Tafsir of Al-Hadeed 57:14

Surah Al-Hadid (57): 14

{They will call out to them, "Were we not with you?" They will say, "Yes, but you tempted yourselves..."}

There are two interpretations regarding their statement: {Were we not with you?}

1. First Opinion: They were with them in the worldly life (al-dunyā).
2. Second Opinion (The preferred one): They were with them in acts of worship, mosques, prayers, and battles (al-ghazawāt).

The distance between Paradise (which is in the highest heavens) and Hellfire (which is in the lowest depths) is vast. This indicates that extreme distance does not prevent perception or hearing.

It cannot be argued that God magnified the voices of the disbelievers to such an extent that they could be heard from the lowest depths to the highest heights, because such a powerful voice would only be fitting for those who are extremely strong. The disbelievers are described as weak and having faint voices.

Therefore, we conclude that distance does not prevent perception, which aligns with our established doctrine.

Then, the Almighty recounted that the believers replied: "Yes, but you tempted yourselves..." (i.e., you committed deeds that led you to this punishment).

The deeds mentioned are:

1. {...but you tempted yourselves}: Meaning, you corrupted yourselves through disbelief (al-kufr) and sins, and all of these are a form of temptation (fitnah).
2. {...and you waited} (wa tarabbaṣtum): There are several interpretations for this:
   • Ibn Abbas said: You waited for repentance (i.e., you delayed it).
   • Muqatil said: You waited for the death of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), saying, "Soon he will die, and we will be relieved of him."
   • You were waiting for misfortune to befall the believers so you could join the disbelievers and escape hypocrisy.
3. {...and you doubted} (wa-r-tabtum): There are several interpretations for this:
   • You doubted God's warnings.
   • You doubted the prophethood of Muhammad.
   • You doubted the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment.
4. {...and the false hopes deceived you} (wa-gharratkum al-amānī): Ibn Abbas said this refers to falsehood—what they wished for, such as calamities befalling the believers.

{...until the command of God came}: Meaning, death. The overall meaning is: They remained in the deception and delusion of Satan until God caused them to die and cast them into the Fire.

There are two issues concerning this phrase:

Issue 1: The Reading of al-Ghurūr

Sammak ibn Harb recited it as {al-Ghurūr} (with a ḍammah on the ghayn). This means "deception/delusion" (al-ightirār). The structure implies an omitted noun: "Your safety from God was a deception to you, along with the delusion."

Issue 2: The Meaning of al-Ghurūr

{al-Ghurūr} (with a fatḥah on the ghayn) refers to Satan, because he instilled in them the idea that there was no fear of accountability or recompense from God.