Tafsir

Allah gives Respite to the Disbelievers and is never unaware of what They do

Allah says, `O Muhammad, do not think that Allah is unaware of what the unjust disbelievers do. Do not think because Allah gave them respite and delayed their punishment that He is unaware or ignoring punishing them for what they do. Rather, Allah keeps full account of this for them and keeps it on record against them,إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَـرُ(but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.) from the horror of the Day of Resurrection.' Allah next mentions how they will all be raised up from their graves and hurriedly gathered for the Day of Gathering,مُهْطِعِينَ(hastening forward), in a hurry.

Allah said in other Ayat,مُّهْطِعِينَ إِلَى الدَّاعِ(Hastening towards the caller.) 54:8يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَّبِعُونَ الدَّاعِىَ لاَ عِوَجَ لَهُ(On that Day mankind will follow strictly Allah's caller, no crookedness will they show him.) 20:108 until,وَعَنَتِ الْوُجُوهُ لِلْحَىِّ الْقَيُّومِ(And (all) faces shall be humbled before the Ever Living, the Sustainer.) 20:111 Allah said: another Ayah,يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ الاٌّجْدَاثِ سِرَاعاً(The Day when they will come out of the graves quickly.) 70:43 Allah said next,مُقْنِعِى رُءُوسِهِمْ(with necks outstretched) meaning, raising their heads up, according to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and several others. Allah said next,لاَ يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ(their gaze returning not towards them) meaning, their eyes are staring in confusion, trying not to blink because of the horror and tremendous insights they are experiencing, and fear of what is going to strike them, we seek refuge with Allah from this end. This is why Allah said,وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَآءٌ(and their hearts empty.) meaning, their hearts are empty due to extreme fear and fright.

Qatadah and several others said that the places of their hearts are empty then, because the hearts will ascend to the throats due to extreme fear. Allah said next to His Messenger ,

In the second verse (43), it has been said that the postponement of sudden punishment against these unjust people is not any better for them because, ultimately, they will be seized in the great punishment of the Qiyamah and the 'Akhirah which will overtake them all of a sudden. The details of this punishment in the life to come and the horrendous happenings to be experienced there keep appearing right upto the end of the verse:لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الْأَبْصَارُ‌A day when the eyes shall remain upraised (in terror).مُهْطِعِينَ مُقْنِعِي رُ‌ءُوسِهِمْThey shall be rushing with their heads raised upward.لَا يَرْ‌تَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْ‌فُهُمْTheir eyes shall not return towards them.وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ ,And their hearts shall be hollow.

After the shape of things to come upon them has been stated, the address is to the Holy Prophet ﷺ who has been asked to warn his people of the punishment of that day, the day on which the unjust and the wrong-doing will have no choice but to call their Lord for some more time to return to the world they knew so that they could say yes to the call of prophets and follow them this time and may thereby have their deliverance from this punishment. The answer to their request will come from Allah Ta’ ala wherein it will be said: This is what you are saying now. Is it not that you had been giving sworn statements to the effect that your wealth and power shall never part with you, and that you shall go on living in the world just like that, in comfort and luxury, forever; and is it not that you had rejected the idea that you will live again and that there was a world hereafter?

يوم يقوم الظالمون من قبورهم مسرعين لإجابة الداعي رافعي رؤوسهم لا يبصرون شيئًا لهول الموقف، وقلوبهم خالية ليس فيها شيء; لكثرة الخوف والوجل من هول ما ترى.

ثم ذكر تعالى كيفية قيامهم من قبورهم ومجيئهم إلى قيام المحشر فقال : ( مهطعين ) أي : مسرعين، كما قال تعالى : ( مهطعين إلى الداع [ يقول الكافرون هذا يوم عسر ] ) [ القمر : 8 ] وقال تعالى : ( يومئذ يتبعون الداعي لا عوج له وخشعت الأصوات للرحمن فلا تسمع إلا همسا ) إلى قوله : ( وعنت الوجوه للحي القيوم وقد خاب من حمل ظلما ) [ طه : 198 - 111 ] وقال تعالى : ( يوم يخرجون من الأجداث سراعا كأنهم إلى نصب يوفضون ) [ المعارج : 43 ] .وقوله : ( مقنعي رءوسهم ) قال ابن عباس ، ومجاهد وغير واحد : رافعي رءوسهم .( لا يرتد إليهم طرفهم ) أي : [ بل ] أبصارهم طائرة شاخصة ، يديمون النظر لا يطرفون لحظة لكثرة ما هم فيه من الهول والفكرة والمخافة لما يحل بهم ، عياذا بالله العظيم من ذلك ; ولهذا قال : ( وأفئدتهم هواء ) أي : وقلوبهم خاوية خالية ليس فيها شيء لكثرة [ الفزع و ] الوجل والخوف . ولهذا قال قتادة وجماعة : إن أمكنة أفئدتهم خالية لأن القلوب لدى الحناجر قد خرجت من أماكنها من شدة الخوف . وقال بعضهم : ( هواء ) خراب لا تعي شيئا .