Surah Faatir (35) — Ayah 37

(Ayah 37) ➊ {وَ هُمْ يَصْطَرِخُوْنَ فِيْهَا … : ’’ يَصْطَرِخُوْنَ ‘‘ ’’صَرَخَ يَصْرُخُ صُرَاخًا‘‘} (n) (to cry out loudly) is from the form of ifti‘āl, which has additional emphasis. Originally it was {’’يَصْتَرِخُوْنَ‘‘}, the “tā” was changed to “ṭā” to match the “ṣād,” meaning they will cry out loudly many times. The wish of the people of Hell that they be taken out of Hell once and sent back to the world so that they may do righteous deeds contrary to before, is mentioned in several places in the Qur’an, but their wish will not be fulfilled. See Surah Al-A‘rāf (53), As-Sajdah (12), Al-Mu’min (11), and Ash-Shūrā (44). In one place it is said that even if they are sent back, they will do the same as they did before. See Surah Al-An‘ām (28).

➋ {اَوَ لَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُمْ مَّا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيْهِ مَنْ تَذَكَّرَ … :} In the explanation of this verse, Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ أَعْذَرَ اللّٰهُ إِلَی امْرِئٍ أَخَّرَ أَجَلَهُ حَتّٰی بَلَّغَهُ سِتِّيْنَ سَنَةً ] [بخاري، الرقاق، باب من بلغ ستین سنۃ…: ۶۴۱۹ ] “Allah has removed the excuse of the person whose life He prolonged until he reached sixty years.” But this hadith does not mean that those younger than this will not be told this, rather it means that the greatest reproach will be for those of this age. In reality, this will be said to every person who reached the age of maturity, Allah granted him the ability to distinguish between good and evil, and if he wished, he could have believed, but he knowingly persisted in disbelief. Because everyone agrees that disbelievers younger than sixty will not be saved from Hell on the excuse that they did not reach sixty years, and during the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), many disbelievers entered Hell whose ages were less than sixty.

➌ {وَ جَآءَكُمُ النَّذِيْرُ:} This refers to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and after him, every person through whom the message of truth reaches someone, because Allah’s rule is: «وَ مَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِيْنَ حَتّٰى نَبْعَثَ رَسُوْلًا » [ بني إسرائیل : ۱۵ ] “And We never punish until We have sent a messenger.” The word {’’ النَّذِيْرُ ‘‘} is general, which includes, besides the Messenger and his deputies, the incidents that occur from time to time, from which a servant can take a lesson, as He said: « اَوَ لَا يَرَوْنَ اَنَّهُمْ يُفْتَنُوْنَ فِيْ كُلِّ عَامٍ مَّرَّةً اَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ لَا يَتُوْبُوْنَ وَ لَا هُمْ يَذَّكَّرُوْنَ » [ التوبۃ : ۱۲۶ ] “And do they not see that they are tried once or twice every year? Yet they neither repent nor do they take heed.” Some of the Salaf included white hair in {’’ النَّذِيْرُ ‘‘}, because it warns that the respite of life is coming to an end.

➍ {فَذُوْقُوْا فَمَا لِلظّٰلِمِيْنَ مِنْ نَّصِيْرٍ :} Here, the wrongdoers refer to the polytheists, because only they will remain in Hell forever.

37. 1. That is, instead of others, they will worship You and, instead of disobedience, they will obey You.

37. 2. What age is meant by this? The commentators have mentioned different ages; some, reasoning from hadith, have said that sixty years of age is meant. But in our view, specifying an age is not correct, because ages vary—some die in youth, some in old age. Moreover, these periods are not as brief as fleeting moments; for example, each period is quite long, such as the period of youth, from puberty to middle age, and the period of middle age lasts until old age, and the period of old age lasts until death. And it would be correct to ask everyone: We gave you such an age that, had you wanted to understand the truth, you could have understood it. Then why did you not try to understand the truth and adopt it?

37. 3. By this is meant the Prophet ﷺ. That is, for reminder and admonition, the Prophet ﷺ and the scholars who are heirs to his pulpit and mihrab came to you, but you neither used your intellect and understanding nor paid attention to the words of the callers to truth.

37. There they will cry out, “Our Lord! Take us out so that we may do righteous deeds, different from what we used to do.” (Allah will reply,) “Did We not give you a life long enough for anyone who would take heed to do so? And a warner had come to you. So taste (the punishment), for the wrongdoers have no helper.”

[41]
The Various Responses to the Pleas of the Inhabitants of Hell:

The pleas of the people of Hell have been mentioned at several places in the Noble Quran, along with various responses to them. For example, at one place, the response given is that even if We were to send them back to the world, they would again become infatuated with the allurements of the heart and would act just as they did before. At another place, the response given is that their wish will be completely futile, because to have faith means to believe in the unseen, and the matter of righteous deeds comes after that. But here, on the Day of Resurrection, when they have seen everything with their own eyes, then this is faith by witnessing. And everyone believes in something they have seen or witnessed. Then, what remains of their trial, when every human being was given the power of will, choice, and intellect so that he could be tested? And the third response is given here: Were you not given enough life in the world that, had you reflected and wished to believe, nothing would have prevented you from doing so? In addition, prophets also came to you, who fully informed you of this evil end of yours. These criminals will have no answer to this. By "enough life" is meant the age of understanding. After reaching puberty, a person attains intellect and understanding and becomes capable of considering his own benefit and harm; that is why, at this age, he is considered legally responsible. If someone dies before this age, his excuse may be acceptable. And the one who is given forty, fifty, or sixty years of life, then the argument is fully established against him.