Surah 14:42

"Do not think (that) God is oblivious of what the evildoers do. He is only sparing them for a Day when (their) eyes will stare,"

Islamic Commentaries (1)Manuscripts (51)

Allah gives Respite to the Disbelievers and is never unaware of what They do Verses 14:42-43

Show Full Scripture Context (14:42-43) — 2 Verses

Verse 42

وَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَٰفِلًا عَمَّا يَعۡمَلُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَۚ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمۡ لِيَوۡمٖ تَشۡخَصُ فِيهِ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ

Do not think (that) God is oblivious of what the evildoers do. He is only sparing them for a Day when (their) eyes will stare,

Verse 43

مُهۡطِعِينَ مُقۡنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمۡ لَا يَرۡتَدُّ إِلَيۡهِمۡ طَرۡفُهُمۡۖ وَأَفۡـِٔدَتُهُمۡ هَوَآءٞ

(as they go) rushing with their heads raised up, unable to turn back their gaze, and their hearts empty.

Quoted Scripture

"42. Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the wrongdoers do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror."

"43. (They will be) hastening forward with necks outstretched, their heads raised up (towards the sky), their gaze returning not towards them and their hearts empty."

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,

Quoted Scripture

"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,

{hastening forward}, in a hurry. Allah said in other Ayat,

{Hastening towards the caller.} [54:8]

{On that Day mankind will follow strictly Allah's caller, no crookedness will they show him.} [20:108] until,

{And (all) faces shall be humbled before the Ever Living, the Sustainer.} [20:111]

Allah said another Ayah,

{The Day when they will come out of the graves quickly.} [70:43]

Allah said next,

{with necks outstretched} meaning, raising their heads up, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid and several others. Allah said next,

Quoted Scripture

"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.

{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,

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.

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