Tafsir of As-Sajdah 32:29

(Say) — as a means of rebuking them and establishing the truth — (on the day of the Conquest, their belief will not benefit those who disbelieved, nor will they be granted respite). Al-Firyabi, Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, and Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Mujahid that he said: "The day of the Conquest is the Day of Resurrection." It is, as stated in al-Bahr, in the accusative case due to the verb la yanfa'u (does not benefit).

As for "those who disbelieved," it refers either to those mockers who asked the question—in which case the use of the noun instead of the pronoun serves to register their disbelief and clarify the reason for the ruling—or it encompasses them and others, in which case the ruling regarding those mockers is known by way of demonstrative proof.

The intended meaning of His saying: "nor will they be granted respite" is the continuity of this negation. It is apparent that the clause is conjoined to "will not benefit" and the condition [of it being that specific day] is intended for it as well. Although the appearance of their question, "When is this Conquest?", necessitates a response that specifies the day asked about, their purpose in asking was to hasten it by way of denial and mockery. Therefore, they were answered according to their known intent; it is as if it were said to them: "Do not hasten it, and do not mock. It is as if I see you when you have reached that day and have believed, yet your belief does not benefit you, and you have sought a delay in the arrival of the punishment, yet you are not granted respite." This is close to the style of al-uslub al-hakim (the wise style of discourse).

Furthermore, interpreting the "Day of the Conquest" as the Day of Resurrection is clear based on the view that "the Conquest" refers to the decisive judgment of disputes, for the Exalted has said: "Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection." This interpretation is difficult to sustain if one argues that it refers to [military] victory over those who posed the question, provided they meant by it victory and triumph over them in this world—as is apparent from what was heard from Mujahid. Based on this, it was said: the "Day of the Conquest" is the Day of Badr; al-Hakim recorded this and authenticated it, as did al-Bayhaqi in al-Dala'il from Ibn Abbas. It was also said: it is the day of the Conquest of Makkah; this was narrated from al-Hasan and Mujahid.

Both views are problematic, as the saying of the Exalted, "On the day of the Conquest, their belief will not benefit those who disbelieved," implies that faith is not accepted from the disbeliever on that day, whereas people did believe on the Day of Badr and it was accepted from them, and likewise on the day of the Conquest of Makkah.

It has been answered that the relative pronoun in both cases refers to those who were killed on that day while in a state of disbelief. Thus, the meaning of "their belief will not benefit them" is that they possess no belief that could benefit them; it is similar to the poet’s saying: "On a path that has no beacon to guide." This applies whether they are a specific group who mocked or otherwise, and whether the saying "nor will they be granted respite" is conjoined to the restricted clause or the whole. Reflect upon this.

This has been criticized as being contrary to the apparent meaning. Furthermore, the claim that the Day of the Conquest is the Day of Badr is remote, given that the Surah is Makkan, and the same applies to the day of the Conquest of Makkah. It is also rendered unlikely by the fact that the number of those killed on that day was very small. Consider this.