Not believing in the Hereafter lead to astray – not find the way
23. [al-Muminun, Mecca 74]
Asad’s Version:
23:73
And, verily, thou callest them onto a straight way - (23:74) but, behold, those who will not believe in the life to come are bound to deviate from that way.
(23:75) And even were We to show them mercy and remove whatever distress might befall them [in this life], 45 they would still persist in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.
23:76 And, indeed, We tested them" through suffering, but they did not abase themselves before their Sustainer; and they will never humble themselves
(23:77) until We open before them a gate of (truly] severe suffering [in the life to come]: and then, lo! they will be broken in
spirit. 47
[[Asad’s ntoes - 45 Sc, "as it inevitably befalls all human beings" : an oblique allusion to the fact that human life
is never free from distress.
46 Lit., "We took them to task".
47 Or: "they will despair of all hope".
48 Lit., "and all who are on it". ]]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِنَّكَ لَتَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٧٣﴾
23: 73. But verily thou callest them to the Straight Way;
وَإِنَّ
الَّذِينَ
لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِالْآخِرَةِ
عَنِ الصِّرَاطِ
لَنَاكِبُونَ
﴿٧٤﴾
23: 74. And verily those who believe not in the Hereafter are deviating from that Way.
وَلَوْ
رَحِمْنَاهُمْ
وَكَشَفْنَا
مَا بِهِم مِّن
ضُرٍّ...
23: 75. If We had mercy on them and removed the distress which is on them,
C2921. The reference is to a very severe famine felt in Makkah, which was attributed by the Unbelievers to the presence of the holy Prophet among them and his preaching against their gods.
As this is a Makkan Surah, the famine referred to must be that described by Ibn Kathir as having occurred in the 8th year of the Mission, say about four years before the Hijrah.
There was also a post-Hijrah famine, which is referred to by, Bukhari, but that was a later event.
...لَّلَجُّوا فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ﴿٧٥﴾
they would obstinately persist in their transgression, wandering in distraction to and fro.
وَلَقَدْ
أَخَذْنَاهُم
بِالْعَذَابِ
...
23: 76. We inflicted Punishment on them,
C2922. Some Commentators understand the battle of Badr to be meant here; if so, this particular verse would be of the Madinah period.
But it is better to understand it as referring to the same "distress" as in the preceding verse, or to punishments in general, which obstinate sinners refuse to take as warnings given to them to mend their ways and turn in repentance to Allah.
... فَمَا اسْتَكَانُوا لِرَبِّهِمْ وَمَا يَتَضَرَّعُونَ ﴿٧٦﴾
but they humbled not themselves to their Lord, nor do they submissively entreat (Him)! --
حَتَّى
إِذَا فَتَحْنَا
عَلَيْهِم
بَابًا ذَا
عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ
إِذَا هُمْ
فِيهِ مُبْلِسُونَ
﴿٧٧﴾
23: 77. Until We open on them a gate leading to a severe Punishment: then
Lo! they will be plunged in despair therein!
C2923. Cf. 6:44.
If the little trials in the present life will not open their eyes, will great trials do so?
Unfortunately they only cause in the wicked a feeling of despair.
In the final Punishment after the Judgment, it will be too late for them to repent, and despair will be their only lot.
6: 29 And some [of the unbelievers] say, “There is nothing beyond our life in this world, for We shall not be raised from the dead.” 6:30 If you could but see [them] when they shall be made to stand before their Sustainer [and] he will say, “Is not this the truth?” They will answer: ”Yea, indeed, by our Sustainer!” He will say: “Taste, then the suffering that comes from your having refused to acknowledge the truth!”
6: 31 Lost indeed are they who consider it a lie that they will have to meet God – till the Last Hour suddenly comes upon them, [and] they cry, “Alas for us, that we disregarded it!” – for they shall bear on their backs the burden of their sins: oh, how evil the load with which they shall be burdened!