Tafsir of Ghafir 40:18

The Imminent (al-āzifah): The Resurrection. It is named so because of its approach (uzūf), meaning its nearness. It is also possible that "the Day of the Imminent" refers to the time of the imminent crisis, which is their nearing the entry into the Fire. At that moment, their hearts rise from their places and stick to their throats. They neither exit so that they might die, nor do they return to their places so that they might breathe and find relief. Instead, they are obstructed like a bone stuck in the throat, as the Almighty said: "But when they saw it approaching, the faces of those who disbelieved were distressed" (Al-Mulk: 27).

If you ask: In what state is kāẓimīn (suppressing/restraining) in the accusative case? I say: It is a state (ḥāl) describing the owners of the hearts, based on the meaning. The meaning is: "When their hearts are at their throats, they are suppressing [their grief]." It is also possible that it describes the hearts themselves, meaning the hearts are suppressing grief and anguish while reaching the throats. The plural form kāẓimīn (sound masculine plural) is used because it describes the hearts with the act of "suppression," which is an action of rational beings, as the Almighty said: "I saw them prostrating to me" (Yusuf: 4), and: "Their necks remained submissive to it" (Ash-Shu'ara: 4). This is supported by the reading of those who recited it as kāẓimūn. It may also be a state describing the command "Warn them," meaning: "Warn them while they are destined for or nearing suppression," similar to the Almighty’s saying: "Enter it, abiding eternally" (Az-Zumar: 73).

The Intimate Friend (al-ḥamīm): The loving, compassionate friend. The Obeyed (al-muṭāʿ): A metaphor for the one whose intercession is accepted (al-mushaffaʿ), because the reality of obedience is like the reality of a command—it only exists for one who is above you.

If you ask: What is the meaning of the Almighty’s saying: "And no intercessor who is obeyed"? I say: It is possible that the negation covers both intercession and obedience, or that it covers obedience without intercession. Just as you say, "I have no book that is sold," it may mean the negation of the sale alone (you have a book but won't sell it), or the negation of both (you have no book at all, nor is there any book being sold). Similar to: "And you will not see the lizard in it burrowing," which intends the negation of both the lizard and its burrowing.

If you ask: Which of these two possibilities must be adopted? I say: The negation of both, because intercessors are the allies of God, and the allies of God do not love or approve of anyone except those whom God loves and approves. God does not love the wrongdoers, so the allies do not love them; and if they do not love them, they do not support them nor intercede for them. The Almighty said: "And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers" (Al-Baqarah: 270), and: "And they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves" (Al-Anbiya: 28). Furthermore, intercession only occurs for an increase in favor, and those worthy of favor and its increase are the people of reward, as evidenced by the Almighty’s saying: "And He will give them extra from His bounty" (An-Nisa: 174). Al-Hasan (may God be pleased with him) said: "By God, there will be no intercessor for them at all."

If you ask: The purpose is achieved by mentioning the intercessor and negating him, so what is the benefit of mentioning this attribute (being obeyed) and negating it? I say: There is a great benefit in mentioning it. It is attached to the noun so that the negation of the described object (mawṣūf) stands as evidence for the negation of the attribute (ṣifah), because the attribute cannot exist without its object. This removes any illusion of the object's existence. Its explanation: If you are reproached for refraining from battle and you say, "I have no horse to ride, nor do I have a weapon to fight with," you have made the lack of a horse and the absence of a weapon the cause preventing riding and fighting. It is as if you are saying, "How could I ride or fight when I have no horse and no weapon?" Likewise, the meaning of "And no intercessor who is obeyed" is: "How could intercession occur when there is no intercessor?" Thus, mentioning the intercession and providing evidence for its impossibility through the lack of an intercessor places the non-existence of the intercessor in the position of a known, undeniable fact that should not be imagined otherwise.

"He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the breasts conceal."