Surah Al-Ahqaf (46) — Ayah 20

(Ayah 20) ➊ {وَ يَوْمَ يُعْرَضُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا عَلَى النَّارِ:} Its connection with the previous verses is twofold: first, after mentioning the fate of those who mistreat their parents and deny the Resurrection, the fate of all disbelievers is described. Second, the previous verse mentioned that both believers and disbelievers will be rewarded according to their deeds and no one will be wronged, so now the question is answered: what will happen to the good deeds that disbelievers do in this world? At the very least, they should receive their reward; if they are not rewarded, that would be injustice. It is said: remember the time when those who refused to accept the truth will be presented before the Fire.

➋ { اَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبٰتِكُمْ فِيْ حَيَاتِكُمُ الدُّنْيَا وَ اسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِهَا:} Disbelievers, due to their arrogance and wickedness, are not willing to accept faith and completely submit themselves to the obedience of Allah and His Messenger, nor is the Hereafter their goal. Therefore, they are given the reward for their good deeds in this world. Among their deeds, those done for worldly benefits such as fame, etc., have nothing to do with the Hereafter; however, the deeds they did for Allah are also rewarded here in this world. If nothing else, it is a great favor that they are not immediately seized for their disbelief and polytheism, but are given respite, and along with that, they are given many worldly blessings. (See Hud: 15, 16) Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مُؤْمِنًا حَسَنَةً، يُعْطٰی بِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَيُجْزٰی بِهَا فِی الْآخِرَةِ، وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ فَيُطْعَمُ بِحَسَنَاتِ مَا عَمِلَ بِهَا لِلّٰهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَتّٰی إِذَا أَفْضٰی إِلَی الْآخِرَةِ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ يُّجْزٰی بِهَا ] [مسلم، صفات المنافقین، باب جزاء المؤمن بحسناتہ في الدنیا والآخرۃ… : ۲۸۰۸ ] "Allah will not diminish the reward of any good deed of a believer; he will be given in this world and will also be rewarded in the Hereafter. As for the disbeliever, he is fed in this world for the good deeds he did for Allah, until when he reaches the Hereafter, he will have no good deed left for which he could be rewarded."

➌ { فَالْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُوْنِ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ … :} With Allah, the reward for every good deed and the punishment for every evil deed will be given according to the nature of that deed, as those who fast will enter through the "Gate of Rayyan." So, the humiliating punishment for the disbelievers will be in accordance with the arrogance they displayed; they considered themselves great, their pride did not allow them to obey Allah and His Messenger, so inevitably they will be given a punishment that matches their arrogance. The humiliation of some moments of the Day of Resurrection is described in this hadith narrated by Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both): the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يُحْشَرُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُوْنَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَمْثَالَ الذَّرِّ فِيْ صُوَرِ الرِّجَالِ يَغْشَاهُمُ الذُّلُّ مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَيُسَاقُوْنَ إِلٰی سِجْنٍ فِيْ جَهَنَّمَ يُسَمّٰی بُوْلَسَ تَعْلُوْهُمْ نَارُ الْأَنْيَارِ يُسْقَوْنَ مِنْ عُصَارَةِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ طِيْنَةِ الْخَبَالِ ] [ ترمذي، صفۃ القیامۃ، باب ما جاء في شدۃ الوعید للمتکبرین : ۲۴۹۲، قال الألباني حسن ] "The arrogant will be raised on the Day of Resurrection like tiny ants in the form of men, humiliation covering them from all sides. Then they will be driven to a prison in Hell called 'Boulas.' Over them will rise the fire of fires, and they will be given the filth of the people of Hell to drink, which will be a destructive mud." As for what arrogance is, its details are narrated by Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): he said: [ لَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِيْ قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ، قَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُوْنَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً، قَالَ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ جَمِيْلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ، الْكِبْرُ بَطَرُ الْحَقِّ وَغَمْطُ النَّاسِ ] [ مسلم، الإیمان، باب تحریم الکبر و بیانہ : ۹۱ ] "He will not enter Paradise who has even a mustard seed's weight of arrogance in his heart." A man said: "A person likes his clothes and shoes to be good (is this arrogance)?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "Indeed, Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down on people."

➍ { تَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ فِي الْاَرْضِ:} "You used to act arrogantly in the land"—although greatness is the right of none but Allah, whether in the earth or in the heavens, but the inhabitants of the earth should especially keep their status in mind. For one who dwells in lowliness, the desire for loftiness is not befitting in any way. It is said: « وَ لَا تَمْشِ فِي الْاَرْضِ مَرَحًا اِنَّكَ لَنْ تَخْرِقَ الْاَرْضَ وَ لَنْ تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُوْلًا» [ بني إسرائیل : ۳۷ ] "And do not walk arrogantly upon the earth; indeed, you will never tear the earth apart, nor reach the mountains in height."

➎ { بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ:} This has two meanings: first, it is stated explicitly because arrogance is the right of none but Allah; whoever displays arrogance does so unjustly. Second, unjust arrogance is forbidden, as mentioned above; however, arrogance in the path of Allah when fighting disbelievers is rightful and beloved to Allah.

➏ { وَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَفْسُقُوْنَ:} By arrogance is meant denial of faith, and by wickedness is meant other sins. The meaning is that there will be two reasons for the punishment of humiliation: one is unjust arrogance in the land, i.e., refusal to believe, and the other is wickedness, i.e., sins and disobedience, and both are the habits of disbelievers. Muslims should seek refuge from these.

➐ Note that in the commentary of this verse, the commentators have written that it shows a Muslim should use the blessings of this world sparingly, so that his blessings in the Hereafter are not diminished, and here they have written the incidents of the asceticism and simple life of Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) and other Companions, and their avoidance of worldly pleasures. But the truth is that this verse is not about Muslims at all; it concerns the disbelievers. For the disbelievers, there are only the blessings of this world, while for the believers, there are blessings in both this world and the Hereafter, as it is said: « قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِيْنَةَ اللّٰهِ الَّتِيْۤ اَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهٖ وَ الطَّيِّبٰتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ قُلْ هِيَ لِلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا فِي الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةً يَّوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ» [ الأعراف : ۳۲ ] "Say: Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good things of provision? Say: These are for those who believe during the life of this world (as well), and exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection." The believer receives the reward for his good deeds in both this world and the Hereafter, as mentioned in the benefit (2) of this verse in the hadith. The abstention of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) from worldly pleasures was not based on this verse, because it is for the disbelievers; their abstention was so that they would not become heedless of the Hereafter by indulging in worldly pleasures, and for this patience and asceticism, they would receive greater reward. (Summary of Adwa' al-Bayan)