Ibn Kathir (abridged) · Tafsir · in English
Hud 11:15–24
11:15–16Page 223
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيۡهِمۡ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فِيهَا وَهُمۡ فِيهَا لَا يُبۡخَسُونَ ١٥
Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein,1 and they therein will not be deprived.
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَيۡسَ لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِلَّا ٱلنَّارُۖ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُواْ فِيهَا وَبَٰطِلٞ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٦
Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein,1 and worthless is what they used to do.
Whoever wants the Worldly Life, then He will have no Share of the Hereafter
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said concerning this verse, "Verily those who show off, will be given their reward for their good deeds in this life. This will be so that they are not wronged, even the amount equivalent to the size of the speck on a date-stone." Ibn `Abbas continued saying, "Therefore, whoever does a good deed seeking to acquire worldly gain - like fasting, prayer, or standing for prayer at night - and he does so in order to acquire worldly benefit, then Allah says, `Give him the reward of that which he sought in the worldly life,' and his deed that he did is wasted because he was only seeking the life of this world. In the Hereafter he will be of the losers." A similar narration has been reported from Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and many others. Anas bin Malik and Al-Hasan both said, "This verse was revealed concerning the Jews and the Christians." Mujahid and others said, "This verse was revealed concerning the people who perform deeds to be seen." Qatadah said, "Whoever's concern, intention and goal is this worldly life, then Allah will reward him for his good deeds in this life. Then, when reaches the next life, he will not have any good deeds that will be rewarded. However, concerning the believer, he will be rewarded for his good deeds in this life and in the Hereafter as well." Allah, the Exalted, says,
(Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected. And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it while he is a believer - then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated. On each - these as well as those - We bestow from the bounties of your Lord. And the bounties of your Lord can never be forbidden. See how We prefer one above another, and verily, the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in intricacy.) 17:18-21 Allah, the Exalted, says,
(Whosoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires the reward of this world, We give him thereof, and he has no portion in the Hereafter.) 42:20
11:17Page 223
أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٖ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ وَيَتۡلُوهُ شَاهِدٞ مِّنۡهُ وَمِن قَبۡلِهِۦ كِتَٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِمَامٗا وَرَحۡمَةًۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِهِۦۚ وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابِ فَٱلنَّارُ مَوۡعِدُهُۥۚ فَلَا تَكُ فِي مِرۡيَةٖ مِّنۡهُۚ إِنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ١٧
So is one who [stands] upon a clear evidence from his Lord [like the aforementioned]? And a witness1 from Him follows it,2 and before it was the Scripture of Moses to lead and as mercy. Those [believers in the former revelations] believe in it [i.e., the Qur’ān]. But whoever disbelieves in it from the [various] factions - the Fire is his promised destination. So be not in doubt about it. Indeed, it is the truth from your Lord, but most of the people do not believe.
The One Who believes in the Qur'an is upon Clear Proof from His Lord
Allah, the Exalted, informs of the condition of the believers who are upon the natural religion of Allah, which He made inherent in His creatures. This is based upon their confession to Him that there is none worthy of worship except He. This is similar to Allah's statement,
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفاً فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا
(So set you your face towards the religion, Hanifan. Allah's Fitrah with which He has created mankind.) 30:30, In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
«كُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ أَوْ يُنَصِّرَانِهِ أَوْ يُمَجِّسَانِهِ كَمَا تُولَدُ الْبَهِيمَةُ بَهِيمَةً جَمْعَاءَ هَلْ تُحِسُّونَ فِيهَا مِنْ جَدْعَاءَ؟»
(Every child is born upon the Fitrah, but his parents make him a Jew, Christian, or Magian. This is just as the calf that is born whole. Have you noticed any calves that are born mutilated) In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that `Iyad bin Himar said that the Messenger of Allah said,
«يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالَى: إِنِّي خَلَقْتُ عِبَادِي حُنَفَاءَ فَجَاءَتْهُمُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فَاجْتَالَتْهُمْ عَنْ دِينهِمْ وَحَرَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا أَحْلَلْتُ لَهُمْ،وَأَمَرَتْهُمْ أَنْ يُشْرِكُوا بِي مَا لَمْ أُنْزِلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا»
(Allah, the Exalted, says, `Verily, I created my servants Hunafa', but the devils came to them and distracted them from their religion. They made unlawful for them what I had made lawful for them and they commanded them to associate partners with Me, concerning which no authority has been revealed.) Therefore, the believer is one who remains upon this Fitrah. Concerning Allah's statement,
وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْهُ
(and whom a witness from Him recites (follows) it;) This means that a witness comes to him from Allah. That witness is the pure, perfect and magnificent legislation that Allah revealed to the Prophets. These legislations were finalized with the legislation (Shari`ah) of Muhammad ﷺ. The believer has the natural disposition that bears witness to (the truth of) the general legislation, and accepts that specific laws are taken from the general legislation. The Fitrah accepts the Shari`ah and believes in it. For this reason Allah, the Exalted, says,
أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْهُ
(Can they who rely on a clear proof from their Lord, and whom a witness from Him recites (follows) it;) This clear proof which is recited is the Qur'an, which Jibril conveyed to the Prophet and the Prophet Muhammad conveyed it to his Ummah. Then Allah says,
وَمِن قَبْلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوسَى
(and before it, came the Book of Musa,) This means that before the Qur'an, there was the Book of Musa, the Tawrah.
إَمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً
(a guidance and a mercy) This means that Allah, the Exalted, revealed it to that Ummah as a leader for them and a guide for them to follow, as a mercy from Allah upon them. Therefore, whoever believed in it with true faith, then it would lead him to believe in the Qur'an as well. For this reason Allah said,
أُوْلَئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ
(they believe therein) Then Allah, the Exalted, threatens those who reject the Qur'an, or any part of it, by saying,
وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ
(but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) This is directed towards everyone on the face of the earth who disbelieves in the Qur'an, whether they are idolators, disbelievers, People of the Scripture, or other sects from the descendants of Adam. This applies to all whom the Qur'an reaches, regardless of their differences in color, appearance, or nationality. As Allah says,
لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ
(that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach. ) 6:19 Allah, the Exalted, said,
قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا
(Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.") Allah says,
وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ
(but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَا يَسْمَعُ بِي أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ يَهُودِيٌّ (أَوْ) نَصْرَانِيٌّ ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِي إِلَّا دَخَلَ النَّار»
(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! there is no one of this Ummah, whether he be a Jew or Christian, who hears of me and does not believe in me, except that he will enter the Hell- fire.)
Every Hadith is confirmed by the Qur'an
Ayyub As-Sakhtiyani reported from Sa`id bin Jubayr that he said, "I did not hear any Hadith of the Prophet , substantiated as he stated it, except that I found its confirmation in the Qur'an. (The narrator said, "Or he said, `I found its verification in the Qur'an."') Thus, it reached me that the Prophet said,
«لَا يَسْمَعُ بِي أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ يَهُودِيٌّ وَلَا نَصْرَانِيٌّ ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِي إِلَّا دَخَلَ النَّار»
(There is no one of this Ummah, whether he be a Jew or Christian, who hears of me and does not believe in me, except that he will enter the Hellfire.) Therefore, I said, `Where is its verification in the Book of Allah Most of what I have heard reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I have found its verification in the Qur'an.' Then I found this verse,
وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ
(but those of the sects that reject it (the Qur`an), the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) And this means from all religions." Then Allah says,
فَلاَ تَكُ فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّنْهُ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ
(So be not in doubt about it. Verily, it is the truth from your Lord,) This means that the Qur'an is the truth from Allah and there is no doubt or suspicion concerning it. This is as Allah says,
الم - ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
(Alif Lam Mim. The revelations of the Book in which there is no doubt, is from the Lord of all that exists!)32:1-2 Allah, the Exalted, says,
الم ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ
(Alif Lam Mim. This is the Book in which there is no doubt.) 2:1-2 The Ayah;
وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ
(but most of mankind believe not.) is similar to Allah's statement,
وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
(And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly.)12:103 Likewise, Allah says,
وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
(And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path.) Allah also says,
وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعُوهُ إِلاَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
(And indeed Iblis did prove true his thought about them: and they followed him, all except a group of true believers.)34:20
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وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًاۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يُعۡرَضُونَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ وَيَقُولُ ٱلۡأَشۡهَٰدُ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡۚ أَلَا لَعۡنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ١٨
And who is more unjust than he who invents a lie about Allāh? Those will be presented before their Lord, and the witnesses will say, "These are the ones who lied against their Lord." Unquestionably, the curse of Allāh is upon the wrongdoers
ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجٗا وَهُم بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمۡ كَٰفِرُونَ ١٩
Who averted [people] from the way of Allāh and sought to make it [seem] deviant while they, concerning the Hereafter, were disbelievers.
