[The Day the hypocrites will say...]

(The Day the hypocrites, men and women, say): This is in apposition to "(The Day you see...)" [in the preceding verse]. It is also permissible for it to be governed by a verb that is not mentioned. Ibn ‘Atiyyah said: It appears to me that the governing agent for it is "the great success," and the meaning of success upon them would be even greater. It is as if it were said: "Indeed, the believers shall succeed on the day that befalls the hypocrites, men and women, such and such," because the manifestation of a person on the day of his enemy’s humiliation is the most wonderful and majestic form of opposition. Al-Bahr refuted this, stating that the apparent grammatical analysis is that "The Day" is governed by "success," which is not permissible because it is a verbal noun (masdar) that has been described [as 'great'] before taking its objects; therefore, it is not permissible for it to function as a verb. If he had described it after—meaning "the success which became great"—it would have been permissible, i.e., the success that reached its zenith on that day. However, there is disagreement regarding the permissibility of making such a masdar govern such an object in this manner. Furthermore, attaching this adverbial phrase to something outside of that sentence is contrary to the apparent meaning.

(to those who believe, "Wait for us"): Meaning, "wait for us." (so that we may borrow from your light): The accusative case here is due to it being a consequence of the request, such that they may catch up to them and be illuminated by it. It is also said: "so that we may take a portion of it to keep with us." They imagined that such a thing could happen, so they said it. The root of iqtibas (borrowing) is the seeking of a qabas, which is a brand of fire. It is also permissible that the meaning is "Look toward us, so that we may borrow," because when they look at them, they turn their faces toward them, and the light is before them, so they seek light from it. Thus, "Wait for us" (unzuruna) is based on the deletion [of a preposition] and the connection; for "looking" (nazara) in the sense of mere seeing is connected with ila (to), and if it is intended to mean contemplation, it is connected with fi (in). However, interpreting the verse based on such a deletion is contrary to the apparent meaning. Their saying this to the believers is because they are in darkness, not knowing how to walk within it. It has been narrated that this will occur on the Sirat (the Bridge).

There are traditions indicating that they [the hypocrites] will have a light that is then extinguished, and they will say that. Al-Tabarani and Ibn Mardawayh recorded from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Allah will summon people on the Day of Resurrection by their mothers, out of His covering for His servants. As for when at the Sirat, Allah the Exalted will give every believer a light and every hypocrite a light. When they stand upon the Sirat, Allah will extinguish the light of the hypocrites, men and women. The hypocrites will say, 'Wait for us, that we may borrow from your light,' and the believers will say, 'Perfect for us our light,' and no one will remember anyone at that moment."

In another marfu' hadith from him as well: "The light of the hypocrite is extinguished before he reaches the Sirat." ‘Abd ibn Humayd and Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from Abu Fakhita: "Allah the Exalted will gather the creatures on the Day of Resurrection and send darkness upon the people. They will seek help from their Lord, so Allah the Exalted will give every believer among them a light and give the hypocrites a light. They will all set out, heading toward Paradise with their light. While they are like that, Allah the Exalted will extinguish the light of the hypocrites. They will wander in the darkness, and the believers will outstrip them with their light before them, so they will say: 'Wait for us, that we may borrow from your light'..." The reports regarding the giving of light to the hypocrite and then its extinguishment are numerous, and there is nothing in the verse that rejects this.

Zayd ibn ‘Ali, Abu Waththab, al-A‘mash, Talhah, and Hamzah read anziruna (wait/delay us) with an alif that is qat’ (cut), with a fatha on the alif and a kasra on the za'. It comes from al-nazrah, meaning "delay." It is said, anzara al-madyun (he granted a respite to the debtor). Thus, anziruna means "grant us a delay." The debtor’s asking the creditor for a delay is a metaphor for a companion's request to his fellow to act with deliberate patience and walk slowly so that his companion may catch up to him, after the previous similitude was established as an exaggeration of their inability and a display of their poverty. It is also said: It is from anzara, meaning "put behind"; the intent is "place us behind you, and do not outstrip us such that you escape us and we are unable to reach you."

