113. Alternatively, the textual word “sultan” could be rendered as arguments or proofs (Razi).

114. Yusuf Ali writes: “Awrada = to lead, as cattle, down to their watering place. The metaphor is apt. The true herdsman is trusted by his normal flock, and he leads them in the heat of the day down to pleasant and cool watering places in order that they may slake their thirst and be happy! And yet men sin against their own intelligence, and follow the false leader like cattle without intelligence!”

Ibn Kathir writes that the application of the verse is not specific to Fir`awn. Anyone who led in disbelief here in this world, will be a leader of those who preferred to follow him, there in the Hereafter too. Says a hadith in Ahmad reported by Abu Hurayrah,

امْرُؤُ الْقَيْسِ صَاحِبُ لِوَاءِ الشُّعَرَاءِ إِلَى النَّارِ

“Imra ‘l Qays will be the bearer of the banner of the pre Islamic poets leading them to the Fire.”

Haythamiyy remarked that except for one narrator who is unknown, the rest are trustworthy.

115. Asad has an insightful passage here: “The short passage dealing with Pharaoh and his followers (verses 96 99) connects with, and amplifies, the reference to the tribe of ‘Ad, who ‘followed the bidding of every arrogant enemy of truth’ (verse 59 of this Surah). Thus, the main point of the passage is the problem of immoral leadership and, arising from it, the problem of man's individual, moral responsibility for wrongs committed in obedience of a ‘higher authority’. The Qur'an answers this question emphatically in the affirmative: the leader and the led are equally guilty, and none can be absolved of responsibility on the plea that he was but blindly following orders given by those above him. The indirect allusion is to man's relative free will i.e., his freedom of choice between right and wrong fittingly concludes the stories of the earlier prophets and their wrongdoing communities narrated in this Surah.”

116. These are some and not all of the stories of the Prophets narrated in the Qur'an in keeping with the needs and Athe purpose being,” in the words of Asad, “as always in the Qur'an, the illustration of an ethical principle or principles, and of men's varying reaction to the guidance which God offers them directly through His prophets and indirectly through the observable phenomena of His creation.”

117. The terms “qa'im” (existent), has been explained by Qatadah as meaning Athose that are visible as ruins” while “hasid” (harvested) is explained as Athose that have left no mark on the earth” (Qurtubi). Our rendering as above is following the explanation offered by Ibn `Abbas who declared that “qa'im” are those that are still inhabited (such as Egypt: Shafi’), and “hasid” those that are in ruins (such as Hijr) Ibn Jarir.

118. A hadith of the Sahihayn confirms this. It says,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْهُ

“Allah lends reprieve to a transgressor, until, when He seizes, He does not allow him any respite” (Ibn Kathir).

119. A Day which will be widely witnessed, by the angels, men and jinn, so there is no possibility of anyone not being there to witness the proceedings (Ibn Kathir and others).

120. Yusuf Ali explains comprehensibly and forcefully: “Speak, i.e., either in self defense or in accusation of others or to intercede for others, or to enter into conversation or to ask questions, one with another. It will be a solemn Day, before the Great Judge of all, to whom everything will be known and whose authority will be unquestioned. There will be no room for quibbling or equivocation or subterfuge of any kind, nor can any one lay the blame on another or take the responsibility of another. Personal responsibility will be enforced strictly.”

Prophetic emphasis in this regard comes through Ibn Kathir. The Prophet said,

وَلَا يَتَكَلَّمُ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا الرُّسُلُ وَكَلَامُ الرُّسُلِ يَوْمَئِذٍ اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْ سَلِّمْ

“No one will speak on that Day except for the Messengers. And the Messengers will be supplicating, ‘O Allah. Rescue (us), rescue (us).”

(The above hadith is in the Sahihayn: H. Ibrahim).

