An-Naml: (67–75) And those who disbelieved...

Know that when the Almighty spoke about the state of Origin (the beginning of creation), He subsequently spoke about the state of Return (Resurrection).

This sequence occurs because doubt regarding the Resurrection arises only from doubt concerning the perfection of His Power or the perfection of His Knowledge. If it is established that He is capable of all possibilities and knowledgeable of all knowables, then it is established that He can distinguish the particles of every individual's body from those of others. It is also established that He is capable of restoring the composition and life to them. Once the possibility of this is established, the truth of the assertion of the Gathering (Resurrection) is confirmed.

Since God Almighty had already demonstrated the proofs for these two principles (Power and Knowledge) before this verse, He did not need to recount them here. Instead, He narrated their objection: they marveled at being brought forth alive after having turned into dust, and they attacked this concept from two angles:

1. Their saying: {Indeed, this has been promised to us and to our fathers before.} They meant that this is a story told to them, just as it was told to those before them, yet no effect appeared. Therefore, it must be from the fables of the ancients—meaning, that which is untrue.
   • Query: If it is mentioned here as {Indeed, this has been promised to us and to our fathers} and in another verse as {Indeed, this has been promised to us and to our fathers before} (Al-Mu'minun: 83), what is the difference?
   • Answer: The placement of the pronoun indicates that what is placed first is the primary subject and the focus of the discourse.

Since God Almighty had already clarified the proofs for these two principles, and it is evident that whoever grasps them knows the correctness of the Gathering and Resurrection, it is established that they turned away from these proofs and did not contemplate them. The reason for this turning away was the love of this world, the love of leadership and status, and unwillingness to submit to others. Consequently, the response was limited to demonstrating that the world is fleeting and perishable, by saying: {Say, "Travel through the earth and see how the end of the criminals was."}

There are two questions regarding this:

First Question: Why did He not say: "How was the end of the criminals?" Answer: Because the feminine marker (ة) is not truly applicable (to ending/result), and because the meaning is: "What was the final outcome of their affair?"

Second Question: Why did He not say: "the end of the disbelievers?" Answer: The purpose is to instill fear in all disobedient people.

Then, God Almighty patiently instructed His Messenger regarding what he suffered from these disbelievers, saying: {So do not grieve over them, nor be distressed by what they plot.} This combines the removal of sorrow from him concerning their disbelief and the removal of fear regarding their machinations. This serves as a guarantee of victory over them.

And His saying: {nor be distressed} means, not be in a state of heart-constriction. The word ḍīq (distress/narrowness) is used in the forms ḍīqan and ḍīqan (with fatḥa or kasra on the ḍād), and ḍīq is a softening of ḍīq. It is also possible that it means being in a difficult situation due to their plotting.

The Second Point of their Objection: Their saying: {When is this promise?} and {If you are truthful.} This indicates they mentioned it mockingly. God Almighty answered by saying: {Perhaps some of that which you hasten is near to you.} This refers to the punishment of the Day of Badr.

The lām (in li-radfin) is added for emphasis, like the bā’ in {and do not throw yourselves with your own hands} (Al-Baqarah: 195), or it implies the meaning of a verb that takes the preposition lām, such as dānā lakum (it drew near to you) or azaffa lakum (it approached you). Its meaning is: it follows you and catches up with you. The reciter Al-A'raj read it as radfa lakum (with the pattern of dhahaba), and both are linguistic variations, though the kasra is more eloquent.

Here are two discussions:

First Discussion: When kings promise or threaten, the use of ʿasā (perhaps/it may be) and laʿalla (perhaps) indicates the certainty of the matter. They use this to display their majesty and that they do not rush vengeance, being secure that their enemy cannot escape them. God's promise and threat follow this pattern.

Second Discussion: It has been established by rational proofs that the punishment of being veiled (from God) is more severe than the punishment of the Fire. This is why He said: {No! Indeed, from their Lord, that Day, they will be veiled. Then indeed, they will be burned in the Hellfire} (Al-Mutaffifin: 15-16). He mentioned veiling before the Hellfire. Furthermore, they are veiled in this life, so the cause of the punishment is fully present. However, preoccupation with worldly pleasures acts as a barrier preventing the perception of that pain. Just as a numb limb, when touched by fire, has the cause of pain present, but the sensation of pain does not occur because of the existing barrier, so too, when the body is removed, the severity of the punishment of veiling becomes immense. Therefore, His saying {Perhaps some of that which you hasten is near to you} means that the prerequisite and effective cause for it is present, and its completion will only occur after death.

Then, the Almighty explained the reason for delaying the punishment: {And indeed, your Lord is full of bounty to the people.} Al-Faḍl means bestowal, implying that He is bestowing grace upon them by delaying the penalty. Most of them do not recognize this blessing and do not show gratitude. This verse refutes the opinion of those who claim God has no favor upon the disbelievers.

Then, the Almighty clarified that He is aware of what is in their hearts: {And indeed, your Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they proclaim.}

Here is a rational discussion: He mentioned what their breasts conceal before what they proclaim in knowledge. The reason is that what their breasts conceal are the motives and intentions, which are the causes of what they proclaim (the actions of the limbs). Knowledge of the cause necessitates knowledge of the effect. This is the reason for this ordering.

The word takinnu (conceal) is read based on the verb kanantu or aknantu something, meaning to hide or conceal it. This means that God Almighty knows what they hide and what they proclaim of their enmity towards the Messenger and their plotting.

Regarding His saying: {And nothing hidden} (or ghā’ibah): The author of Al-Kashshāf said: That which is absent and hidden is termed ghā’ibah and khāfiyah. The tā’ in it is like the tā’ in ʿāqibah (consequence), ʿāfiyah (well-being), naṭīḥah (a beast gored to death), dhabīḥah (slaughtered animal), and ramyah (a thrown object)—they are nouns rather than adjectives. Alternatively, they could be adjectives where the tā’ denotes intensification, like rāwiyah in the saying, "Woe to the poet from the bad narrator [of poetry]." It is as if the Almighty said: "And there is nothing intensely hidden or concealed that God has not known, encompassed, and recorded in the Preserved Tablet, making it clear and manifest for the angels who look into it."

(71) {Indeed, this Qur'an recounts to the Children of Israel most of what they are in dispute about.}

(72) {And indeed, it is a guidance and a mercy for the believers.}

(73) {Indeed, your Lord will judge between them by His judgment. And He is the Exalted in Might, the All-Knowing.}

(74) {So rely upon God; indeed, you are upon the clear truth.}

(75) {Indeed, you cannot make the dead hear, nor can you make the deaf hear the call when they turn away retreating.}

(76) {Nor can you guide the blind away from their misguidance. You can only make hear those who believe in Our verses, and they will be Muslims [submitting ones].}