Tafsir of At-Tur 52:11

Surah At-Tur (The Mount): Verse 11

فَوَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

Woe on that Day to the deniers (those who deny the Truth).

This means: When it becomes certain that the punishment of God is coming and that nothing can repel it, then woe on that Day to the deniers.

The conjunction Fa (فـ) is used here because of the connection in meaning. This verse serves to announce the fate of the believers, as it follows the statement: {Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is bound to happen} (At-Tur: 7). Since that verse did not specify who the punishment would fall upon, this verse clarifies that the specific ones afflicted are the deniers.

Issue 1: The Scope of Punishment and Denial

If one argues that the statement {Woe on that Day to the deniers} specifies those upon whom the punishment falls, implying that those who do not deny (i.e., major sinners who still affirm belief) will not be punished, then we must clarify:

That specific punishment (the woe mentioned here) does not befall the major sinners. This is analogous to the verse: {Whenever a group is cast therein, its keepers will ask them, "Did there not come to you a warner?" They will say, "Yes, a warner did come to us, but we denied"} (Al-Mulk: 8-9).

Therefore, the believer is not cast into Hell in a manner of humiliation; rather, they enter it in a way that demonstrates their eventual admittance with honor. Similarly, the woe is specifically for the deniers.

The word Wail (الويل) itself implies severity. The combination of the letters Waw, Ya, and Lam inherently suggests a degree of harshness. For instance, Lawā (لَوَى) means to twist or bend forcefully, and Lawā (لَوَى) implies strength exerted over the one being twisted.

This severity is further supported by the subsequent verse: {They will be driven toward the Fire of Hell with a violent driving} (At-Tur: 13). The denier is driven forcefully, whereas the believer is not driven in this manner.

We have previously established the permissibility of using the indefinite form for Wail (ويل) even though it is the subject of the sentence, because it is understood as an imperative curse or supplication that has already passed (i.e., it is treated as accusative/mansub in meaning). This is similar to the verse: {He said, "Peace"} (Adh-Dhariyat: 25).

The term Khawd (خوض - plunging/delving) in the context of the Quran is specifically reserved for engaging in falsehoods and vain talk. This is supported by verses like: {and you plunged as they plunged} (At-Tawbah: 69) and {and we used to plunge with those who plunged} (Al-Muddaththir: 45).

The indefiniteness of Khawd (خوض) can imply two things:

1. Multiplicity: Meaning a complete and immense plunging (into falsehood).
2. Compensation: The Tanwin (nunation) acts as a substitute for a missing possessive noun (Mudaf Ilayh), similar to verses like {except} (At-Tawbah: 8), {And indeed, all} (Hud: 111), and {some of them against others} (Al-Baqarah: 251). The original structure would have been "plunging in their known manner."

The phrase {those who are in plunging} (الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي خَوْضٍ) is not merely a descriptive adjective to distinguish the deniers; rather, it is used for reproach (Dhamm), just as you say Ash-Shaytan Ar-Rajim (The Accursed Devil), where Rajim is not meant to distinguish him from a devil who is not accursed, but rather to condemn him. In contrast, when praising, you say Allah Al-Khaliq (Allah, The Creator) or Allah Al-Azim (Allah, The Great), which serves for praise, not for distinguishing Allah from another deity who did not create or is not great, as Allah is One.

يَوْمَ يُدَعُّونَ إِلَى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ دَعًّا

The Day they will be violently driven toward the Fire of Hell—a violent driving!