Ibrahim: 17

Ayah

Word by Word

يَتَجَرَّعُهُۥ

He will sip it

وَلَا

but not

يَكَادُ

he will be near

يُسِيغُهُۥ

(to) swallowing it

وَيَأۡتِيهِ

And will come to him

ٱلۡمَوۡتُ

the death

مِن

from

كُلِّ

every

مَكَانٖ

side

وَمَا

but not

هُوَ

بِمَيِّتٖۖ

will die

وَمِن

And ahead of him

وَرَآئِهِۦ

And ahead of him

عَذَابٌ

(is) a punishment

غَلِيظٞ

harsh

Translation

In gulps will he sip it, but never will he be near swallowing it down his throat: death will come to him from every quarter, yet will he not die: and in front of him will be a chastisement unrelenting.

Tafsir

"Disbelieving Nations threaten Their Messengers with Expulsion

Allah tells;

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ لِرُسُلِهِمۡ

لَنُخۡرِجَنَّـكُم مِّنۡ أَرۡضِنَأ أَوۡ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا

And those who disbelieved, said to their Messengers:""Surely, we shall drive you out of our land, or you shall return to our religion.""

Allah narrates to us how the disbelieving nations threatened their Messengers, that being, expulsion from their land and banishment.

For instance, the people of Prophet Shu`ayb, peace be upon him, said to him and to those who believed in him,

لَنُخۡرِجَنَّكَ يـشُعَيۡبُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواۡ مَعَكَ مِن قَرۡيَتِنَأ

We shall certainly drive you out from our town, O Shu`ayb, and those who have believed with you. (7:88)

The people of Prophet Lut, peace be upon him, said,

أَخۡرِجُواۡ ءَالَ لُوطٍ مِّن قَرۡيَتِكُمۡ

Drive out the family of Lut from your city. (27:56)

Allah said about the idolators of Quraysh,

وَإِن كَادُواۡ لَيَسۡتَفِزُّونَكَ مِنَ الاٌّرۡضِ لِيُخۡرِجُوكَ مِنۡهَا وَإِذًا لاَّ يَلۡبَثُونَ خِلَـفَكَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً

And verily, they were about to frighten you so much as to drive you out from the land. But in that case they would not have stayed after you, except for a little while. (17:76)

and,

وَإِذۡ يَمۡكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ لِيُثۡبِتُوكَ أَوۡ يَقۡتُلُوكَ أَوۡ يُخۡرِجُوكَ وَيَمۡكُرُونَ وَيَمۡكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيۡرُ الۡمَـكِرِينَ

And when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or to kill you, or to expel you out; they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the Best of those who plot. (8:30)

Allah gave victory and aid to His Messenger after he emigrated from Makkah and gathered followers, supporters, and soldiers around him, who fought in the cause of Allah, the Exalted. Allah kept granting His Messenger more dominance until He opened for him Makkah, which sought to expel him. Allah gave him dominance over it, even when his enemies from Makkah and the rest of the people of the earth disliked it. Soon after, people began embracing the religion of Allah in large crowds and in a very short time Allah's Word and religion became high over all other religions, from the eastern and western parts of the world.

Hence Allah's statement,

فَأَوۡحَى إِلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ لَنُهۡلِكَنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ

وَلَنُسۡكِنَنَّـكُمُ الَارۡضَ مِن بَعۡدِهِمۡ

So their Lord revealed to them:""Truly, We shall destroy the wrongdoers. And indeed, We shall make you dwell in the land after them.""