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَمۡ يَكُونُواْ مُعۡجِزِينَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِنۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَۘ يُضَٰعَفُ لَهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُۚ مَا كَانُواْ يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَمَا كَانُواْ يُبۡصِرُونَ ٢٠
Those were not causing failure [to Allāh] on earth, nor did they have besides Allāh any protectors. For them the punishment will be multiplied. They were not able to hear, nor did they see.1
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَضَلَّ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفۡتَرُونَ ٢١
Those are the ones who will have lost themselves, and lost from them is what they used to invent.
لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمُ ٱلۡأَخۡسَرُونَ ٢٢
Assuredly, it is they in the Hereafter who will be the greatest losers.
Those Who invent Lies against Allah and hinder Others from His Path are the Greatest Losers
Allah, the Exalted, explains the condition of those who lie against Him and that their scandal in the Hereafter will be presented before the heads of creation (for testimony) from the angels, Messengers, Prophets and the rest of mankind and Jinns. This is just as Imam Ahmad recorded from Safwan bin Muhriz. Safwan said, "I was holding the hand of Ibn `Umar when a man was brought to him. The man said, `How did you hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ describe An-Najwa (secret counsel or confidential talk) on the Day of Resurrection' Ibn `Umar said, `I heard him say,
«إِنَّ اللهَللهَعزَّ وَجَلَّ يُدْنِي الْمُؤْمِنَ فَيَضَعُ عَلَيْهِ كَنَفَهُ، وَيَسْتُرُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَيُقَرِّرُهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ وَيَقُولُ لَهُ: أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا؟ أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا؟ أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا؟ حَتَّى إِذَا قَرَّرَهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ وَرَأَى فِي نَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ هَلَكَ قَالَ: فَإِنِّي قَدْ سَتَرْتُهَا عَلَيْكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنِّي أَغْفِرُهَا لَكَ الْيَوْم»
(Verily, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will draw near the believer and He will place His shade over him. He will conceal him from the people and make him confess to his sins. He will say to him, "Do you recognize this sin Do you recognize that sin Do you recognize such and such sin" This will continue until He makes him confess to all of his sins and he (the believer) will think to himself that he is about to be destroyed. Then Allah will say, "Verily, I have concealed these sins for you in the worldly life and I have forgiven you for them today." Then he (the believer) will be given his Book of good deeds. As for the disbelievers and the hypocrites, the witnesses will say,)
هَؤُلاءِ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ أَلاَ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّلِمِينَ
(These are the ones who lied against their Lord! No doubt! The curse of Allah is on the wrongdoers)." Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded this narration in the Two Sahihs. Concerning Allah's statement,
الَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا
(Those who hinder (others) from the path of Allah, and seek a crookedness therein,) This means that they prevent the people from following the truth and traversing upon the path of guidance that leads to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. In doing so they also keep the people away from Paradise itself. Allah's statement,
وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا
(and seek a crookedness therein,) This means that they want their path to be crooked and uneven. Then, Allah's statement,
وَهُمْ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ هُمْ كَفِرُونَ
(while they are disbelievers in the Hereafter.) This means that they deny the Hereafter and they reject the idea that any of its events will occur, or any of it exists at all. Concerning Allah's statement,
أُولَئِكَ لَمْ يَكُونُواْ مُعْجِزِينَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَآءَ
(By no means will they escape on earth, nor have they protectors besides Allah!) This means that these disbelievers are under the power of Allah and His force. They are in His grasp and are subject to His authority. He is Most Able to exact vengeance against them in this life before the coming of the Hereafter. This is like Allah's statement,
إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَرُ
(but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.)14:42 In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ اللهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْه»
(Verily Allah gives respite to the oppressor until He seizes him, then he will not be able to escape Him.) For this reason Allah says,
يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ
(Their torment will be doubled!) This means that the torment will be doubled upon them, because Allah gave them hearing, vision and hearts, but these things did not benefit them. Rather, they were deaf from hearing the truth and blinded away from following it. This is just as Allah has mentioned concerning them when they enter into the Hellfire. Allah says,
وَقَالُواْ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِى أَصْحَبِ السَّعِيرِ
(And they will say: "Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not have been among the dwellers of the blazing Fire!") Allah also says,
الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ زِدْنَهُمْ عَذَابًا فَوْقَ الْعَذَابِ
(Those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from the path of Allah, for them We will add torment to the torment.)16:88 For this reason they will be punished for every command that they abandoned and every prohibition that they indulged in. Then Allah continues by saying,
أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ
(They are those who have lost their own selves, and that which they invented eluded them.) They lost themselves, meaning that they be made to enter a blazing Fire, where they will be punished, and its torment will not be lifted from them for even the blinking of an eye. This is as Allah said,
كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَاهُمْ سَعِيرًا
(Whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire.)17:97 Concerning the statement,
وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم
(eluded them.) meaning that it has left them.
مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ
(that which they invented) besides Allah, such as rivals and idols. Yet, these things did not avail them in the slightest. In fact, these things actually caused them great harm. This is as Allah says,
وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُواْ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُواْ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَفِرِينَ
(And when mankind are gathered, they will become their enemies and will deny their worshipping.)46:6 Allah says,
إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ وَرَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الاٌّسْبَابُ
(When those who were followed disown those who followed (them), and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from them.)2:166 Likewise, there are many other verses that prove this loss of theirs and their destruction. For this reason Allah says,
لاَ جَرَمَ أَنَّهُمْ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ هُمُ الاٌّخْسَرُونَ
(Certainly, they are those who will be the greatest losers in the Hearafter.) 11:22 In this verse Allah informs about the direction of their end. He explains that they are the greatest losers among mankind in their transaction for the abode of the Hereafter. That is because they exchanged the highest levels (of Paradise) for the lowest levels (of Hell) and they substituted the pleasure of Gardens (of Paradise) for the fierce boiling water (of Hell). They exchanged the drink of sealed nectar with the fierce hot wind, boiling water, and a shade of black smoke. They chose food from the filth of dirty wounds instead of wide-eyed lovely maidens. They preferred Hawiyah (a pit in Hell) instead of lofty castles. They chose the anger of Allah and His punishment over nearness to Him and the blessing of gazing at Him. Therefore, it is no injustice that such people should be the greatest losers in the Hereafter.
11:23–24Page 224
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَأَخۡبَتُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ٢٣
Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds and humbled themselves to their Lord - those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide eternally therein.
۞ مَثَلُ ٱلۡفَرِيقَيۡنِ كَٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ وَٱلۡأَصَمِّ وَٱلۡبَصِيرِ وَٱلسَّمِيعِۚ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًاۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ٢٤
The example of the two parties is like the blind and deaf, and the seeing and hearing. Are they equal in comparison? Then, will you not remember?
Rewarding the People of Faith
When Allah, the Exalted, mentioned the condition of the wretched, He also commended the people of delight (the believers). They are those who believe and work righteous deeds. Thus, their hearts believed and their limbs worked righteous deeds, both in statements and actions. This includes their performance of deeds of obedience and their abandonment of evils. In this way they are the inheritors of Gardens (of Paradise), which contain lofty rooms and seats arranged in rows. Therein they will find bunches of fruit near to them, elevated couches, fair and beautiful wives, various types of fruit, desired kinds of food and delicious drinks. They also will be allowed to see the Creator of the heavens and the earth and they will be in this state of pleasure forever. They will not die, nor will they grow old. They will not experience sickness, nor will they sleep. They will not have excrement, nor will they spit or snot. Their sweat will be the perfume of musk.The Parable of the Believers and the Disbelievers
Then, Allah, the Exalted, makes a parable of the disbelievers and the believers. He says,
(The likeness of the two parties) This refers to those disbelievers whom Allah first described as wretched, and then those believers whom He described with delightfulness. The first group is like one who is blind and deaf, while the second group is like he who sees and hears. Thus, the disbeliever is blind from the truth in this life and in the Hereafter. He is not guided to goodness, nor does he recognize it. He is deaf from hearing the proofs, thus he does not hear that which would benefit him. As Allah says,
(Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen.)8:23 The believer is smart, bright and clever. He sees the truth and distinguishes between the truth and falsehood. Thus, he follows the good and abandons the evil. He hears and distinguishes between the proof and scepticism. Therefore, falsehood does not overcome him. Are these two types of people alike
(Will you not then take heed) This statement means, "Will you not consider, so that you may distinguish between these two categories of people." This is as Allah mentions in another verse,
(Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise. It is the dwellers of Paradise that will be successful.)59:20 Allah also says,
(Not alike are the blind and the seeing. Nor are (alike) darkness and light. Nor are (alike) the shade and the sun's heat. Nor are (alike) the living and the dead. Verily, Allah makes whom He wills to hear, but you cannot make hear those who are in graves. You are only a warner. Verily, We have sent you with the truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them.)35:19-24
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences