| Jonah: (45-46) And the Day We will gather them...

Verse 45

Know that when the Almighty described these disbelievers as paying little attention and abandoning reflection, He followed it with a warning: {And the Day We will gather them, as if they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day}.

There are several points regarding this:

The Judge (Al-Qāḍī) stated that the first interpretation (referring to the time between death and resurrection) is preferable for two reasons:

1. The state of the believers is like the state of the disbelievers in that neither knows the exact measure of their stay after death until the Gathering. Therefore, this statement should be applied to something specific to the disbelievers: since they did not benefit from their lifespan, they deem it insignificant. The believer, having benefited from his life, does not deem it insignificant.
2. The verse states {yata'ārafūna baynahum} (they recognize one another), and recognition is typically attributed to the state of life, not the state of death.

1. Abū Muslim said: Since they wasted their lives seeking the world and eagerly pursuing its pleasures, they gained no benefit from their lifespan at all. Thus, their existence was like non-existence, which is why they deem it insignificant. This is analogous to Allah's saying: {Nor will his life save him from the punishment, even if he were to live a thousand years} (Al-Baqarah: 96).
2. Al-Aṣamm said: Their worldly stay seems short because of the horrors of the Hereafter they witness. When a person's fear is immense, they forget apparent matters.
3. Their stay in the world is deemed short compared to their eternal stay in the Hereafter and the everlasting punishment.
4. Their stay in the world is deemed short due to the long duration of their standing at the Reckoning.
5. It means that upon exiting the graves, they recognize one another as they did in the world, as if the period of death caused them to cease recognition only for a short time that does not affect that recognition.

My analysis on this matter: The punishment of the disbeliever is a pure, permanent harm coupled with humiliation and degradation. The sensation of harm is stronger than the sensation of pleasure. Evidence: the strongest pleasures (like sexual intercourse) are less intensely felt than the sensation of severe pain (like colic, may Allah protect us). Furthermore, worldly pleasures, despite their baseness, were never pure; they were mixed with numerous worries, and the pains and calamities often overwhelmed those pleasures. Moreover, worldly pleasures occurred only during some moments of worldly life, whereas the pains of the Hereafter are eternal and ceaseless. The ratio of the entire lifespan of the world to the eternal Hereafter is less than the ratio of an indivisible particle to a thousand thousand worlds like the one we inhabit.

Knowing this, we say: When the benefits gained from fleeting worldly life are contrasted with the harms inflicted upon the disbeliever, they are found to be less than the pleasure relative to the entire universe. Therefore, the statement {as if they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day} points to the insignificance and triviality of their stay compared to the severe punishment they receive.

Regarding {they recognize one another}, there are two interpretations:

1. They recognize each other just as they recognized each other in the world.
2. They recognize each other based on their past error and disbelief, but this recognition ceases when they witness the punishment, and some disown others.

If it is asked: How does this verse reconcile with {And no intimate friend will ask about another intimate friend} (Al-Ma'ārij: 10)?

The answer is twofold:

First Way: What is meant here is that they recognize one another to reproach each other. Each group says to the other: "You misled me on such-and-such a day and beautified such-and-such an ugly deed for me." This is a recognition of condemnation, blame, distancing, and severing ties—not recognition based on affection and compassion. As for {And no intimate friend will ask about another intimate friend}, it refers to asking out of mercy and affection.

Second Way: These two verses apply to two different states: they recognize each other when resurrected, and then the recognition ceases; hence, an intimate friend does not ask about another.

Regarding {Indeed, those who denied the meeting with Allah have lost}: There are two possibilities:

1. The structure is: And the Day We gather them, while they are recognizing one another, and while they are saying, {Indeed, those who denied the meeting with Allah have lost}.
2. {Indeed, those who denied} is the statement of Allah, serving as testimony against them regarding their loss. The meaning is that whoever sells his Hereafter for the world has lost, because he gave up something great, noble, and lasting in exchange for something small, base, and fleeting.

As for {and they were not guided}, it means they were not guided to look after the interests of this transaction. This is because they were deceived by the outward appearance and heedless of the reality, becoming like someone who sees a beautiful glass vial, thinks it is a noble jewel, and buys it with everything he owns. When he presents it to appraisers, his effort fails, his hope is lost, and he falls into distress and heartache.

As for {And whether We show you some of what We promise them or take you in death, then to Us is their return}: Know that {then to Us is their return} is the response to {or take you in death}. The response to {whether We show you} is omitted. The meaning is: Whether We show you some of what We promise them in this world, that is one outcome; or We take you in death before We show you that promised event, then you will see it in the Hereafter.

Know that this indicates that the Almighty will show His Messenger various types of humiliation and disgrace for the disbelievers in this world, and He will increase upon that after his death. Undoubtedly, much of this occurred during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), much occurred after his death, and what will occur on the Day of Resurrection will be even greater. This serves as a reminder that the consequence for the truthful is praiseworthy, and the consequence for the sinners is blameworthy.

Verse 47

Verse 48