Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 71

(Ayah 71) ➊ {وَ سِيْقَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْۤا اِلٰى جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرًا : ’’سَاقَ يَسُوْقُ سَوْقًا‘‘} (n) To drive someone from behind by putting someone ahead, this expresses the humiliation of the one being driven. The word {’’قَادَ يَقُوْدُ‘‘} is used for leading someone behind oneself by staying ahead. {’’ زُمَرًا ‘‘ ’’زُمْرَةٌ‘‘ } is the plural, meaning the group behind which there is another group. {’’زُمْرَةٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ‘‘} refers to the group behind which another group is coming.

➋ In the previous verses, the mention was of the decision with truth on the Day of Resurrection; in these verses, the implementation of that decision is mentioned. Thus, first, those deserving punishment are mentioned, because the context is to admonish and warn those who, even after hearing so much admonition and so many arguments, persisted in disbelief.

➌ That is, when the crime of the disbelievers is proven and the decision is made, they will be driven in groups, forcibly herded towards Hell, as He said: « يَوْمَ يُدَعُّوْنَ اِلٰى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ دَعًّا » [ الطور : ۱۳ ] "The Day they will be thrust toward the Fire of Hell with a (violent) thrust." The division into different groups will either be according to the gradation of disbelief, that the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths, and there will be some who will only be made to wear shoes of fire, or according to time, that the earlier people will enter first and the later ones after them. (See Al-A'raf: 38) One division will also be according to the different types of criminals, for example, the group of thieves, the group of adulterers, etc. See Surah As-Saffat (22) and Surah Ha Mim As-Sajdah (19).

➍ { حَتّٰۤى اِذَا جَآءُوْهَا فُتِحَتْ اَبْوَابُهَا:} That is, upon their arrival, the gates of Hell, which were previously closed, will be opened, just as the gates of a prison are opened only upon the arrival of criminals and then closed upon them, so that they remain imprisoned there.

➎ {وَ قَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَاۤ : ’’خَزَنَةٌ‘‘ ’’خَازِنٌ‘‘} is the plural, just as {’’طَلَبَةٌ‘‘ ’’طَالِبٌ‘‘} is the plural. The gatekeeper is called Khazin, because usually gatekeepers are present where there is a treasure of valuable things. For the description of the gatekeepers of Hell, see Surah At-Tahrim (6).

➏ { اَلَمْ يَاْتِكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّنْكُمْ … :} The harsh-hearted, harsh-tongued, and powerful angels of Hell will not ask them this question but will say it to reproach and scold them; this will be an additional torment along with the physical punishment. See Surah Al-An'am (120) and Surah Al-Mulk (8 to 11).

➐ { قَالُوْا بَلٰى وَ لٰكِنْ … :} That is, yes, they did come and they did warn, but we kept doing such deeds that the word of Allah, which He had spoken about filling Hell with disbelieving jinn and humans (see As-Sajdah: 13), proved true for us.

71. 1 Zumar is derived from زَمَرَ, meaning "sound." In every group or community, there is always noise and sounds; therefore, it is also used for a group or community. The meaning here is that the disbelievers will be driven towards Hell in the form of groups, one group after another. In addition, they will be driven and herded like flocks of animals. As stated in another place: یوم یدعون الی نار جہنم دعا الطور, meaning they will be driven harshly towards the Fire of Hell.

71. 2 That is, as soon as they arrive, all seven gates of Hell will be opened immediately so that there is no delay in the punishment.

71. 3 That is, just as they used to argue, dispute, and debate in the world, there will be no room for argument and debate after everything becomes clear before their eyes, so they will have no choice but to confess.

71. 4 That is, we denied and opposed the messengers because of the wretchedness for which we were deserving, when we turned away from the truth and chose falsehood. This subject has been explained in more detail in Surah Al-Mulk.

71. And those who disbelieved will be driven in groups towards Hell [90], until when they reach it, its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say to them, "Did there not come to you messengers from among yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours [91]?" They will say, "Yes, indeed," but the word of punishment has come into effect upon the disbelievers.

[90] This is because there are dozens of types of disbelief. And accordingly, on the Day of Resurrection, these disbelievers will be grouped. And after grouping them, they will be driven towards Hell. Just as those criminals who, after the court's verdict, are proven to be truly guilty, are shackled and taken towards the prison, and just as when these criminals reach the prison, the gate of the prison is opened for them, in the same way, when the groups of disbelievers reach Hell, the gates of Hell will be opened for them.

[91]
The Keepers of Hell and Their Question:

When these groups reach Hell, the keepers or superintendents of Hell will, as a form of reproach, ask them: "O wretches! Did not Allah's messengers come to you to warn you or to make you aware of the circumstances of this day?" The criminals will reply: "They did come, but due to our misfortune and incompetence, we did not consider them truthful, and as a result, today we have ended up here. And it seems that we are bound to receive the punishment for our deeds."