Tafsir of Al-Hajj 22:19-24

Al-Hajj (22:19-24)

Readings: It is narrated from Al-Kisā'ī that he read {خصمان} (two litigants) with a kasra on the khā' (Khuṣmān). It was also read {قُطِّعَتْ} (was cut) with tashdīd (doubling the ṭā'), implying that God destined for them fires proportionate to their bodies, enveloping them just as clothes worn on the body are cut. Al-A'mash read: {كُلَّمَا أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا مِنْ غَمٍّ * رُدُّوا فِيهَا} (Whenever they wish to get out of it from distress, they will be returned therein). Al-Ḥasan read {يَصْهَرُ} (will melt) with a shaddah on the hā' for emphasis. It was also read {وَلُؤْلُؤًا} (and pearls) with the accusative case, implying an omitted verb like "and they will be given pearls," similar to His saying: {وَحُورًا عِينًا وَلُؤْلُؤًا} (and wide-eyed houris, and pearls), and by changing the second hamza to a wāw.

Know that when the Almighty mentioned that people are of two divisions—some who prostrate to God and some upon whom punishment is due—He mentioned here the manner of their dispute. In this regard, there are several issues:

Those who argue that the minimum number for a plural is two use the verse: {هَٰذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا} (These are two litigants who have disputed).

The Response: Al-Khaṣm (litigant) is an adjective describing the group (fawj) or faction (farīq). It is as if He said: "These two are two groups or factions disputing." Thus, {هَٰذَانِ} (These two) refers to the form (dual), while {اخْتَصَمُوا} (disputed) refers to the meaning (plurality within the two groups). This is like His saying: {وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا خَرَجُوا} (And among them are those who listen to you, until when they go out...).

They mentioned several interpretations for the two litigants:

1. The Believers and the Disbelievers: The intended meaning is the group of believers and their assembly, and the group of disbelievers and their assembly, encompassing all disbelievers. Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) said this refers to the adherents of the six religions disputing {فِي رَبِّهِمْ} (concerning their Lord), meaning concerning His Essence and Attributes.
2. The Dispute over Primacy: It is narrated that the People of the Book said: "We are more deserving of God and older than you; we had a Book before your Prophet." The believers replied: "We are more deserving of God; we believed in Muhammad, we believed in your Prophet, and in what God revealed of the Book. You know our Book and our Prophet, yet you abandoned them and disbelieved out of envy." This is their dispute concerning their Lord.
3. The Six Warriors of Badr: Qays ibn 'Ubadah narrated from Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may God have mercy on him) that he swore by God that this verse was revealed concerning six men from Quraysh who fought in single combat on the Day of Badr: Hamzah, Ali, 'Ubaydah ibn al-Ḥārith (on the Muslim side), and 'Utbah, Shaybah ibn Rabi'ah, and Al-Walid ibn 'Utbah (on the Quraysh side). Ali (peace be upon him) said: "I will be the first to kneel down for the dispute before God on the Day of Resurrection."
4. Paradise and Hellfire: 'Ikrimah said: They are Paradise and Hellfire. Hellfire says: "God created me for His punishment." Paradise says: "God created me for His mercy." God then related their story to the Prophet (peace be upon him).

The Most Likely View: The first interpretation is the closest, because even if the specific occasion (the context of revelation) was particular, the obligation is to take the wording at its apparent meaning. The phrase {هَٰذَانِ} (These two) refers to those previously mentioned—the adherents of the six religions. Furthermore, the verse mentions two categories: the people of obedience and the people upon whom punishment is due. Therefore, the reference must return to these two categories. Whoever restricts it to the polytheists of Arabia or the Jews, based on what was narrated about their claims regarding the Book and the Prophet, has erred.

This is supported by His saying: {إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ} (Indeed, God will judge between them), meaning He will rule. The mention of disputing necessitates that what follows is a judgment. God Almighty then explained His judgment concerning the disbelievers, mentioning three aspects of their condition:

