Q: (30) "The Day We say to Hell..."

(The Day We say to Hell, "Are you full?" and it says, "Are there any more?")

(30) Meaning: Remember, or warn of, the Day, etc. "The Day" is the object of a verb implied (e.g., "remember"). It is also said that it is an adverbial for "the darkness." Al-Zamakhshari said: It is permissible for it to be in the accusative case due to the [implied] "blowing" (of the Trumpet), as if it were said: "And the Trumpet is blown [on] the Day..." Thereby, it points to "(The Day) We say," because pointing to something that follows is permissible, especially when its rank is that of precedence. It is as if it were said: "That Day," meaning the Day of the saying is the Day of the Warning, and there is no need for omission in the manner pointed out regarding the blowing [of the Trumpet].

This view, as stated in al-Kashf, is remote because it is distant from the operative verb (‘amil), and intervening elements are not suitable as an interruption. Furthermore, the time of the blowing is not the time of the saying, except by way of supposing it to be an extended event, with this occurring in one part of it and that in another—all of which is contrary to the apparent meaning. How, then, if they are combined?

Abu Hayyan said: It is very remote; the operative verb and the noun it governs have been separated by many statements, which does not suit the eloquence and rhetorical perfection of the Holy Quran. The apparent, literal meaning of the question and answer should be maintained, as should similar instances such as the complaining of Hell, the permission granted to it to take two breaths, and the debate between Hell and Paradise. We are bound to believe in the literal meaning as long as no obstacle prevents it, and there is no obstacle here, for [Divine] Power is capable, the intellect permits it, the literal meanings dictate the occurrence of what the intellect permits, and the affairs of the Hereafter should not be measured by the affairs of the world.

Al-Rummani said: The speech involves the omission of a genitive, meaning: "We say to the keepers of Hell." But this is of no substance. Many have said: It is of the category of representation (tamthil). The meaning is that despite its vastness and the distance of its regions, jinn and mankind are cast into it, group after group, until it is filled and accepts no more. Thus, the interrogation is one of negation, meaning: "There is no more to be added to its fullness." This has been narrated from Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, and al-Hasan. It has been permitted that the negation of increase be taken literally, or that it be a metonymy or metaphor for seeking more. It is also said: The meaning is that it is of such capacity that whoever enters it does so while there is still room and emptiness; thus, the interrogation is for confirmation, meaning: "Is there a place for more due to its vastness?" It is also permitted that this be a metonymy for the intensity of its rage against the disobedient, as if it were asking for more of them.

The claim that there is room in it has been challenged, as it contradicts the explicit statement of the Exalted: "I will surely fill Hell" (the verse). The response is that there is no contradiction, because "fullness" may be intended to mean that no level of it is devoid of those who dwell in it, even if there is much room within it—just as one says: "The town is full of its people; there is no empty house in it," despite the buildings and open spaces between them. Or, perhaps this is in consideration of two states: there is room upon entry, then the devils and their like are driven into it, and it becomes full.

Furthermore, there is more than one tradition indicating that it literally asks for more, though the reality of what is placed in it until it is full is unknown, as the traditions regarding this are among the "ambiguous" (mutashabihat) whose literal meanings are not intended according to the majority. Ahmad, al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa’i, and others narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Hell will continue to have things cast into it, and it will say, 'Are there any more?' until the Lord of Might places His Foot in it, and some of it will be drawn together toward others, and it will say, 'Enough, enough! By Your Might and Your Generosity.' And there will remain excess in Paradise until Allah creates another creation for it and makes them dwell in the excess of Paradise."

The two Sheikhs and others also narrated from Abu Hurayrah: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Paradise and Hell debated... [he mentioned the Hadith]... As for Hell, it will not be full until He places His Foot upon it, and it will say, 'Enough, enough!' There, it will be filled, and some of it will be drawn together toward others, and Allah does not wrong any of His creation. As for Paradise, Allah will create for it a new creation." The earliest scholars of interpretation interpreted this; al-Nadr ibn Shumayl said: The "Foot" (qadam) refers to the disbelievers who were previously known in His knowledge to be entering the Fire. And "foot" can mean "that which has been sent forward" (muqaddam), as in the saying of the Exalted: "a step of truth" (qadam sidq). The apparent meaning of the Hadith, however, requires the entry of others besides the disbelievers before them, and this is extremely remote. Perhaps there are reports that contradict it.

