Al-Nisa (The Women): (56) Indeed, those who disbelieve...

Know that after mentioning the warning for a specific group of the People of the Book, the Almighty mentioned a warning that encompasses all disbelievers, saying: {Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our signs...}

There are several issues in this verse:

Issue 1: The Meaning of "Our Signs" (Ayātina)

The term "signs" (Ayāt) includes everything that points to Allah's Essence, Actions, Attributes, and Names, as well as the Angels, the Books, and the Messengers.

Their disbelief in these signs does not occur merely through outright denial, but through several means:

1. Denying that they are signs in the first place.
2. Being heedless of them and not contemplating them.
3. Casting doubts and ambiguities upon them.
4. Denying them out of obstinacy and envy, despite knowing their truth.

As for the definition and reality of disbelief (Kufr), we have already mentioned it in Surah Al-Baqarah, concerning the verse: {Indeed, those who disbelieve, whether you warn them or do not warn them...} (Al-Baqarah: 6).

Issue 2: The Particle Sawfa (سوف)

Sibawayh stated that Sawfa (سوف) is a particle used for threatening and warning, as in saying, "I will certainly do [it]." The letter Sīn (س) often substitutes for it, as in {I will certainly roast him in the Fire} (Sura Al-Saff, 17).

The word Sawfa can also be used in promising, as in {And your Lord is surely going to give you, and you will be pleased} (Ad-Duha, 5), and {I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord} (Yusuf, 98) — where some commentators suggest it was delayed until the time of dawn to emphasize the supplication.

In summary, both the particle Sīn (س) and Sawfa (سوف) are specific to indicating the future.

Issue 3: The Meaning of "We will roast them" (Naṣlīhim)

{We will roast them} means We will admit them into the Fire. However, the phrase {Naṣlīhim} implies an addition to mere entry; it is like searing something with fire. It is said of a sheep that is muṣalliyah (مصلية), meaning roasted.

Then the Almighty said: {Whenever their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for other skins so that they may taste the punishment.}

This raises two questions:

Answer: Allah is not to be questioned about what He does. However, we can say that Allah is capable of inflicting great pain upon their bodies without entering them into the Fire, yet He chose to admit them into the Fire.

Answer: This is addressed in several ways:

1. The essence remains the same: The roasting is a change in attribute, not in the essence (dhāt). If the essence remains the same, the punishment only reaches the sinner. In this interpretation, "other" (غيرها) means a difference in attribute.
2. The skin is external: The one being punished is the human being. The skin was not part of the human essence but something attached to it, an addition. If Allah renews the skin, and that new skin becomes the means for the punishment to reach him, it is still only punishing the sinner.
3. It refers to garments: The term "skins" might refer to garments, as Allah says: {Their garments will be of tar} (Ibrahim, 50). Thus, renewing the skins means renewing the garments. The Judge (Al-Qadi) objected to this, saying it abandons the apparent meaning, and garments of tar are described by burning, not roasting.
4. Metaphor for perpetuity: It could be a metaphor for continuity and lack of cessation. Just as one described as perpetual is said, "Whenever one end is reached, a new beginning starts," here it means: whenever they think they have been roasted, burned, and reached annihilation, We grant them new vitality such that they think they have just been created anew. The intent is to clarify the continuity and unending nature of the torment.
5. Saddi's view: Al-Saddi said that Allah replaces the skins with flesh from the disbeliever, growing a new skin from his flesh. This is considered remote because the flesh is finite; it must eventually be depleted. When the flesh runs out, there must be another method for replacing the skin, which was not mentioned initially. And Allah knows best.

Then the Almighty said: {so that they may taste the punishment.} This raises two questions:

Answer: It means that the tasting of the punishment should be continuous and uninterrupted, similar to saying to an honored person, "May Allah grant you honor" (A'azzaka Allah), meaning, may He sustain and increase your honor. Alternatively, it means they taste the punishment through this new state (the renewed skin), as they were already continuously tasting it.

Answer: The intent of mentioning "tasting" is to inform that their sensation of that punishment in every state will be like the sensation of one who is tasting something being tasted—meaning, no deficiency or cessation enters into it due to that burning.

Then the Almighty said: {Indeed, Allah was ever All-Mighty, All-Wise.}

The meaning of Al-'Azīz (All-Mighty) is the Capable, the Victorious. The meaning of Al-Hakīm (All-Wise) is He who does nothing except what is correct.

Mentioning these two attributes here is perfectly appropriate because astonishment might arise in the heart regarding how a human can remain in intense Fire eternally. It is answered: This is not strange for Allah, because He is the All-Mighty, dominant over all possibilities; He is capable of removing the nature of fire. Furthermore, astonishment might arise that a Merciful Being would punish this weak person to such a great extent. It is answered: Just as He is Merciful, He is also Wise, and Wisdom necessitates this. The order of the world depends on threatening the disobedient, and the threat issued by Him must be accompanied by fulfillment to safeguard His word from falsehood. Thus, mentioning these two words here is established as being perfectly appropriate.

7 < {And those who believe and do righteous deeds, We will admit them into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever—for them therein are purified spouses, and We will admit them into a cool, dense shade.} > 7 !