| Al Imran: (10) Indeed, those who disbelieve...

Know that when Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, recounted the supplication and humility of the believers, He then recounted the state of the disbelievers and the severity of their punishment. This is the rationale for the coherence [of the verses].

In this verse, there are several issues:

Issue 1: Regarding His saying, {Indeed, those who disbelieve, neither their wealth nor their children will avail them against Allah at all}

There are two opinions concerning this:

1. The first opinion: They refer specifically to the delegation of Najran. This is because it is narrated in some accounts of their story that Abu Haritha ibn Alqamah said to his brother: "I truly know that he [Muhammad] is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, but if I reveal this, the kings of Rome will take away the wealth and status they have granted me." Thus, Allah the Exalted clarified that their wealth and children will not ward off the punishment of Allah in this world or the Hereafter.
2. The second opinion: The wording is general, and the specificity of the occasion (Asbab al-Nuzul) does not preclude the generality of the wording.

Issue 2: On the perfection of punishment

Know that the perfection of punishment is achieved when everything from which a person derived benefit is removed from him, and then all painful means are gathered upon him.

As for the first point: This is what is meant by His saying, {neither their wealth nor their children will avail them at all}. This is because, during calamities and misfortunes in this world, a person seeks refuge in wealth and children, as they are the closest things one turns to for warding off distress. Allah the Exalted clarified that the description of that Day is contrary to the description of this world, because if the closest means of averting harm are unavailable on that Day, then everything else is even more certainly unattainable.

Similar to this verse are His sayings:

• {The Day when neither wealth nor sons will be of any benefit * Except for one who comes to Allah with a sound heart} (Ash-Shu'ara: 88-89).
• {And wealth and sons are but adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward} (Al-Kahf: 46).
• {And We shall inherit what he says, and he will come to Us alone} (Maryam: 80).
• {And you have certainly come to Us, just as We created you the first time, and you have left behind what We provided you, right behind your backs} (Maryam: 80).

As for the second part of the causes for the perfection of punishment, it is the gathering of painful means upon them. This is alluded to by His saying, {And they will be the fuel of the Fire}. This is the ultimate description of the torment, as there is no torment greater than the Fire blazing within them like it blazes in dry firewood.

• Waqūd (fuel) with a fatḥa (vowel 'a') on the wāw means the firewood used to ignite the fire.
• Waqūd with a ḍammah (vowel 'u') is the verbal noun (maṣdar) of waqadat an-nāru waqūdan, similar to waradtu wurūdan (I arrived an arrival).

Issue 3: Regarding His saying {against Allah}

There are two opinions:

1. The first: The implied meaning is: "Neither their wealth nor their children will avail them against the punishment of Allah," where the mentioned object (punishment) is omitted because the context indicates it.
2. The second: Abu 'Ubaydah said that the preposition min (from/against) here means ʿinda (with/at). The meaning is: "They will not avail them with Allah at all."

{Like the way of the people of Pharaoh and those before them. They denied Our signs, so Allah seized them for their sins. And Allah is severe in penalty.}