: he did not believe until he saw the painful torment:
حَتَّى إِذَآ أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ ءَامَنتُ أَنَّهُ لا إِلِهَ إِلاَّ الَّذِى ءَامَنَتْ بِهِ بَنواْ إِسْرَءِيلَ
(till when drowning overtook him, he said: "I believe that none has the right to be worshipped but He in Whom the Children of Israel believe.") until:
وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
(and you were one of the mischief-makers) (10:90-91). And Allah says:
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ
(so when they saw Our punishment, they said: "We believe in Allah Alone...") (40:84-85).
أَفَبِعَذَابِنَا يَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
(Would they then wish for Our torment to be hastened on) This is a denunciation and a threat, because they used to say to the Messenger, by way of denial, thinking it unlikely ever to happen:
ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ
(Bring Allah's torment upon us) (29:29). This is as Allah said:
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ
(And they ask you to hasten on the torment...) (29:53-55). Then Allah says:
أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِن مَّتَّعْنَهُمْ سِنِينَ - ثُمَّ جَآءَهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يُوعَدُونَ - مَآ أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُمَتَّعُونَ
(Think, if We do let them enjoy for years, and afterwards comes to them that which they had been promised, all that with which they used to enjoy shall not avail them.) meaning, `even if We delay the matter and give them respite for a short while or for a long time, then the punishment of Allah comes upon them, what good will their life of luxury do them then'
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُواْ إِلاَّ عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَهَا
(The Day they see it, (it will be) as if they had not tarried (in this world) except an afternoon or a morning) (79:46). And Allah says:
يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ
(Everyone of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years. But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from punishment) (2:96).
وَمَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُ مَالُهُ إِذَا تَرَدَّى
(And what will his wealth avail him when he goes down) (92:11) Allah says here:
مَآ أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُمَتَّعُونَ
(All that with which they used to enjoy shall not avail them.) According to an authentic Hadith:
«يُؤْتَى بِالْكَافِرِ فَيُغْمَسُ فِي النَّارِ غَمْسَةً ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لَهُ: هَلْ رَأَيْتَ خَيْرًا قَطُّ؟ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ نَعِيمًا قَطُّ؟ فَيَقُولُ: لَا وَاللهِ يَا رَبِّ، وَيُؤتَى بِأَشَدِّ النَّاسِ بُؤْسًا كَانَ فِي الدُّنْيَا، فَيُصْبَغُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ صَبْغَةً، ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لَهُ::َهلْ رَأَيْتَ بُؤْسًا قَطُّ؟ فَيَقُولُ: لَا وَاللهِ يَا رَب»
(The disbelievers will be brought and once dipped into the Fire, then it will be said to him: "Did you ever see anything good Did you ever see anything good" He will say, "No, O Lord!" Then the most miserable person who ever lived on earth will be brought, and he will be put in Paradise for a brief spell, then it will be said to him, "Did you ever see anything bad" He will say, "No, O Lord.") meaning: as if nothing ever happened. Then Allah tells us of His justice towards His creation, in that He does not destroy any nation until after He has left them with no excuse, by warning them, sending Messengers to them and establishing proof against them. He says:
وَمَآ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ إِلاَّ لَهَا مُنذِرُونَ
ذِكْرَى وَمَا كُنَّا ظَلِمِينَ
(And never did We destroy a township but it had its warners by way of reminder, and We have never been unjust.) This is like the Ayat:
وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً
(And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger) (17:15).
وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ مُهْلِكَ الْقُرَى حَتَّى يَبْعَثَ فِى أُمِّهَا رَسُولاً يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَتِنَا
(And never will your Lord destroy the towns until He sends to their mother town a Messenger reciting to them Our Ayat.) until;
وَأَهْلُهَا ظَلِمُونَ
(the people thereof are wrongdoers) (28:59).
Page 376
26:207
مَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يُمَتَّعُونَ ٢٠٧
They would not be availed by the enjoyment with which they were provided.
26:208
وَمَآ أَهۡلَكۡنَا مِن قَرۡيَةٍ إِلَّا لَهَا مُنذِرُونَ ٢٠٨
And We did not destroy any city except that it had warners
26:209
ذِكۡرَىٰ وَمَا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ ٢٠٩
As a reminder; and never have We been unjust.
26:210
وَمَا تَنَزَّلَتۡ بِهِ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ ٢١٠
And the devils have not brought it [i.e., the revelation] down.1
1 translator’s note
- As was asserted by the disbelievers. Rather, it was brought by Gabriel, the Trustworthy Spirit. ↩
26:211
وَمَا يَنۢبَغِي لَهُمۡ وَمَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ ٢١١
It is not allowable for them, nor would they be able.
26:212
إِنَّهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلسَّمۡعِ لَمَعۡزُولُونَ ٢١٢
Indeed they, from [its] hearing, are removed.1
1 translator’s note
- As mentioned in 72:9. ↩
26:213
فَلَا تَدۡعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُعَذَّبِينَ ٢١٣
So do not invoke1 with Allāh another deity and [thus] be among the punished.
1 translator’s note
- Or "worship." ↩
26:214
وَأَنذِرۡ عَشِيرَتَكَ ٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ ٢١٤
And warn, [O Muḥammad], your closest kindred.
26:215
وَٱخۡفِضۡ جَنَاحَكَ لِمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٢١٥
And lower your wing [i.e., show kindness] to those who follow you of the believers.
26:216
فَإِنۡ عَصَوۡكَ فَقُلۡ إِنِّي بَرِيٓءٞ مِّمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ ٢١٦
And if they disobey you, then say, "Indeed, I am disassociated from what you are doing."
26:217
وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٢١٧
And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful,
26:218
ٱلَّذِي يَرَىٰكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ ٢١٨
Who sees you when you arise1
1 translator’s note
- From your bed at night for prayer while you are alone. ↩
26:219
وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي ٱلسَّٰجِدِينَ ٢١٩
And your movement among those who prostrate.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., among those who pray with you in congregation. ↩
26:220
إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٢٢٠
Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
26:221
هَلۡ أُنَبِّئُكُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَن تَنَزَّلُ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ ٢٢١
Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend?
26:222
تَنَزَّلُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٖ ٢٢٢
They descend upon every sinful liar.
26:223
يُلۡقُونَ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَأَكۡثَرُهُمۡ كَٰذِبُونَ ٢٢٣
They pass on what is heard,1 and most of them are liars.
1 translator’s note
- This was before they were prevented, as described in 72:8-9. ↩
26:224
وَٱلشُّعَرَآءُ يَتَّبِعُهُمُ ٱلۡغَاوُۥنَ ٢٢٤
And the poets - [only] the deviators follow them.
26:225
أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّهُمۡ فِي كُلِّ وَادٖ يَهِيمُونَ ٢٢٥
Do you not see that in every valley they roam1
1 translator’s note
- Speaking lies indiscriminately and praising and disparaging others according to whim. ↩
26:226
وَأَنَّهُمۡ يَقُولُونَ مَا لَا يَفۡعَلُونَ ٢٢٦
And that they say what they do not do? -
26:227
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَذَكَرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا وَٱنتَصَرُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا ظُلِمُواْۗ وَسَيَعۡلَمُ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓاْ أَيَّ مُنقَلَبٖ يَنقَلِبُونَ ٢٢٧
Except those [poets] who believe and do righteous deeds and remember Allāh often and defend [the Muslims]1 after they were wronged. And those who have wronged are going to know to what [kind of] return they will be returned.
1 translator’s note
- By replying through poetry to the attacks of hostile poets. ↩
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy