Tafsir of An-Nahl 16:85

"And when those who committed wrong see the punishment" — that is, the punishment they deserve for their wrongdoing, which is the torment of Hell. The intended meaning of "those who committed wrong" is those who disbelieved. Although a pronoun would have been the apparent choice, the noun was placed in its stead to denounce them through what is mentioned in the relative clause. Attaching the verb "see" to the punishment is for the purpose of hyperbole. It is also said that it refers to Hell itself metaphorically, and the pronoun in His saying, "then it will not be lightened for them," refers to its literal meaning by way of istikhdam (using a word to mean one thing, then referring back to it with a pronoun to mean something else), but that is not the preferred view.

This sentence is said to be an initiation of a new thought, and it is also said to be the answer to "when" (idha), with the assumption of "then it shall not be lightened," because the present tense—whether affirmative or negative—when it is the answer to idha, does not take the fa conjunction. Abu Hayyan favored this view. It is reported from al-Khufi that it is the answer and that it is the operative agent ('amil) for idha. He (al-Alusi) then said: "It has already been established for us that what precedes the fa of the response, other than amma, does not operate on what precedes it, and we have clarified that the operative agent for idha is the verb that follows it, just like all other conditional particles, even if that is not the view of the majority."

Al-Khafaji criticized the view that it is the answer, stating that it requires the aforementioned assumption, which, besides being contrary to the original principle, contradicts the purpose of having two distinct sentences in the structure—namely, His saying, "Then it will not be lightened for them the punishment," and His saying, "Nor will they be reprieved."

That is, they will not be granted respite. The lack of lightening occurs after seeing the punishment; therefore, a nominal sentence was not used. This is in contrast to the lack of respite, as it is firmly established for them in that state.

In the words of al-Zamakhshari, as in al-Kashf, there is an indication that the operative agent omitted for idha is "suddenly" (baghtatan), and that it is the answer. For he said, after explaining why "the Day" is in the accusative case: "And likewise, when they see the punishment suddenly, and it weighs heavily upon them, then it will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved," just like His saying, "Rather, it will come upon them suddenly and bewilder them" (the verse). It also contains an indication that the lack of lightening and the lack of respite signify that it weighs heavily upon them and comes upon them suddenly, as he explicitly stated in the other verse, where he rejected [the idea that it comes] suddenly and [the idea that it causes] bewilderment—which is the weighing down and more—and ordered after it: "Then they will not be able to avert it, nor will they be reprieved." Such a fa is considered eloquent by him, so understand this.

In al-Tafsir al-Kabir, it is stated: The theologians say that the punishment must be free from any traces of benefit, and this is what is intended by His saying, "It will not be lightened for them," and it must be eternal, and this is what is intended by His saying, "Nor will they be reprieved." There is room for debate in this.