Tafsir of Al-Humazah 104:9

(In columns): The plural of ‘amūd (pillar), as stated by al-Raghib and al-Farra’. Abu ‘Ubaydah said it is the plural of ‘imād. It is the collective noun for the singular ‘amūd. The two brothers (Hamzah and al-Kisa'i) and Abu Bakr read it as ‘umud with two dammahs (vowel marks), while Harun, narrating from Abu ‘Amr, read it with a dammah on the ‘ayn and a sukun (absence of vowel) on the mim. In both readings, it is without disagreement the plural of ‘amūd.

The Almighty’s saying (extended) is an adjective for ‘umud in all three readings, meaning long. The prepositional phrase is in the place of a hal (state) for the genitive pronoun in ‘alayhim (upon them)—that is, they are existing within extended columns, meaning they are fastened within them. They are like maqatir—pieces of wood or large trunks with holes in which the feet of prisoners, such as thieves and their like, are placed. Or, it is the predicate for an omitted subject, meaning: "They are existing in columns, bound fast."

These columns—and we seek refuge in Allah the Almighty—are, according to what is narrated from Ibn Zayd, columns of iron. Ibn Jarir and others recorded from Ibn ‘Abbas that they are of fire. Some have suggested that the columns are extended across the doors after they have been closed upon them, to ensure their despair and confinement.

In a long hadith recorded by al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi in Nawadir al-Usul from Abu Hurayrah in a marfu’ (elevated) manner: "After Allah the Almighty brings out the disobedient believers from the Fire—the longest of whom remains for seven thousand years—the Almighty sends angels to the people of the Fire with lids of fire, nails of fire, and columns of fire. They close the lids upon them and fasten them with those nails, and those columns are extended, leaving no crevice through which a soul might enter or sorrow might exit. The Almighty, Mighty and Majestic, forgets them upon His Throne, and the people of Paradise occupy themselves with their bliss. They shall never thereafter be able to taste it, and speech ceases; their speech becomes nothing but gasping and sobbing." In this is the Almighty’s saying: “Indeed, it is closed in upon them, in extended columns.” O Allah, grant us refuge from the Fire, O best of those who are sought for protection!

Based on this, the prepositional phrase is connected to mu’sadah (closed in), acting as a hal for the pronoun within it, as the author of al-Kashshaf stated, and it was narrated by al-Tayyibi. In al-Irshad, it is reported from Abu al-Baqa’ that it is an adjective for mu’sadah. Some said there is no objection to it being a complement to mu’sadah, in the sense that the doors were closed with the columns and blocked by them. This is supported by what Ibn Jarir recorded from Ibn ‘Abbas, who said regarding this verse: "He enters them into columns, and they are extended over them; chains are upon their necks, and the doors are blocked by them."

Furthermore, "extended" suggests eternity and the severity of the punishment, which befits the state of those being spoken of—the disbelievers who backbit and slandered the best of mankind, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. As for the previously mentioned interpretation of columns as maqatir (stocks/shackles), it is said to suit the general sense, for the backbiter is as if he is a thief of people’s honor, so it is appropriate that he be punished with stocks like thieves, and thus eternity is not necessarily implied.

It may be said that whoever contemplates this Surah will see wondrous connections. When the description was exaggerated in the Almighty’s saying, “every backbiter, slanderer,” the term al-hutamah (the Crusher) was used for balance. When that conveyed the crushing of honor, it was met with the crushing of ribs, which is indicated by al-hutamah. The word nabdha (to cast/fling) was brought to imply contempt, in contrast to the honor the backbiter and slanderer imagined for himself. When the origin of the accumulation of wealth was the dominance of its love over the heart, it was countered with, “which mount to the hearts.” When it is the nature of the collector of wealth who loves it to close it up, the phrase “closed in upon them” was used in opposition. When that implied length of hope, the phrase “in extended columns” was used. Some of the great scholars have stated this clearly, so let it be contemplated. And Allah the Almighty knows best.