As-Saffat 37:73
Those who set the Ranks · Juz 23 · Page 448
فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُنذَرِينَ ٧٣
Then look how was the end of those who were warned -
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 37:62–74
It is stated in the Quran that there will be a Zaqqum tree in hell and that its fruits will be eaten by the inmates of hell when they are overwhelmed by hunger. (See 56: 52). When this revelation was made in the Quran, the people of ancient Arabia started mocking it. One of the chiefs said, ‘How can a tree grow amidst the fire of hell?’ Another chief said, ‘Muhammad is terrifying us by talking of Zaqqum, when the fact is that dates and butter are called Zaqqum, in the Berber language.’ Abu Jahl took some people home and asked his maidservant to bring some dates and butter and when they were brought, he said to his companions, ‘Eat this. This is the Zaqqum with which you are being threatened by Muhammad.’ (Tafsir al-Mazhari). Such Quranic statements were misused by unbelievers to demonstrate the untrustworthiness of the Quran. God might well have refrained from using such a word as would give unbelievers the opportunity to raise unnecessary issues, but He did not do so. The reason is that this creates the very situation in which a man is meant to be tried. In order to achieve salvation, he has to prove that by avoiding unnecessary issues he has given his full attention to the truth; that, by carefully avoiding misunderstandings, he has managed to discover the real purpose of the argument; that he has concentrated entirely on facts, although there were many opportunities for his mind to be diverted from them. God’s selected few are those who rise above traditional religion and discover the real Truth; who rise above outward appearances and realise the real meaning of occurrences; who recognise God’s representative and become his supporters.
Page 448
37:52
يَقُولُ أَءِنَّكَ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُصَدِّقِينَ ٥٢
Who would say, 'Are you indeed of those who believe
37:53
أَءِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابٗا وَعِظَٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَدِينُونَ ٥٣
That when we have died and become dust and bones, we will indeed be recompensed?'"
37:54
قَالَ هَلۡ أَنتُم مُّطَّلِعُونَ ٥٤
He will say,1 "Would you [care to] look?"
1 translator’s note
- To his companions in Paradise. ↩
37:55
فَٱطَّلَعَ فَرَءَاهُ فِي سَوَآءِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ٥٥
And he will look and see him1 in the midst of the Hellfire.
1 translator’s note
- The companion who had tried to dissuade him from belief on earth. ↩
37:56
قَالَ تَٱللَّهِ إِن كِدتَّ لَتُرۡدِينِ ٥٦
He will say, "By Allāh, you almost ruined me.
37:57
وَلَوۡلَا نِعۡمَةُ رَبِّي لَكُنتُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُحۡضَرِينَ ٥٧
If not for the favor of my Lord, I would have been of those brought in [to Hell].
37:58
أَفَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَيِّتِينَ ٥٨
Then, are we not to die
37:59
إِلَّا مَوۡتَتَنَا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ ٥٩
Except for our first death, and we will not be punished?"
37:60
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ ٦٠
Indeed, this is the great attainment.
37:61
لِمِثۡلِ هَٰذَا فَلۡيَعۡمَلِ ٱلۡعَٰمِلُونَ ٦١
For the like of this let the workers [on earth] work.
37:62
أَذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ نُّزُلًا أَمۡ شَجَرَةُ ٱلزَّقُّومِ ٦٢
Is that [i.e., Paradise] a better accommodation or the tree of zaqqūm?
37:63
إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَٰهَا فِتۡنَةٗ لِّلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٦٣
Indeed, We have made it a torment for the wrongdoers.
37:64
إِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٞ تَخۡرُجُ فِيٓ أَصۡلِ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ٦٤
Indeed, it is a tree issuing from the bottom of the Hellfire,
37:65
طَلۡعُهَا كَأَنَّهُۥ رُءُوسُ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِ ٦٥
Its emerging fruit as if it was heads of the devils.
37:66
فَإِنَّهُمۡ لَأٓكِلُونَ مِنۡهَا فَمَالِـُٔونَ مِنۡهَا ٱلۡبُطُونَ ٦٦
And indeed, they will eat from it and fill with it their bellies.
37:67
ثُمَّ إِنَّ لَهُمۡ عَلَيۡهَا لَشَوۡبٗا مِّنۡ حَمِيمٖ ٦٧
Then indeed, they will have after it a mixture of scalding water.
37:68
ثُمَّ إِنَّ مَرۡجِعَهُمۡ لَإِلَى ٱلۡجَحِيمِ ٦٨
Then indeed, their return will be to the Hellfire.
37:69
إِنَّهُمۡ أَلۡفَوۡاْ ءَابَآءَهُمۡ ضَآلِّينَ ٦٩
Indeed they found their fathers astray.
37:70
فَهُمۡ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِمۡ يُهۡرَعُونَ ٧٠
So they hastened [to follow] in their footsteps.
37:71
وَلَقَدۡ ضَلَّ قَبۡلَهُمۡ أَكۡثَرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ ٧١
And there had already strayed before them most of the former peoples,
37:72
وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا فِيهِم مُّنذِرِينَ ٧٢
And We had already sent among them warners.
37:73
فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُنذَرِينَ ٧٣
Then look how was the end of those who were warned -
37:74
إِلَّا عِبَادَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ ٧٤
But not the chosen servants of Allāh.
37:75
وَلَقَدۡ نَادَىٰنَا نُوحٞ فَلَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡمُجِيبُونَ ٧٥
And Noah had certainly called Us, and [We are] the best of responders.
37:76
وَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُ وَأَهۡلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلۡكَرۡبِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ٧٦
And We saved him and his family from the great affliction.