Tafsir of Al-Fajr 89:25-26

"On that day, none will punish [as He punishes], nor will any bind [as He binds]."

"On that day"—meaning on the day when the mentioned conditions and statements occur—none shall inflict a punishment like His punishment, nor shall anyone apply bonds like His bonds.

The pronoun in "His punishment" and "His bonds" may refer to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. This means that no one other than Him, the Exalted, shall undertake the punishment of Allah or the application of His bonds. It is as if it were said: "No one shall perform the punishment of Allah or apply His bonds, nor shall anyone directly execute them." This is because the act is inherent within every specific action, a usage commonly employed in expressions such as: "A barrier has been placed between the camel and the mounting." In this interpretation, "the punishment" is the object of the verb, as are "the bonds." This emphasizes the magnitude of Allah’s punishment and His bonds upon this human whose states have been described by way of metonymy. Thus, the argument raised by Ibn al-Hajib—concerning the lack of strength in the meaning if the pronoun refers to Him, the Exalted, based on the loss of the glorification that the context requires for the object—is absent from the subtle point of metonymy.

Alternatively, the pronoun may refer to the described human, with the genitive construction referring to the object. That is: no one from among the guards of Hell shall punish anyone from among the people of Hell in the manner that this human is punished, nor shall they bind anyone with the same bonds applied to him. This is because he is the most severe of them in punishment and binding, as he is the most severe of them in evil deeds and abominable states. This is a sound perspective, and indeed, it is more likely than the first, as we shall point out, Allah willing.

Ibn Sirin, Ibn Abi Ishaq, Abu Haywah, Ibn Abi Ablah, Abu Bahriyah, Sallam, al-Kisa’i, Ya’qub, and Kharijah (from Abu ‘Amr) read la yu’adhdhabu (none shall be punished) and la yuwثaqu (none shall be bound) in the passive voice. In this case, the pronoun in "his punishment" and "his bonds" refers to the described human. This means: no one shall be punished with a punishment like his, nor shall anyone be bound in chains and shackles like his binding, due to his extremity in disbelief and discord.

The accusative case for "punishment" serves as a verbal noun (masdar) acting in the place of the act of punishing. This is either because it carries that meaning originally—like salam meaning taslim (salutation), then transferred to that with which one is punished—or because it is placed in the position of the act, just as al-‘ata’ (the gift) is placed in the position of al-i’ta’ (giving). The same applies to "the bonds" (al-wathaq).

It has been suggested that the meaning is: "No one shall carry the punishment of this human, and no one shall bear the burden of his bonds," similar to the Almighty’s saying: "And no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another." In this reading, "punishment" is based on common usage, and the accusative case implies the meaning of "burdening" within the verb "punishing." The first interpretation is more appropriate for the context of severity towards this transgressing human. Or, the second aspect of the first reading corresponds to this, as is not hidden.

The intention behind the statement that "no one shall be punished like his punishment" is that no one from his category—such as other sinners—shall be punished likewise; thus, it does not necessitate that he is more severely punished than Iblis or those of his rank. Furthermore, the apparent meaning is that the subject is the genus of the one described by what has been mentioned.

It has been said that the intended person is Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and it has been said it is Ubayy ibn Khalaf; this is contrary to the apparent meaning, even if it is said that the verse was revealed regarding the one mentioned. As for the claim that this person being punished and bound is Iblis—upon him be the curse—it is baseless, as he is not called a "human." That the pronoun would refer to him, even though no prior mention of him exists, while ignoring the "human" mentioned in the Almighty’s saying, "On that day, the human shall remember," is something that should not be given any regard.

Abu Ja’far and Shaybah read (with a variation from the latter) wathaqahu with a kasra on the waw.