Tafsir of Saba' 34:5

Surah Saba' (34): Verse 5

And those who strive against Our Signs...

When the state of the believers on the Day of Resurrection has been explained, the state of the disbelievers is now addressed.

{And those who strive against Our Signs} means those who strive to invalidate them. In this case, the meaning is: {And those who deny Our Signs}.

This stands in contrast to what preceded, because the Almighty's saying {believe} means they affirmed, whereas this means they denied.

If one asks: How is it known that their striving is for invalidation, given that the striving mentioned is absolute?

We reply: This is understood from His saying {to frustrate Us} (or ma'ājizīn). This is because their striving implies they sought to render [God's message] incapable. Striving for the purpose of establishing and conveying [the truth] does not result in the striver being one who frustrates [God], because the Qur'an and God's signs are miracles in themselves and require no one else. However, the denier brings forth the concealment of clear signs, thus requiring great effort and eloquent exertion so that his falsehood may gain traction, perhaps rendering the adherent incapable.

It is also said that what is meant by {to frustrate Us} is that they think they can escape God. Based on this interpretation, the falsehood of their striving becomes extremely apparent.

{for them is a painful punishment.} This is in contrast to the reward mentioned for the believers.

In this verse, there are several subtle points:

1. Regarding the Punishment: Here, He said {for them is a punishment} and did not say, "God will recompense them." We have previously discussed that His saying {To God is your return, all of you} implies that God might recompense them with something else. His saying {Those will have forgiveness} is a statement about what is due to them and prepared for them. In summary, the possibility of an addition remains there due to the mention of {to recompense}. Here, He did not say "to recompense them," so that possibility is absent.

2. Regarding the Reward/Punishment Description: There, He said {For them is forgiveness and a noble provision}, and then added to it by saying {and a noble provision}. Here, He only said {for them is a punishment from a painful torment} (or rajz alīm). The answer to this difference was already provided in similar contexts.

3. Regarding the Terminology: There, He said {For them is forgiveness and a noble provision} without using the partitive min (from). He did not say, "They have a share of provision" or "provision from a noble kind." Here, He said {for them is a punishment from a painful torment} using a word form suitable for partitivity. All of this points to the vastness of Mercy compared to the scarcity of Wrath.

• It is said that rajz means the worst kind of punishment. In this case, {from} (min) is for specifying the genus, like saying "a ring of silver."
  • There are two readings for al-alīm (painful): genitive case (جر) or nominative case (رفع). The nominative reading suggests alīm is an adjective for the punishment itself, as if saying, "a painful punishment, which is the worst punishment." The genitive reading suggests it is an adjective for rajz. The nominative reading is closer in meaning, while the genitive reading is closer in linguistic form.

If one asks why the categories are limited to the righteous believer (whose deeds are good) and the denying disbeliever (who strives to frustrate), excluding a believer without good deeds or a hesitant disbeliever:

We reply: When the state of these two groups is known, it is understood that the believer of a lesser degree is close to the one whose state was previously mentioned, and the disbeliever of a lesser degree is close to the one previously mentioned. The believer will have forgiveness and a noble provision, even if his honor is not equal to the provision of the one who performed righteous deeds. The non-obstinate disbeliever will have a punishment, even if it is not among the worst types reserved for the obstinate deniers.

{And those who were given knowledge see that which has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and it guides to the path of the All-Mighty, the Praiseworthy.}