Allah said in other Ayat,

وَلَقَدۡ سَبَقَتۡ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الۡمُرۡسَلِينَ

إِنَّهُمۡ لَهُمُ الۡمَنصُورُونَ

وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمُ الۡغَـلِبُونَ

And, verily, Our Word has gone forth of old for Our servants, the Messengers, that they verily, would be made triumphant, and that Our hosts! They verily, would be the victors. (37:171-173)

كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغۡلِبَنَّ أَنَاۡ وَرُسُلِى إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ

Allah has decreed:""Verily, it is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious. Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, All-Mighty."" (58:21)

وَلَقَدۡ كَتَبۡنَا فِى الزَّبُورِ مِن بَعۡدِ الذِّكۡرِ

And indeed We have written in Az-Zabur after Adh-Dhikr. (21:05)

قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوۡمِهِ اسۡتَعِينُواۡ بِاللَّهِ وَاصۡبِرُواۡ إِنَّ الَارۡضَ للَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَأءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِ وَالۡعَـقِبَةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ

Musa said to his people:""Seek help in Allah and be patient. Verily, the earth is Allah's. He gives it as a heritage to whom He wills of His servants:and the (blessed) end is for the those who have Taqwa."" (7:128)

and,

وَأَوۡرَثۡنَا الۡقَوۡمَ الَّذِينَ كَانُواۡ يُسۡتَضۡعَفُونَ مَشَـرِقَ الاٌّرۡضِ وَمَغَـرِبَهَا الَّتِى بَارَكۡنَا فِيهَا وَتَمَّتۡ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ الۡحُسۡنَى عَلَى بَنِى إِسۡرءِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُواۡ وَدَمَّرۡنَا مَا كَانَ يَصۡنَعُ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَقَوۡمُهُ وَمَا كَانُواۡ يَعۡرِشُونَ

And We made the people who were considered weak to inherit the eastern parts of the land and the western parts thereof which We have blessed. And the fair Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel, because of their endurance. And We destroyed completely all the great works and buildings which Fir`awn and his people erected. (7:137)

Allah said next,

ذَلِكَ لِمَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامِي وَخَافَ وَعِيدِ

This is for him who fears standing before Me and also fears My threat.

this warning is for he who fears standing before Him on the Day of Resurrection and fears His warnings and torment.

Allah said in other instances,

فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَى

وَاثَرَ الۡحَيَاةَ الدُّنۡيَا

فَإِنَّ الۡجَحِيمَ هِيَ الۡمَأۡوَى

وَأَمَّا مَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفۡسَ عَنِ الۡهَوَى

فَإِنَّ الۡجَنَّةَ هِيَ الۡمَأۡوَى

Then for him who transgressed all bounds, and preferred the life of this world, verily, his abode will be Hellfire. But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts. Verily, Paradise will be his abode. (79:37-41)

and,

وَلِمَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ

But for him who fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two Gardens. (55:46)

Allah said next

وَاسۡتَفۡتَحُواۡ

And they sought victory and help,

refers to the Messengers who sought the help and victory of their Lord over their nations, according to Abdullah bin Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah.

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that;

this Ayah refers to the nations, invoking Allah's victory against themselves!

Some idolators said,

اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الۡحَقَّ مِنۡ عِندِكَ فَأَمۡطِرۡ عَلَيۡنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ أَوِ ايۡتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

O Allah! If this (Qur'an) is indeed the truth (revealed) from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment. (8:32)

It is possible that both meanings are desired here, for the idolators (of Quraysh) invoked Allah against themselves on the day of Badr, and the Messenger of Allah invoked Him for victory and support.

Allah said to the idolators then,

إِن تَسۡتَفۡتِحُواۡ فَقَدۡ جَأءَكُمُ الۡفَتۡحُ وَإِن تَنتَهُواۡ فَهُوَ خَيۡرٌ لَّكُمۡ

(O disbelievers) if you ask for a judgment, now has the judgment come unto you; and if you cease (to do wrong), it will be better for you. (8:19)

Allah knows best.

Allah said next,

وَخَابَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ

and every obstinate, arrogant dictator was brought to a complete loss and destruction.

those who were arrogant and rebelled against the truth.

