Al-Waqi'ah 56:53
The Inevitable · Juz 27 · Page 536
فَمَالِـُٔونَ مِنۡهَا ٱلۡبُطُونَ ٥٣
And filling with it your bellies
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 56:39–56
ثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَثُلَّةٌ مِّنَ الْآخِرِينَ (many from the earlier generations, and many from the later ones....56:39-40) In connection with sabiqun, (the Foremost) two views of the commentators were quoted earlier as to the identity of 'the earlier' and the 'later' generations. If 'the earlier' refers to the generations from 'Adam (علیہ السلام) to the period just prior to the advent of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and 'the later generations' refers to the 'Ummah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ till the Day of Judgment, as some of the commentators have opined, then the verses would mean: 'the People of the Right' will constitute a 'large party' of believers and the righteous from all the previous communities combined together, while there will be a 'large party' from the Ummah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ alone. In this case, it is a great honor for the Ummah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that, despite the short period they lived in this world, they could be compared to all the previous communities who were headed by hundreds of thousands of Prophets (علیہم السلام) . Besides, the words 'many from the later generations' has the scope of being larger in number than the 'many from the earlier generations'.
If we go by the second view of the commentators, who say that both 'earlier' and 'later' generations are from the ummah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، then even the later generations of this ummah will not be totally deprived of 'the Foremost', though their number in later generations will be less. As for the People of the Right, their number will be large in both 'earlier' and 'later' generations. This fact is proved by a Hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim from Sayyidna Mu` awiyah ؓ in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said, 'A group of my 'Ummah will always remain on the truth and dominant, unharmed by those who fail to support them and those who defy them, until the Last Hour begins.'.
Page 536
56:51
ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمۡ أَيُّهَا ٱلضَّآلُّونَ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبُونَ ٥١
Then indeed you, O those astray [who are] deniers,
56:52
لَأٓكِلُونَ مِن شَجَرٖ مِّن زَقُّومٖ ٥٢
Will be eating from trees of zaqqūm
56:53
فَمَالِـُٔونَ مِنۡهَا ٱلۡبُطُونَ ٥٣
And filling with it your bellies
56:54
فَشَٰرِبُونَ عَلَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَمِيمِ ٥٤
And drinking on top of it from scalding water
56:55
فَشَٰرِبُونَ شُرۡبَ ٱلۡهِيمِ ٥٥
And will drink as the drinking of thirsty camels.
56:56
هَٰذَا نُزُلُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلدِّينِ ٥٦
That is their accommodation on the Day of Recompense.
56:57
نَحۡنُ خَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ فَلَوۡلَا تُصَدِّقُونَ ٥٧
We have created you, so why do you not believe?
56:58
أَفَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا تُمۡنُونَ ٥٨
Have you seen that which you emit?1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., semen, which contains the potential for human life. ↩
56:59
ءَأَنتُمۡ تَخۡلُقُونَهُۥٓ أَمۡ نَحۡنُ ٱلۡخَٰلِقُونَ ٥٩
Is it you who creates it, or are We the Creator?
56:60
نَحۡنُ قَدَّرۡنَا بَيۡنَكُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِينَ ٦٠
We have decreed death among you, and We are not to be outdone
56:61
عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ أَمۡثَٰلَكُمۡ وَنُنشِئَكُمۡ فِي مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ ٦١
In that We will change your likenesses and produce you in that [form] which you do not know.1
1 translator’s note
- An alternative meaning has also been given: "...in that We will replace the likes of you [with others upon the earth] and create you [in the Hereafter] in that which you do not know." ↩
56:62
وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُمُ ٱلنَّشۡأَةَ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ فَلَوۡلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ٦٢
And you have already known the first creation, so will you not remember?
56:63
أَفَرَءَيۡتُم مَّا تَحۡرُثُونَ ٦٣
And have you seen that [seed] which you sow?
56:64
ءَأَنتُمۡ تَزۡرَعُونَهُۥٓ أَمۡ نَحۡنُ ٱلزَّٰرِعُونَ ٦٤
Is it you who makes it grow, or are We the grower?
56:65
لَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ حُطَٰمٗا فَظَلۡتُمۡ تَفَكَّهُونَ ٦٥
If We willed, We could make it [dry] debris, and you would remain in wonder,1
1 translator’s note
- At what had happened or remain in a state of shock. Another meaning is "in regret." ↩
56:66
إِنَّا لَمُغۡرَمُونَ ٦٦
[Saying], "Indeed, we are [now] in debt;
56:67
بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ ٦٧
Rather, we have been deprived."
56:68
أَفَرَءَيۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَآءَ ٱلَّذِي تَشۡرَبُونَ ٦٨
And have you seen the water that you drink?
56:69
ءَأَنتُمۡ أَنزَلۡتُمُوهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُزۡنِ أَمۡ نَحۡنُ ٱلۡمُنزِلُونَ ٦٩
Is it you who brought it down from the clouds, or is it We who bring it down?
56:70
لَوۡ نَشَآءُ جَعَلۡنَٰهُ أُجَاجٗا فَلَوۡلَا تَشۡكُرُونَ ٧٠
If We willed, We could make it bitter, so why are you not grateful?
56:71
أَفَرَءَيۡتُمُ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِي تُورُونَ ٧١
And have you seen the fire that you ignite?
56:72
ءَأَنتُمۡ أَنشَأۡتُمۡ شَجَرَتَهَآ أَمۡ نَحۡنُ ٱلۡمُنشِـُٔونَ ٧٢
Is it you who produced its tree, or are We the producer?
56:73
نَحۡنُ جَعَلۡنَٰهَا تَذۡكِرَةٗ وَمَتَٰعٗا لِّلۡمُقۡوِينَ ٧٣
We have made it a reminder1 and provision for the travelers,2
56:74
فَسَبِّحۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ ٧٤
So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.
56:75
۞ فَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِمَوَٰقِعِ ٱلنُّجُومِ ٧٥
Then I swear by the setting of the stars,1
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) confirms absolutely by oath. ↩
56:76
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَقَسَمٞ لَّوۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ ٧٦
And indeed, it is an oath - if you could know - [most] great.