Al-Mahdawi said: Unzuruna (wait) and anziruna (delay) are both from the concept of waiting. The Arabs say anzartuhu bi-kadha and intazartuhu with the same meaning. The meaning is "give us respite."

(It will be said): The speakers, according to what is narrated from Ibn Abbas, are the believers. According to what is narrated from Muqatil, they are the angels (peace be upon them).

(Return behind you): Ibn Abbas said: Meaning, "go back from where you came—to the darkness," or "to the place where the light was distributed," according to what is authentic from Abu Umamah. (then seek light): There. Muqatil said: This is a mockery of them, just as they mocked the believers in the world when they said, "We believe," while they were not believers. That is the saying of the Exalted: "Allah mocks them," meaning when it is said to them, "Return behind you, then seek light." Abu Umamah said: When this is said to them, they return to the place where the light was distributed, but they find nothing. They return to them [the believers], but a wall has been struck between them. This is the deception of Allah the Exalted, with which He deceived the hypocrites, as the Exalted said: "They seek to deceive Allah, while He is deceiving them." It is also said: The intent is, "Return to the world and seek light by attaining its cause, which is faith," or "Move away from us and seek light other than this, for there is no way for you to borrow from it," and the intent is also sarcasm and mockery.

It is said that by "light," they meant what was behind them of dense darkness, as a mockery of them, but this is contrary to the apparent meaning. Regardless, the apparent meaning is that "behind you" is governed by "Return." It is also said that it has no place in grammatical analysis because it is in the sense of "return," as if it were said: "Return, return," like their saying, "Behind you" (wara'aka), meaning "move back, there is more space for you," i.e., "go back, there is a wider place for you."

(A wall will be raised between them): Meaning between the two groups. Zayd ibn ‘Ali and ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr read fa-duriba in the passive voice, meaning "it was raised by the Doer," i.e., Allah (Mighty and Majestic). (with a gate): Meaning a barrier. Ibn Zayd said: It is [the wall of] al-A‘raf. Others said: It is a barrier other than that, and the ba' is an augmentative particle. (its interior contains mercy): That is the gate, as is narrated from Muqatil, or the wall. It is the side that is adjacent to the place of the believers—meaning Paradise—which contains mercy, reward, and bliss that cannot be comprehended. (and its exterior, from its direction): That is, from its side. (is punishment): That is the side adjacent to the place of the hypocrites, meaning the Fire.

As for this wall, it is said that it will be in that new existence and the transformation of this world and the change in its conditions, specifically at the location of the eastern wall of the Mosque of Jerusalem. ‘Abd ibn Humayd recorded from Abu Sinan, who said: I was with ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Abbas at the Valley of Gehenna—meaning the place known at Jerusalem—so he narrated from his father that he said, after reciting the saying of the Exalted: "A wall will be raised between them": "This is the location of the wall at the Valley of Gehenna." Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Hakim—who authenticated it—and others recorded from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As that he said: "The wall that Allah mentioned in the Quran, 'A wall will be raised between them,' is the eastern wall of Jerusalem. Its interior contains mercy—the Mosque—and its exterior, from its direction, is punishment—meaning the Valley of Gehenna and what is adjacent to it."

He also recorded from ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit that he was on the eastern wall of Jerusalem and wept. It was said: "What makes you weep?" He replied: "Here the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) informed us that he saw Gehenna." It is not hidden that this and its like are matters based on the difference between the two worlds and the variation of the two existences in a manner that intellects cannot reach the comprehension of its essence or grasp its details. If the report is authentic, it is incumbent upon us to believe in it, as the matter does not depart from the realm of possibility. Abu Hayyan narrated from those I have heard and from Ka‘b al-Ahbar that it is the eastern wall of the Mosque of Jerusalem, though he considered it far-fetched. He then said: "Perhaps it is not authentically attributed to them."