Allah said in other Ayat,

أَلۡقِيَا فِى جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ

مَّنَّـعٍ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٍ مُّرِيبٍ

الَّذِى جَعَلَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهاً ءَاخَرَ فَأَلۡقِيَـهُ فِى الۡعَذَابِ الشَّدِيدِ

(Allah will say to the angels):""Both of you throw into Hell every stubborn disbeliever - hinderer of good, transgressor, doubter, who set up another deity with Allah. Then both of you cast him in the severe torment."" (50:24-26)

The Prophet said,

إِنَّهُ يُوۡتَى بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ فَتُنَادِي الۡخَلَيِقَ فَتَقُولُ إِنِّي وُكِّلۡتُ بِكُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيد

On the Day of Resurrection, Jahannam (Hellfire) will be brought and it will call the creatures, saying, ""I was given the responsibility of every rebellious tyrant.""

Therefore, every tyrant has earned utter demise and loss when the Prophets invoked Allah, the Mighty, the Able for victory.

Allah said next

مِّن وَرَايِهِ جَهَنَّمُ

In front of him is Hell,

Allah says that Jahannam is in front of every obstinate tyrant, awaiting him, and he will reside in it forever on the Day of Return. He will be brought to it in the morning and the afternoon until the Day of the Call,

وَيُسۡقَى مِن مَّاء صَدِيدٍ

and he will be made to drink boiling, festering water.

in the Fire, his only drink will be from Hamim and Ghassaq, the former is very hot and the latter is very cold and rotten.

Allah said in another instance,

هَـذَا فَلۡيَذُوقُوهُ حَمِيمٌ وَغَسَّاقٌ

وَءَاخَرُ مِن شَكۡلِهِ أَزۡوَجٌ

This is so! Then let them taste it - Hamim and Ghassaq. And other (torments) of similar kind all together! (38:57-58)

Mujahid and Ikrimah said that;

this festering water is made of puss and blood.

Allah said in other Ayat,

وَسُقُواۡ مَأءً حَمِيماً فَقَطَّعَ أَمۡعَأءَهُمۡ

And be given to drink boiling water so that it cuts up their bowels. (47:15)

and,

وَإِن يَسۡتَغِيثُواۡ يُغَاثُواۡ بِمَأءٍ كَالۡمُهۡلِ يَشۡوِى الۡوجُوهَ

And if they ask for help, they will be granted water like boiling oil, that will scald their faces. (18:29)

Allah's statement

يَتَجَرَّعُهُ

He will sip it unwillingly,

indicates that he will hate to drink this water, but he will be forced to sip it; he will refuse until the angel strikes him with an iron bar,

وَلَهُمۡ مَّقَامِعُ مِنۡ حَدِيدٍ

And for them are hooked rods of iron. (22:21)

Allah said next,

وَلَا يَكَادُ يُسِيغُهُ

and he will find great difficulty in swallowing it down his throat,

meaning, he will hate to swallow it because of its awful taste, color and unbearable heat or coldness,

وَيَأۡتِيهِ الۡمَوۡتُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ

and death will come to him from every side,

his organs, limbs and entire body will suffer pain because of this drink.

Amr bin Maymun bin Mahran commented,

""Every bone, nerve and blood vessel.""

Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas commented on Allah's statement,

""All types of torment that Allah will punish him with on the Day of Resurrection in the fire of Jahannam will come to him carrying death, if he were to die. However, he will not die because Allah the Exalted said,

لَا يُقۡضَى عَلَيۡهِمۡ فَيَمُوتُواۡ وَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنۡهُمۡ مِّنۡ عَذَابِهَا

Neither will it affect them that they die nor shall its torment be lightened for them."" (35:36)

Therefore, according to Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, every type of punishment will come to him (the obstinate, rebellious tyrant) carrying death with it, if he will ever die there. Yet, he will not die, he will instead receive eternal punishment and torment.

Hence Allah's statement here,

وَيَأۡتِيهِ الۡمَوۡتُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ

وَمَا هُوَ بِمَيِّتٍ

and death will come to him from every side, yet he will not die,

Allah said,

وَمِن وَرَايِهِ عَذَابٌ غَلِيظٌ

and in front of him, will be a great torment.

even in this condition, he will still suffer another severe type of torment, more severe and painful from the one before it, harsher more bitter.