Ibn al-Athir said: "His Foot," meaning those whom He has sent forward to it from the wicked of His creation, so they are the "Foot" (qadam) of Allah for the Fire, just as the Muslims are His "Foot" for Paradise. And the qadam is anything one has sent forward of good or evil. This, as you can see, is remote, and it is weakened by what is in the Hadith of Ahmad, ‘Abd ibn Humayd, and Ibn Marduyah from Abu Sa’id, attributed to the Prophet: "They will be cast into it—meaning the Fire—its people, and it will say, 'Are there any more?' And they will be cast into it, and it will say, 'Are there any more?' until the Almighty comes to it and places His Foot upon it, and it will be drawn together and say, 'Enough for me, enough for me!'"

Others interpreted the "Foot" as a group; from this is what was related regarding Job (peace be upon him), that he was bathing naked when a "foot" (a swarm) of locusts fell upon him. However, the attribution to His pronoun (the Almighty) makes this unlikely. It is also said that placing the Foot or the Leg upon something is a metaphor for repelling and suppressing; as if it were said: "The command of Allah comes to it, and He restrains it from asking for more." Similar to this is the view of some Sufis, that the "Foot" is a metonymy for the attribute of Beauty. It is also said that it is intended to quiet its agitation, just as one says regarding a matter: "I have put it under my foot" or "under my leg," meaning I have nullified it. These two sayings are more appropriate than the previous ones, and Allah knows best. "The more" (mazid) is either a noun of place/time (masdar mimi) like mahid, or a passive participle, receiving the same inflection as mabi'.

Al-A'raj, Shaybah, Nafi', Abu Bakr, al-Hasan, Abu Raja', Abu Ja'far, and al-A'mash read "The Day We say" with a ya of the third person. Abdullah, al-Hasan, and al-A'mash also read it as yuqal (it is said), in the passive voice.

(And Paradise will be brought near for the righteous) He proceeds to state the condition of the believers after stating the condition of the disbelievers. This is coordinated with "the blowing" [of the Trumpet], meaning: It will be brought near for the righteous, away from disbelief and sins.

(Not far) Meaning: In a place that is not far, which passes by them, i.e., before them. In this is a hyperbole that is not in the removal from the adverbial. Thus, "not far" is an adjective for the adverbial of azlifat (brought near), which was omitted and replaced by it, and it took its case. For this reason, it did not say "not far" (ghayr ba'idah - feminine). It is permitted that it be accusative as a verbal noun (masdar), the original being "brought near, a bringing near not far."

The Imam said: That is, according to Our Power. It may also be a state (hal) from "Paradise," intended for emphasis, just as you say: "Mighty, not humiliated," because might contradicts humiliation, and the negation of a thing's opposite is an affirmation of its proof. In this is the repelling of any illusion of metaphor or a trace of the opposite. It was not said "not far" (ba'idah), regarding which it is said: It is because "Paradise" (jannah) is interpreted as "garden" (bustan). It is also said: Because "far" (ba'id) is on the scale of a verbal noun that is uniform for both feminine and masculine, like za'ir (roaring) and salil (clanking), so it is treated accordingly. It is also said: Because a fa'il form in the sense of fa'il can be treated like fa'il in the sense of maf'ul, thus being uniform for both.

The Imam has several views regarding the "bringing near" of Paradise:

1. Folding the distance between it and the righteous while each remains in their place without moving.
2. Because of the honor of the righteous, it is said: "(Paradise) was brought near for the righteous," rather than "the righteous were brought near to Paradise."
3. The meaning is the proximity of its attainment and entry into it, not spatial proximity (though there is disagreement on this).
4. The proximity is according to its literal meaning, and the Exalted is capable of moving Paradise from the heaven to the earth—that is, toward the direction of the low or the known earth after its expansion.

The saying of some that the intention is to reveal it near them, similar to how it was revealed to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in the expanse of the wall of his noble mosque, has a Sufi connotation.