121. It is reported of `Umar (ra) that when this verse was revealed he went to the Prophet to ask,

يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ فَعَلَى مَا نَعْمَلُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ أَوْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ لَمْ يُفْرَغْ مِنْهُ قَالَ بَلْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ وَجَرَتْ بِهِ الْأَقْلَامُ يَا عُمَرُ وَلَكِنْ كُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ

“Prophet of Allah. With what view should we work: following something that (is written) and done with, or something not done with? He answered, “But rather, something that is done with (i.e. pre determined), and the Pens have run (their course), O `Umar. Indeed, every soul runs the course for which it has been created” (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

The hadith is in Tirmidhi who classified it as hasan gharib (Qurtubi). That is, it is a kind of weak report (Au.).

122. According to Layth the linguist, zafir is for a grievous inhaling of a deep breath without letting it out while shahiq is used for letting it out, (i.e., violent inhaling and exhaling: Au.). Zafir and shahiq are also used in another sense. Zafir is used for the powerful first noise emerging from a donkey's throat when it starts to bray, while shahiq is for the final weak noise that emerges from its chest (Ibn Jarir, Razi, from Ibn `Abbas, “Abu al `Aliyyah and others).

123. Tabari's interpretation may be presented here in Asad's words. He said that “in ancient Arabic usage the expression ‘as long as the heavens and the earth endure’, or ‘as long as night and day alternate’, etc., were used metonymically in the sense of Atime beyond count (abad).”

However, Hasan al Busri has expressed the opinion that it is the heavens and the earth of the next world that are meant since, according to the Qur'an the present earth and heavens will not last: (“the Day when the earth will be replaced with another earth, and the heavens [too]”: 14: 48), Further, there was wide agreement among the Salaf that the verse applies to those who will initially enter the Hell fire, but shall come out later, sooner: if their evil deeds were not many, but much later, after eons provided they bore faith in Allah even if it happened to be the size of an atom (Ibn Kathir).

124. Qurtubi demonstrates that these words could, in this context, lend ten different meanings depending on how they are treated grammatically: none of them easy to appreciate, even if successfully rendered into English, so we should rather leave it unattempted (Au.).

The commentators, both modern as well as classical, are almost unanimous that those who entered the Fire, as unbelievers in Allah or attributing partners unto Him, will remain in the Fire forever. According to them, the exception in this verse refers to the sinning believers who would initially enter the Fire but shall be removed from it ultimately. Shawkani is the only commentator who mentions the opinions of `Umar (ibn al Khattab), Abu Hurayrah, Ibrahim, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, `Abdullah bin ‘Amr, Jabir, Abu Sa`id, Abu Mijlaz and `Abdul Rahman ibn Zayd, that a time will come when the Fire will be destroyed and its dwellers relieved, even if takes (in modern terms) billions of years. There are two more verses which hold out this hope. One of them says (6: 128):

قَالَ النَّارُ مَثْوَاكُمْ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ [الأنعام : 128]

“He will say, ‘The Fire is your abode, abiding therein forever, except as Allah will.”

The second verse is (78: 21 23):

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا (21) لِلطَّاغِينَ مَآبًا (22) لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا [النبأ : 21 - 23]

“Verily, Jahannum will be (a place of) ambush; for the rebels a resort; to abide therein for ages” (Au.).

We might also cite here passages on this topic from `Ali ibn abi al ‘Izz's commentary on A‘Aqidah Tahawiyyah” discussing the eternity of the Fire:

ANevertheless, insofar as the eternity of the Fire goes, there are various opinions. There are some who have believed in its ultimate destruction. Such as, `Umar, Ibn Mas`ud, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Sa`id al Khudri and others. They said that Fire is the manifestation of Allah's anger, whereas Paradise is the manifestation of His mercy. And the Prophet has said: ‘When Allah had created His creations, He inscribed a writing, which is with Him above the `Arsh, (in words), “My mercy shall prevail over My anger."' These are the words of Bukhari. Further, Allah has told us about the Fire that it would be the punishment of ‘a great day,' or, of ‘a painful day,' or, of ‘a barren day.' But He did not use the words ‘of a day' even in one instance while describing the blessings of Paradise. In contrast, He said: ‘(That's) My punishment wherewith I shall punish whom I will. And My mercy has encompassed everything' (Al A’raf, 156).

