An-Nisa 4:56
The Women · Juz 5 · Page 87
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا سَوۡفَ نُصۡلِيهِمۡ نَارٗا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتۡ جُلُودُهُم بَدَّلۡنَٰهُمۡ جُلُودًا غَيۡرَهَا لِيَذُوقُواْ ٱلۡعَذَابَۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمٗا ٥٦
Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses - We will drive them into a fire. Every time their skins are roasted through, We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted in Might and Wise.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 4:56–57
Particular believers and disbelievers were mentioned in the previous verses. Stated now is the reward and punishment of a believer and a disbeliever as a universal rule.
Commentary
Explaining the highly apocalyptic statement كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُم بَدَّلْنَاهُمْ in verse 56, Sayyidna Mu` adh ؓ says that as soon as their skin is burnt out it will be replaced - and this will be with such speed that the skin will be replaced a hundred times in one moment.
Sayyidna Hasan al-Basri (رح) says:
تاکل النار کلّ یوم سبعین الف مرّۃ کلما اکلتھم قیل لھم : عودوا فیعودون کما کانوا (اخرج البیھقی عین الحسن بحوالہ مظھری ج 2)
"The fire will eat them everyday seventy thousand times. When it would have eaten them up, they will be commanded: 'Return’. So, they shall return to be as they were." (al-Baihaqi, as quoted by Mazhari)
According to a narration in al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: عن انبی ﷺ قال : ان اھون اھل النار عذابا رجل فی اخمص قدمیہ جمرتان یغلی منھما دماحہ کما یغلی الرجل بالقمقم (رواہ البخاری و مسلم ، بحوالہ الترغیب و الترھیب ج 4 ص 239)
"Lightest in punishment among the people of fire will be the man in the sole of whose feet there will be two smoldering embers the heat from which will keep his brain boiling like a cauldron boiling to the brim." (Almundhiri, al-Targhib v.4, p.239)
An explanation of 'purified wives'
According to Hakim, Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khudri ؓ narrated that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: The women of Jannah will be pure, that is, pure from menstruation, defecation, urination and nasal mucus.
Mujahid adds to the above by saying: They shall also be 'pure and free from procreation and seminal impurity.' (Mazhari)
Let us now look at the last two words: ظِلًّا ظَلِيلًا in verse 57. Here, by mentioning ظلیل after ظل it has been mentioned that the shade in Jannah will be dense and ever-present. This is like saying: شَمسُ شَامِسُ or لیللُ لِیٔیلُ which indicate that the blessings of Paradise will last forever.
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah narrates that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: اِن فی الجنۃ الشجرۃ یسیر الراکب فی ظلھا مأۃ عام ما یقطعھا، اقروا إن شٔتم و ظل ممدود
"There is a tree in Paradise. If a rider were to ride under its shade for a hundred years, he will still not cross it. Read, if you wish, وَظِلٍّ مَّمْدُودٍ (A shade, ever-extended, ever-stretched)."
Explaining ظِلًّا ظَلِيلًا ، Rabi' ibn Anas said:
ھو ظل العرش الذی لا یزول
"That is the shade of the Throne (al-'arsh) which will never decline."
Page 87
4:52
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُۖ وَمَن يَلۡعَنِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ نَصِيرًا ٥٢
Those are the ones whom Allāh has cursed; and he whom Allāh curses - never will you find for him a helper.
4:53
أَمۡ لَهُمۡ نَصِيبٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُلۡكِ فَإِذٗا لَّا يُؤۡتُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ نَقِيرًا ٥٣
Or have they a share of dominion? Then [if that were so], they would not give the people [even as much as] the speck on a date seed.
4:54
أَمۡ يَحۡسُدُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۖ فَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَآ ءَالَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُم مُّلۡكًا عَظِيمٗا ٥٤
Or do they envy people for what Allāh has given them of His bounty? But We had already given the family of Abraham the Scripture and wisdom1 and conferred upon them a great kingdom.
1 translator’s note
- Prophetic teachings. ↩
4:55
فَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن صَدَّ عَنۡهُۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيرًا ٥٥
And some among them believed in it,1 and some among them were averse to it. And sufficient is Hell as a blaze.
1 translator’s note
- In what was given to them. Also interpreted as "in him," i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ). ↩
4:56
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا سَوۡفَ نُصۡلِيهِمۡ نَارٗا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتۡ جُلُودُهُم بَدَّلۡنَٰهُمۡ جُلُودًا غَيۡرَهَا لِيَذُوقُواْ ٱلۡعَذَابَۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمٗا ٥٦
Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses - We will drive them into a fire. Every time their skins are roasted through, We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted in Might and Wise.
4:57
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ سَنُدۡخِلُهُمۡ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدٗاۖ لَّهُمۡ فِيهَآ أَزۡوَٰجٞ مُّطَهَّرَةٞۖ وَنُدۡخِلُهُمۡ ظِلّٗا ظَلِيلًا ٥٧
But those who believe and do righteous deeds - We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide forever. For them therein are purified spouses, and We will admit them to deepening shade.
4:58
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُكُمۡ أَن تُؤَدُّواْ ٱلۡأَمَٰنَٰتِ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمۡتُم بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ أَن تَحۡكُمُواْ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦٓۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعَۢا بَصِيرٗا ٥٨
Indeed, Allāh commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allāh instructs you. Indeed, Allāh is ever Hearing and Seeing.
4:59
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِ مِنكُمۡۖ فَإِن تَنَٰزَعۡتُمۡ فِي شَيۡءٖ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ وَأَحۡسَنُ تَأۡوِيلًا ٥٩
O you who have believed, obey Allāh and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allāh and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allāh and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.