Allah also tells us how the idolators seek to hasten punishment upon
themselves, out of denial, rejection, disbelief, stubbornness and a belief that
it will never happen. He says:
[وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى
هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ ]
(And they say: "When will this promise (come to pass), if you are
truthful''.) And Allah says:
[لَوْ يَعْلَمُ
الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ حِينَ لاَ يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن
ظُهُورِهِمْ]
(If only those who disbelieved knew (the time) when they will not be able to
ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs,) meaning, if only they
knew for certain that it will inevitably come to pass, they would not seek to
hasten it. If only they knew how the torment will overwhelm them from above them
and from beneath their feet.
[لَهُمْ مِّن
فَوْقِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ مِّنَ النَّارِ وَمِن تَحْتِهِمْ ظُلَلٌ]
(They shall have coverings of Fire, above them and coverings (of Fire)
beneath them) [39:16]
[لَهُم مِّن
جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ]
(Theirs will be a bed of Hell (Fire), and over them coverings (of Hellfire))
[7:41]. And in this Ayah Allah says:
[حِينَ لاَ
يَكُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ]
(when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces, nor from
their backs,) And Allah says:
[سَرَابِيلُهُم مِّن
قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمْ النَّارُ ]
(Their garments will be of tar, and fire will cover their faces) [14:50]. The
torment will surround them on all sides,
[وَلاَ هُمْ
يُنصَرُونَ]
(and they will not be helped.) means, and they will have no helper. This is
like the Ayah:
[وَمَا لَهُم مِّنَ
اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ]
(And they have no guardian against Allah) [13:34].
[بَلْ تَأْتِيهِم
بَغْتَةً]
(Nay, it will come upon them all of a sudden) means, the Fire will come upon
them suddenly, i.e., it will take them by surprise.
[فَتَبْهَتُهُمْ]
(and will perplex them,) means, it will scare them, and they will succumb to
it in confusion, not knowing what they are doing.
[فَلاَ
يَسْتَطِيعُونَ رَدَّهَا]
(and they will have no power to avert it) means, they will have no means of
doing so.
[وَلاَ هُمْ
يُنظَرُونَ]
(nor will they get respite. ) means, it will not be delayed for them even for
an instant.
[وَلَقَدِ
اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِالَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنْهُمْ مَّا
كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ قُلْ مَن يَكْلَؤُكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ مِنَ
الرَّحْمَـنِ بَلْ هُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّهِمْ مُّعْرِضُونَ أَمْ لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ
تَمْنَعُهُمْ مِّن دُونِنَا لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ
مِّنَّا يُصْحَبُونَ ]
(41. Indeed (many) Messengers were mocked before you, but the scoffers were
surrounded by what they used to mock.) (42. Say: "Who can guard and protect you
in the night or in the day from the Most Gracious'' Nay, but they turn away from
the remembrance of their Lord.) (43. Or have they gods who can guard them from
Us They have no power to help themselves, nor can they be protected from
Us.)
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