(He said: Will you look?)

(He said), meaning that speaker who was a companion to his associates, after he recounted to them the statement of his companion to him in the world: (Will you look?) — i.e., at the people of the Fire, so that I may show you that companion who said to me what I have recounted to you.

The purpose of the interrogation is an offering or a command, according to what has been said, and the intent behind this is to show them the wretched state of that companion, to provide them with a degree of comfort. It is also said that he intends by this to demonstrate the truthfulness of what he recounted, though it is not hidden that the suspicion of falsehood here is extremely remote.

The peering of the people of Paradise at the people of the Fire and knowing who is among them—despite the vast distance between them—is not far-fetched, as Allah Almighty may create in them sharpness of vision and cause them to know whomever they wish to observe. Perhaps when they desire this, they stand upon the Heights (al-A‘raf) and look down upon whomsoever they wish among the people of the Fire. It is also said that they have apertures in Paradise through which they look down upon the people of the Fire.

The speaker’s knowledge that the companion is among the people of the Fire is due to his knowing that he used to deny the Resurrection, and one who denies it is certainly among them, with the baseline being his persistence in disbelief. It is also said that he knew this through the information provided to him by the angels, peace be upon them.

It is also said that the speaker of (Will you look?) etc., is Allah Almighty, or some of the angels, peace be upon them, saying to those conversing among the people of Paradise: "Do you wish to look upon the people of the Fire so that I may show you that companion, that you may know the difference between your station and their station?"

It is also said that the one addressed is he who had a companion, and those addressed by "you" (in "Will you look") are the angels, peace be upon them. In the discourse, there is an ellipsis, as if it were said: Those present among the angels said to this speaker, "This companion of yours is being punished in the Fire," so he said to the angels who informed him, "Will you look?" And the implication of this is not hidden.