1. Their Garments of Fire: {قُطِّعَتْ لَهُمْ ثِيَابٌ مِنْ نَارٍ} (Garments of fire will be cut out for them). The garments mean the fire enveloping them, like His saying: {لَهُمْ مِنْ جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ} (They will have from Hell a bed and over them coverings) (Al-A'rāf: 41), according to Anas. Sa'id ibn Jubayr said they are garments of molten copper, derived from His saying: {سَرَابِيلُهُمْ مِنْ قَطْرَانٍ} (Their garments will be of pitch) (Ibrahim: 5). The past tense is used, like {وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ} (And the Horn will be blown) (Al-Kahf: 99) and {وَجَاءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَعَهَا سَائِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ} (And every soul will come, with it a driver and a witness) (Qāf: 21), because matters of the Hereafter are treated as if they have already occurred.
2. Scalding Water: {يُصَبُّ فَوْقَ رُءُوسِهِمُ الْحَمِيمُ} (Scalding water will be poured over their heads). This melts what is inside their bellies and their skins. Al-Ḥamīm is boiling water. Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) said that if a single drop of it fell upon the mountains of the world, it would melt them. {يَصْهَرُ} (melts) means it dissolves; when the ḥamīm is poured over their heads, its effect penetrates the interior just as it affects the exterior, melting their intestines and guts just as it melts their skins. This is more emphatic than His saying: {وَسُقُوا مَاءً حَمِيمًا فَقَطَّعَ أَمْعَاءَهُمْ} (And they will be given to drink boiling water which will cut up their intestines) (Muhammad: 15).
3. Iron Maces: {وَلَهُمْ مَقَامِعُ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ} (And for them are maces of iron). Al-Maqāmi' are whips. In the Hadith, it is mentioned: "If one of its maces were placed on the earth, and all beings gathered upon it, they could not lift it."

As for {كُلَّمَا أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا مِنْ غَمٍّ أُعِيدُوا فِيهَا} (Whenever they wish to get out of it from distress, they will be returned therein), know that returning can only happen after exiting. The meaning is: Whenever they wish to exit from distress, and they do exit, they are returned therein. The meaning of "exiting" is what Al-Ḥasan narrated: The Fire strikes them with its flames, lifting them up until they are at its highest point, then they are struck with the maces and fall back into it for seventy autumns, and they are told: "Taste the punishment of the burning fire." Al-Ḥarīq refers to the intense, overwhelmingly destructive fire.

Then, the Almighty mentioned His judgment concerning the believers in four aspects:

1. The Dwelling Place: {إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدْخِلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ} (Indeed, God will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds into gardens beneath which rivers flow).
2. The Adornment: {يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤًا وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ} (They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk). The Almighty clarified that He will grant them in the Hereafter what was forbidden to them in the world (like gold bracelets for men), even though what is permissible for them in the Hereafter far exceeds what was permissible for them in the world.
3. The Clothing: {وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ} (And their garments therein will be silk).
4. Guidance to Good Speech: {وَهُدُوا إِلَى الطَّيِّبِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ} (And they will be guided to the good word). There are several interpretations for this:
   • The Testimony of Faith: That {لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ} (There is no god but God) is the good word, based on His saying: {مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً} (a good word like a good tree) (Ibrahim: 24) and {إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ} (To Him ascends the good word) (Fāṭir: 10). This is the Praiseworthy Path, based on {وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ} (And indeed, you guide to a straight path) (Ash-Shūrā: 52).
   • The Qur'an: Al-Suddī said it is the Qur'an.
   • Praise to God: Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him), in the narration of 'Aṭā', said it is their saying: "Praise be to God who has made true His promise to us."
   • Divine Tidings: When they travel toward the Hereafter, they will be guided to the glad tidings coming to them from God Almighty regarding the permanence of bliss, joy, and peace. This is the meaning of {وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ بَابٍ * سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ} (And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [Saying], "Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. Excellent is the final home of the abode") (Ar-Ra'd: 23-24). I have a fifth view on this:
   • The Unveiling of Divine Lights: The bodily connection acts as a veil for the human spirits in connecting with the realm of holiness. When the bodies depart, the veil is lifted, and the Divine lights appear. The manifestation of these lights is what is intended by {وَهُدُوا إِلَى الطَّيِّبِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَهُدُوا إِلَى صِرَاطٍ حَمِيدٍ} (And they will be guided to the good word, and they will be guided to the Praiseworthy Path). The expression of this is what is meant by {وَهُدُوا إِلَى الطَّيِّبِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ}.

{إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَيَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ الَّذِي جَعَلْنَاهُ لِلنَّاسِ سَوَاءً الْعَاكِفُ فِيهِ وَالْبَادِ وَمَنْ يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ}

(Indeed, those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allah and [from] the Sacred Mosque, which We made equal for all people—[for] the resident therein and the visitor—and whoever intends therein to commit heresy by wrongdoing, We will cause him to taste of a painful punishment.)