Ma'arif al-Qur'an · Tafsir · in English
Maryam 19:80–84
19:80–81Page 311
وَنَرِثُهُۥ مَا يَقُولُ وَيَأۡتِينَا فَرۡدٗا ٨٠
And We will inherit him [in] what he mentions,1 and he will come to Us alone.
وَٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةٗ لِّيَكُونُواْ لَهُمۡ عِزّٗا ٨١
And they have taken besides Allāh [false] deities that they would be for them [a source of] honor.
وَنَرِثُهُ مَا يَقُولُ
"And We will inherit from him what he is talking about" - 19:80.
It is foolish of him to talk about retaining his wealth and children in the Hereafter because he will have to leave behind even these things which he possesses in this world, and his wealth and children will all revert to Allah Ta’ ala.
وَيَأْتِينَا فَرْ‌دًا
"And he.will come to Us all alone" - 19:80.
And on the Day of Judgment he will appear in God's presence one without his wealth and his children.
19:82Page 311
كـَلَّاۚ سَيَكۡفُرُونَ بِعِبَادَتِهِمۡ وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ضِدًّا ٨٢
No! They [i.e., those "gods"] will deny their worship of them and will be against them opponents [on the Day of Judgement].
وَيَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضِدًّا
"And they will be just the opposite for them" - 19:82.
The idols and the false gods whom the infidels worshipped in the hope of winning their help will turn against them on the Day of Judgment. God will grant speech to them and they will say, "0 God! Finish these sinners because they turned away from you and made us the objects of their worship."
19:83Page 311
أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ تَؤُزُّهُمۡ أَزّٗا ٨٣
Do you not see that We have sent the devils upon the disbelievers, inciting them [to evil] with [constant] incitement?
Commentary
تَؤُزُّهُمْ أَزًّا
"Inciting them with all their incitements" - 19:83.
In Arabic language the words حَضّ – فَزّ – اَزّ - ھَزّ are synonymous, differing only in shade or degree, and mean to urge, incite, instigate. The word اَزّ means to apply strong pressure, to persuade somebody to do something. The sense of this verse is that the Devils instigate the unbelievers to persist in their evil ways by presenting before their eyes the benefits and hiding from them the wickedness of their evil deeds.
19:84Page 311
فَلَا تَعۡجَلۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمۡ عَدّٗا ٨٤
So be not impatient over them. We only count out [i.e., allow] to them a [limited] number.1
إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا
"We are but counting for them a count down." - 19:84
This verse means: "Do not be impatient about their punishment because it is going to befall upon them in any case - and very soon. We have allowed them a fixed term in this world and that term is about to end. Then will come their retribution." نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ means: "We are counting for them, i.e. they do not have control on anything. Their days are numbered and We keep a count of every moment of their life and everything they do."
Once Ma'mun Rashid read Surah Maryam. Upon reading this particular verse, he desired that Ibn Simak, one of the Islamic scholars sitting in that meeting with him, to say something on it. Thereupon Ibn Simak submitted that when our breaths are numbered and their number cannot be enhanced, they will soon come to an end. The same notion is reflected in the following poetic verse:
حیاتک انفاس تعد فکلّمَا مضی نفس منک انتقصت بہ جزء اً
That is, the breaths of your lifer are counted. With every passing breath, your life gets reduced to that extent.
It is said that during one span of twenty-four hours, one breathes twenty-four thousand times. (Qurtubi)
The following stanza explores the same context:
و کیف یفرح بالدّنیاو لذّتھا فتی یُعَدّ علیہ اللفظ و النّفس
That is, how can one be so engrossed and relaxed with the worldly pleasures, while his words and breaths are being counted. (Ruh)
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences