If you could see when they are gripped by terror without any escape, and are seized from close at hand
And if only you see, when they will be forced into a terror from which they will be unable to escape, and are seized from a place nearby. (Wherever they go, they are never far).
Ah, if thou couldst see when they are terrified, and there is no escape, and they are seized from a place near at hand,
IF THOU couldst but see [how the deniers of the truth will fare on Resurrection Day,] when they will shrink in terror, with nowhere to escape - since they will have been seized from so close nearby
And couldst thou see the time when they shall be terrified! Then there shall be no escaping, and they shall be laid hold of from a place quite nigh.
And if you could but see, when they will be terrified with no escape (for them), and they will be seized from a near place.
If you could only see when they are terrified, and there is no escape, and they are seized from a nearby place.
If you could only see when the unbelievers will go about in a state of terror. They will have no escape and will be seized from a place near at hand.
And if you could but see, when they will be terrified with no escape, and they will be seized from a near place.
Couldst thou but see when they are terrified with no escape, and are seized from near at hand,
Were you to see them when they will be stricken with terror, without any escape, and are seized from a close quarter.
If you could only see when they (the unbelievers) are seized with terror, and there is no escape. They shall be seized from a nearby place,
And if you could see when they are terrified but there is no escape, and they will be seized from a place nearby.
Would that you could see how the unbelievers will be terrified by death from which they cannot escape. They will be seized from a nearby place
And could you see when they shall become terrified, but (then) there shall be no escape and they shall be seized upon from a near place
Walaw tar<u>a</u> i<u>th</u> faziAAoo fal<u>a</u> fawta waokhi<u>th</u>oo min mak<u>a</u>nin qareeb<b>in</b>
If you could only see when those who denied the truth are terrified, and there is no way out, and they are seized from a place nearby;
If thou couldst but see when they will quake with terror; but then there will be no escape (for them), and they will be seized from a position (quite) near.
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ فَزِعُوا۟ فَلَا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ
And if you were to see, O Messenger, when these deniers will be terrified when they see the punishment on the day of judgment. So there will be no place for them to run to from it, nor any refuge for them to resort to, and they will be seized from a nearby place which is easy to reach from the very beginning. If you were to see that, you would see a strange matter.
And if you were to see, O Messenger, when these deniers will be terrified when they see the punishment on the day of judgment. So there will be no place for them to run to from it, nor any refuge for them to resort to, and they will be seized from a nearby place which is easy to reach from the very beginning. If you were to see that, you would see a strange matter.
<p>Commentary</p><p>According to most commentators, the attending condition described in verse 51: وَأُخِذُوا مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِ‌يبٍ (and they will be seized from a place near at hand) refers to the Day of Resurrection (al-hashr) from the terror of which disbelievers and sinners will not be able to escape even if they try to do so. In our normal experience in this world, when a culprit runs away, he has to be searched for. Something like that will not happen in the present case. In fact, all of them will be seized from where they are located. No one will have the chance to escape. Others have taken this time to be that of the agony of death, that is, when the time of death comes, they will be terrified and, unable to extricate themselves from the hands of the angels, they will be seized where they are with their soul taken out.</p>
CommentaryAccording to most commentators, the attending condition described in verse 51: وَأُخِذُوا مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِ‌يبٍ (and they will be seized from a place near at hand) refers to the Day of Resurrection (al-hashr) from the terror of which disbelievers and sinners will not be able to escape even if they try to do so. In our normal experience in this world, when a culprit runs away, he has to be searched for. Something like that will not happen in the present case. In fact, all of them will be seized from where they are located. No one will have the chance to escape. Others have taken this time to be that of the agony of death, that is, when the time of death comes, they will be terrified and, unable to extricate themselves from the hands of the angels, they will be seized where they are with their soul taken out.
<div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأُخِذُواْ مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ</div><p>(and they will be seized from a near place.) 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."</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ</div><p>(And they will say: "We do believe (now);") means, on the Day of Resurrection, they will say, `we believe in Allah and His angels, Books and Messengers.' This is like the Ayah:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَـلِحاً إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ </div><p>(And if you only could see when the criminals shall hang their heads before their Lord (saying): "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.") (32:12) Allah says:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَنَّى لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ مِن مَّكَانِ بَعِيدٍ</div><p>(but how could they receive from a place so far off) meaning, how could they attain faith now that they are so far removed from the place where it could be accepted from them, and they have entered the realm of the Hereafter which is the realm of reward and punishment, not the realm of trial and testing If they had believed in this world, that would have been good for them, but now they have entered the Hereafter, there is no way that their faith can be accepted, just as there is no way a person can get a thing if he is far away from it. Mujahid said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَنَّى لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ</div><p>but how could they At-Tana0wush؟ means, How could they attain that؟ Az-Zuhri said, They will wish to attain faith when they have reached the Hereafter and are cut off from this world. Al-Hلasan Al-Basلri said, They will seek something when they have no way of attaining it, they will seek faith from a distant place.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقَدْ كَـفَرُواْ بِهِ مِن قَـبْلُ</div><p>Indeed they did disbelieve before, means, how can they attain faith in the Hereafter when in this world they disbelieved in the truth and denied the Messengers؟</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَقْذِفُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ مِن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ</div><p>(and they (used to) conjecture about the Unseen from a far place. ) Malik narrated from Zayd bin Aslam that he said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَقْذِفُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ</div><p>(and they (used to) conjecture about the Unseen,) means, "By guessing." as Allah says,</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">رَجْماً بِالْغَيْبِ</div><p>guessing at the Unseen )18:22(. Sometimes they said he was a poet, sometimes they said he was a soothsayer, or a sorcerer, or a mad man, or other baseless comments. They denied the idea of resurrection and said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلاَّ ظَنّاً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ</div><p>(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."</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَحِيلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ</div><p>(And a barrier will be set between them and that which they desire,) Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak and others, `This means faith." As-Suddi said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَحِيلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ</div><p>(And a barrier will be set between them and that which they desire, ) means "Repentance." This was also the view of Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him. Mujahid said:</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَحِيلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ</div><p>(And a barrier will be set between them and that which they desire,) means, "This world and its wealth, luxuries and people." Something similar was narrated from Ibn `Umar, Ibn `Abbas and Ar-Rabi` 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.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كَمَا فُعِلَ بِأَشْيَـعِهِم مِّن قَبْلُ</div><p>(as was done in the past with the people of their kind.) 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.</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ وَكَـفَرْنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهِ مُشْرِكِينَ - فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمْ إِيمَـنُهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى قَدْ خَلَتْ فِى عِبَادِهِ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْكَـفِرُونَ </div><p>(So, when they saw Our punishment, they said: "We believe in Allah Alone and reject (all) that we used to associate with Him as (His) partners. "Then their faith could not avail them when they saw Our punishment. (Like) this has been the way of Allah in dealing with His servants. And there the disbelievers lost utterly.) (40:84-85).</p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ فِى شَكٍّ مُّرِيبِ</div><p>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. Qata0dah 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.</p>
وَأُخِذُواْ مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ(and they will be seized from a near place.) 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."وَقَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ(And they will say: "We do believe (now);") means, on the Day of Resurrection, they will say, `we believe in Allah and His angels, Books and Messengers.' This is like the Ayah:وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَآ أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَـلِحاً إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ (And if you only could see when the criminals shall hang their heads before their Lord (saying): "Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.") (32:12) Allah says:وَأَنَّى لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ مِن مَّكَانِ بَعِيدٍ(but how could they receive from a place so far off) meaning, how could they attain faith now that they are so far removed from the place where it could be accepted from them, and they have entered the realm of the Hereafter which is the realm of reward and punishment, not the realm of trial and testing If they had believed in this world, that would have been good for them, but now they have entered the Hereafter, there is no way that their faith can be accepted, just as there is no way a person can get a thing if he is far away from it. Mujahid said:وَأَنَّى لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُbut how could they At-Tana0wush؟ means, How could they attain that؟ Az-Zuhri said, They will wish to attain faith when they have reached the Hereafter and are cut off from this world. Al-Hلasan Al-Basلri said, They will seek something when they have no way of attaining it, they will seek faith from a distant place.وَقَدْ كَـفَرُواْ بِهِ مِن قَـبْلُIndeed they did disbelieve before, means, how can they attain faith in the Hereafter when in this world they disbelieved in the truth and denied the Messengers؟وَيَقْذِفُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ مِن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ(and they (used to) conjecture about the Unseen from a far place. ) Malik narrated from Zayd bin Aslam that he said:وَيَقْذِفُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ(and they (used to) conjecture about the Unseen,) means, "By guessing." as Allah says,رَجْماً بِالْغَيْبِguessing at the Unseen )18:22(. Sometimes they said he was a poet, sometimes they said he was a soothsayer, or a sorcerer, or a mad man, or other baseless comments. They denied the idea of resurrection and said:إِن نَّظُنُّ إِلاَّ ظَنّاً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ(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."وَحِيلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ(And a barrier will be set between them and that which they desire,) Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak and others, `This means faith." As-Suddi said:وَحِيلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ(And a barrier will be set between them and that which they desire, ) means "Repentance." This was also the view of Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him. Mujahid said:وَحِيلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ(And a barrier will be set between them and that which they desire,) means, "This world and its wealth, luxuries and people." Something similar was narrated from Ibn `Umar, Ibn `Abbas and Ar-Rabi` 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.كَمَا فُعِلَ بِأَشْيَـعِهِم مِّن قَبْلُ(as was done in the past with the people of their kind.) 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.فَلَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ وَكَـفَرْنَا بِمَا كُنَّا بِهِ مُشْرِكِينَ - فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمْ إِيمَـنُهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْاْ بَأْسَنَا سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى قَدْ خَلَتْ فِى عِبَادِهِ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْكَـفِرُونَ (So, when they saw Our punishment, they said: "We believe in Allah Alone and reject (all) that we used to associate with Him as (His) partners. "Then their faith could not avail them when they saw Our punishment. (Like) this has been the way of Allah in dealing with His servants. And there the disbelievers lost utterly.) (40:84-85).إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ فِى شَكٍّ مُّرِيبِVerily, 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. Qata0dah 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.