Surah 14

Surah 14:15

"They asked for victory, and every stubborn tyrant despaired."
Tafsir Ibn Kathir Verses 14:13-17
Show Full Scripture Context (14:13-17) — 5 Verses
Verse 13

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِرُسُلِهِمۡ لَنُخۡرِجَنَّكُم مِّنۡ أَرۡضِنَآ أَوۡ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَاۖ فَأَوۡحَىٰٓ إِلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ لَنُهۡلِكَنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

Those who had disbelieved said to their messengers, ‘We shall indeed expel you from our land, or (else) you will return to our creed.’ Then their Lord inspired them: ‘We shall indeed destroy the evildoers

Verse 14

وَلَنُسۡكِنَنَّكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامِي وَخَافَ وَعِيدِ

and cause you to inhabit the land after them. That is for whoever fears My position and fears My promise.’

Verse 15

وَٱسۡتَفۡتَحُواْ وَخَابَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٖ

They asked for victory, and every stubborn tyrant despaired.

Verse 16

مِّن وَرَآئِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ وَيُسۡقَىٰ مِن مَّآءٖ صَدِيدٖ

Behind him is Gehenna, and he is given a drink of filthy water.

Verse 17

يَتَجَرَّعُهُۥ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُسِيغُهُۥ وَيَأۡتِيهِ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٖ وَمَا هُوَ بِمَيِّتٖۖ وَمِن وَرَآئِهِۦ عَذَابٌ غَلِيظٞ

He gulps it but can hardly swallow it. Death comes upon him from every side, yet he does not die, and behind him is a stern punishment.

The people of Prophet Lut, peace be upon him, said,
{Drive out the family of Lut from your city.} [27:56]
Allah said about the idolators of Quraysh,
{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,
{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,
{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,
{And, verily. Our Word has gone forth of old for Our slaves, the Messengers, that they will certainly be victorious.} [37:171-172]
Allah's statement,
{That is for him who fears standing before Me, and also fears My threat.}

meaning, 'this certain victory is for those who fear standing before Me on the Day of Resurrection and fear My warnings and torment.' Allah said in other Ayat,
{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,
{But for him who fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two Gardens.} [55:46]
Allah said next,
{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 idolaters said,
{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 idolaters (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 idolaters then,
{(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 said next,
{and every obstinate, arrogant dictator was brought to a complete loss and destruction.}

meaning, those who were arrogant and rebelled against the truth were destroyed. Allah said in other Ayat,
{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,
"On the Day of Resurrection, Jahannam will be brought out and it will have a neck that extends and ears that hear, saying, "I was appointed to take care of three types: every obstinate, arrogant dictator..."
Therefore, the Messengers were granted victory and the arrogant dictators were destroyed,
{In front of him is Hell,}

meaning, Jahannam is the dwelling of every obstinate, arrogant dictator. He will be gathered into it on the Day of Resurrection and driven to it in the morning and the afternoon,
{and he will be made to drink boiling, festering water.}

in the Fire, this will be his drink, made of Pus and blood that flow from the residents of the Fire. Allah said in another Ayah,
{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,
{And be given to drink boiling water so that it cuts up their bowels.} [47:15] and,
{And if they ask for help, they will be granted water like boiling oil, that will scald their faces.} [18:29]
Allah's statement,
{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,
{And for them are hooked rods of iron.} [22:21]
Allah said next,
{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,
{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,
{and death will come to him from every side,}

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

Allah said,
{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,
{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,
{This is the Hell which the criminals denied. They will go between it (Hell) and the fierce boiling water.} [55:43-44],
{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].
{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,
{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,
{And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves.} [41:46]

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.