“It is indispensable therefore, that His mercy should be the share of those subjected to chastisement. If they remain in the Fire, forever, without His mercy ever touching them, then His mercy could not be said to encompass everything. Further, there is no wisdom in the Ultimate Sovereign creating a creation for no other purpose than to torture them forever. In contrast, if He creates beings for no other purpose than to do them good and bless them forever, then, surely, that is entirely in tune with His mercy. The people who hold this opinion have also explained that whatever has been reported of those in the Fire remaining therein forever, and never coming out, is also true. There are no two opinions about that. The texts demand that this is how the words about their eternity in the Fire be understood, viz., so long as the Fire itself remains in existence. The monotheists would be removed from it during its existence. Thus, there is a difference between him who will be removed from the prison, while the prison remains in existence, and him whose prison term will be annulled because of the destruction of the prison itself.”

Quote from Ibn Abi al ‘Izz ends here.

125. Although the abiding in Paradise seems to have been made conditional to the abiding of the heavens and the earth, the addition of the words “a bestowal unbroken” suggests that the abiding therein would be forever by Allah's will (Ibn Jarir).

Ahadith offer further elucidation. One hadith in the Sahihayn says,

يُؤْتَى بِالْمَوْتِ كَهَيْئَةِ كَبْشٍ أَمْلَحَ فَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ فَيَقُولُ هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ وَكُلُّهُمْ قَدْ رَآهُ ثُمَّ يُنَادِي يَا أَهْلَ النَّارِ فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ فَيَقُولُ هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا فَيَقُولُونَ نَعَمْ هَذَا الْمَوْتُ وَكُلُّهُمْ قَدْ رَآهُ فَيُذْبَحُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ خُلُودٌ فَلَا مَوْتَ وَيَا أَهْلَ النَّارِ خُلُودٌ فَلَا مَوْتَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ

“Death will be brought forth in the form of a brownish lamb and a caller will call, ‘O dwellers of Paradise.’ They will stretch their necks and look. He will ask, ‘Do you know this?’ They will say, ‘Yes. This is death.’ Every one of them had seen it. Then the caller will call, ‘People of the Fire?’ They will stretch their necks and see. He will ask, ‘Do you know this?’ They will say, ‘Yes. This is death.’ Every one of them had seen it. Then it will be slaughtered and it will be said, ‘O people of Paradise, you will abide forever without tasting death. And, O people of the Fire, you will abide forever without tasting death'” (Ibn Kathir).

126. Mawdudi explains: “This does not mean that the Prophet (peace be on him) entertained any ‘doubt' concerning the deities whom the unbelievers associated with God in His divinity. Though this verse is ostensibly addressed to the Prophet (peace be on him), it is really aimed at conveying a message to the people of Makka. The thrust of the verse is that no sensible person should entertain the notion that those who worship false gods and pray to them have any plausible grounds for doing so and for expecting some benefit from such worship.”

In Asad's words, “I.e., do not think that their beliefs are based on reason”: a reference primarily to the pagan Arabs who like all wrongdoers spoken of in the preceding passages rejected God's message on the plea that it conflicted with their ancestral beliefs; and, more generally, to all people who are accustomed to worship (in the widest sense of the word) false values handed down from their ancestors who, consequently, observe false standards of morality; an attitude which must unavoidably as the last sentence of this verse shows results in future suffering, be it in this world or in the hereafter, or in both.”

127. Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid have said that the allusion is to the destined good or evil that the unbelievers would receive in this world: they shall receive them in full measure without any deduction. But Ibn Zayd's opinion was that the reference is to the punishment in the Hereafter (Ibn Jarir).