Surah 34:51
Show Full Scripture Context (34:51-54) — 4 Verses
وَلَوۡ تَرَىٰٓ إِذۡ فَزِعُواْ فَلَا فَوۡتَ وَأُخِذُواْ مِن مَّكَانٖ قَرِيبٖ
If (only) you could see when they are terrified and (there is) no escape, and they are seized from a place nearby,
وَقَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ ٱلتَّنَاوُشُ مِن مَّكَانِۭ بَعِيدٖ
and say, ‘We believe in it (now).’ Yet how will they reach (it) from a place far away,
وَقَدۡ كَفَرُواْ بِهِۦ مِن قَبۡلُۖ وَيَقۡذِفُونَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ مِن مَّكَانِۭ بَعِيدٖ
when they disbelieved in it before? They conjecture about the unseen from a place far away.
وَحِيلَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ وَبَيۡنَ مَا يَشۡتَهُونَ كَمَا فُعِلَ بِأَشۡيَاعِهِم مِّن قَبۡلُۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ فِي شَكّٖ مُّرِيبِۭ
But (a barrier) has been set between them and what they desire, as was done with their parties before. Surely they (too) were in grave doubt indeed (about it).
Here Allah says: ‘if only you could see, O Muhammad, when these deniers are terrified on the Day of Resurrection, and they have no way of escape and nowhere to run to and no refuge.’
means, they will not even be given the slightest chance of escape, but they will be seized from the first instant. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: “When they come forth from their graves.”
means, on the Day of Resurrection, they will say, *we believe in Allah and His angels, Books and Messengers.’ This is like the Ayah:
Allah says:
{but how could they receive from a place so far off?}
{we do not think it but as a conjecture, and we have no firm convincing belief. } (45:32).
Qatadah and Mujahid said, “Their belief that there would be no resurrection, no Paradise and no Hell was based on mere conjecture.”
Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak and others, This means faith.” As-Suddi said:
means “Repentance.” This was also the view of Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him. Mujahid said:
means, “This world and its wealth, luxuries and people.” Something similar was narrated from Ibn “Umar, Ibn ‘Abbas and Ar-Rabl‘ bin Anas, may Allah be pleased with him. It is also the opinion of Al-Bukhari and the Group. The correct view is that there is no contradiction between the two views, for a barrier will be set between them and what they desire in this world, and what they seek in the Hereafter will be denied from them.
means, as happened to the nations of the past who disbelieved in the Messengers; when the punishment of Allah came upon them, they wished that they had believed, but this was not accepted from them.
{Verily, they have been in grave doubt. } means, in this world they had doubts, so their faith will not be accepted from them when they behold the punishment with their own eyes. Qatadah said, “Beware of doubt. For whoever dies doubting, will be raised doubting; and whoever dies believing, with certainty will be raised believing with certainty.”
This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Saba’. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Guide to the right way.