Al-Hamzah: (4) Kalla layunbadhann fī...

Translation of Mafatih al-Ghayb (Al-Razi)

Regarding His saying, the Exalted: {Nay, but he shall be thrown into the Hutamah} (108:4) {And what will make you know what the Hutamah is?} (108:5).

He mentioned it using the word nabdh (throwing away/casting out), which indicates humiliation, because the disbeliever believed he was among those honored.

It was also read as lanubadhān (with a dammah on the dhal), meaning he and his wealth will be cast out, and layunbadhan (with a dammah on the dhal), meaning he and his supporters.

As for {Al-Hutamah}:

Al-Mubarrid said it is the Fire that crushes everything that falls into it. A rajulun hutamah (a crushing man) is one who eats voraciously, consuming the provisions of the people. The root of hatm in the language is breaking/crushing. It is said: "The worst of shepherds is the hutamah." It is said: a harsh shepherd is hutamah or hatam (without the tā’ marbūṭah), as if he crushes the livestock when driving them due to his harshness.

The exegetes said: Al-Hutamah is a name for the Fire, and it is the second lowest level (darkah) of the levels of Hellfire.

Muqatil said: It crushes the bones and consumes the flesh until it reaches the hearts.

It is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: "Indeed, the Angel will seize the disbeliever and break him upon his spine, just as a piece of wood is placed over the knee and broken, then he is thrown into the Fire."

The benefit of mentioning Hellfire with this specific name here has several aspects:

1. Correspondence in Form: It is as if the Almighty is saying: If you were a slanderer (hammāz) and a backbiter (lammāz), then awaiting you is the Hutamah.
2. The Act of Crushing: The hammaz (slanderer) lowers the status of others (kasr ‘ayn), so the Almighty says: Awaiting you is the Hutamah, and hatm involves breaking/crushing. Thus, the Hutamah crushes you and throws you into the lowest depths of Hell. However, the hamz (slander) is only a slight breaking with the eyebrow (a subtle gesture), whereas the Hutamah crushes with a crushing that leaves nothing behind.
3. Consumption: The hammaz lammāz consumes the flesh of people, and Al-Hutamah is also a name for the Fire because it consumes the skin and the flesh.

It can also be argued that He mentioned two descriptions (slander and backbiting) and then countered them with a single name (Al-Hutamah), saying: Take one thing from Me in exchange for the two things you did. This is sufficient and adequate. It is as if the questioner asks: How can one thing suffice for two? He replied: You only say that because you do not know this one thing, which is why He said: {And what will make you know what the Hutamah is?}