Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 124

(Ayah 124) ➊ By "Dhikr" is meant the admonition sent down by Allah Almighty, as He said: «{ اِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَ اِنَّا لَهٗ لَحٰفِظُوْنَ }» [ الحجر : ۹ ] "Indeed, We, We have sent down the Dhikr, that is, the admonition, and indeed We will surely be its guardian."

➋ {فَاِنَّ لَهٗ مَعِيْشَةً ضَنْكًا : ’’ مَعِيْشَةً ‘‘} Life, the things upon which life is spent, such as food, drink, and other necessities. (Qamoos) {’’ ضَنْكًا ‘‘ ’’ ضَنُكَ يَضْنُكُ ضَنْكًا وَضُنَاكًا وَ ضَنَاكَةً ‘‘} is a verbal noun with the meaning of an active participle, therefore, despite being an attribute of {’’ مَعِيْشَةً ‘‘}, the word does not change; it remains the same for singular and plural, masculine and feminine, meaning he will live a life of hardship. Its interpretation is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), so it is the most preferred. In Sahih Ibn Hibban, Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) regarding the saying of Allah, the Exalted, {’’ فَاِنَّ لَهٗ مَعِيْشَةً ضَنْكًا ‘‘}, that he said: ({عَذَابُ الْقَبْرِ }) "(It means) the punishment of the grave." In {’’ اَلتَّفْسِيْرُ الصَّحِيْحُ الْمَسْبُوْرُ ‘‘}, it has been quoted from Al-Ihsan (3119), Al-Mustadrak Al-Hakim (1/381, H: 1405), and several books, and from various Imams its being Hasan, Jayyid, or Sahih has also been reported. Imam Tabari narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) with a good chain that he interpreted it as "al-shaqa’" (misery). For the interpretation of "al-shaqa’," see Surah Ta-Ha (2) {’’ مَعِيْشَةً ضَنْكًا ‘‘} a phrase in which both the hardship of this world and the grave are included. The person who turns away from Allah’s admonition is deprived of trust in Allah and contentment with what He has given, and is always caught up in the greed for more and more wealth and status. If he gets two valleys of wealth, he sets out in search of a third. Like the thirst of a rabid dog, his greed never ends. Even if he owns billions and trillions, he is a pauper; due to the baseness of greed and miserliness, he does not gain anyone’s heartfelt love. Wealth and children, instead of being a comfort for him, become a torment from Allah. See Surah At-Tawbah (55, 85). Then comes a time when he cannot sleep without pills, and despite having every comfort, he sees no way out of this life full of grief and sorrow except suicide. If you do not believe, look at the suicide rates in Japan, Sweden, Norway, etc.

➌ { وَ نَحْشُرُهٗ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ اَعْمٰى :} As a consequence of, in this world, closing his ears and eyes to the signs of Allah Almighty and not accepting the truth, on the Day of Resurrection he will be raised blind, dumb, and deaf. (Bani Isra’il: 97) The Day of Resurrection is fifty thousand years long. See Surah Al-Ma’arij (4). In its various periods, people’s conditions will be different. When rising from the grave, he will be blind, then to show the horrors of Hell and the honor of the believers, he will be made to see. See Surah At-Tur (14, 15) and Surah Maryam (38).