Allah described the tree of Zaqqum,

إِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ تَخۡرُجُ فِى أَصۡلِ الۡجَحِيمِ

طَلۡعُهَا كَأَنَّهُ رُءُوسُ الشَّيَـطِينِ

فَإِنَّهُمۡ لاّكِلُونَ مِنۡهَا فَمَالِيُونَ مِنۡهَا الۡبُطُونَ

ثُمَّ إِنَّ لَهُمۡ عَلَيۡهَا لَشَوۡباً مِنۡ حَمِيمٍ

ثُمَّ إِنَّ مَرۡجِعَهُمۡ لاِلَى الۡجَحِيمِ

Verily, it is a tree that springs out of the bottom of Hellfire, the shoots of its fruits stalks are like the heads of Shayatin; Truly, they will eat thereof and fill their bellies therewith.

Then on top of that they will be given boiling water to drink so that it becomes a mixture. Then thereafter, verily, their return is to the flaming fire of Hell. (37:64-68)

Allah states that they will either be eating from the Zaqqum, drinking the Hamim, or being tormented in the Fire, again and again; we seek refuge with Allah from all of this.

Allah also said,

هَـذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ الَّتِى يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا الۡمُجۡرِمُونَ

يَطُوفُونَ بَيۡنَهَا وَبَيۡنَ حَمِيمٍ ءَانٍ

This is the Hell which the criminals denied. They will go between it (Hell) and the fierce boiling water! (55:43-44)

إِنَّ شَجَرَةَ الزَّقُّومِ

طَعَامُ الاٌّثِيمِ

كَالۡمُهۡلِ يَغۡلِى فِى الۡبُطُونِ

كَغَلۡىِ الۡحَمِيمِ

خُذُوهُ فَاعۡتِلُوهُ إِلَى سَوَاءِ الۡجَحِيمِ

ثُمَّ صُبُّواۡ فَوۡقَ رَأۡسِهِ مِنۡ عَذَابِ الۡحَمِيمِ

ذُقۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الۡعَزِيزُ الۡكَرِيمُ

إِنَّ هَـذَا مَا كُنتُمۡ بِهِ تَمۡتَرُونَ

Verily, the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the sinners. Like boiling oil, it will boil in the bellies, like the boiling of scalding water.

(It will be said) ""Seize him and drag him into the midst of blazing Fire, then pour over his head the torment of boiling water. Taste you (this)!

Verily, you were the mighty, the generous!

Verily, this is that whereof you used to doubt!"" (44:43-50)

وَأَصۡحَـبُ الشِّمَالِ مَأ أَصۡحَـبُ الشِّمَالِ

فِى سَمُومٍ وَحَمِيمٍ

وَظِلٍّ مِّن يَحۡمُومٍ

لااَّ بَارِدٍ وَلَا كَرِيمٍ

And those on the Left Hand - how (unfortunate) will be those on the Left Hand In fierce hot wind and boiling water, and shadow of black smoke, neither cool nor pleasant. (56:41-44)

and,

هَـذَا وَإِنَّ لِلطَّـغِينَ لَشَرَّ مَـَابٍ

جَهَنَّمَ يَصۡلَوۡنَهَا فَبِيۡسَ الۡمِهَادُ

هَـذَا فَلۡيَذُوقُوهُ حَمِيمٌ وَغَسَّاقٌ

وَءَاخَرُ مِن شَكۡلِهِ أَزۡوَجٌ

This is so! And for the Taghun will be an evil final return. Hell! Where they will burn, and worst is that place to rest! This is so! Then let them taste it Hamim and Ghassaq. And other (torments) of similar kind all together! (38:55-58)

There are many other similar Ayat that indicate that the punishment they will receive is of different kinds, and that it is repeated in various types and forms that only Allah the Exalted knows, as just recompense,

وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّـمٍ لِّلۡعَبِيدِ

And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves. (41:46)"