Sura 56, al-Waqi’ah [inevitable], Mecca 46

The Quranic text & Ali’s version

وَأَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ مَا أَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ ﴿٤١﴾

56:41.  The Companions of the Left Hand - -

what will be the Companions of the Left Hand?

فِي سَمُومٍ وَحَمِيمٍ ﴿٤٢﴾

42.   (They will be) in the midst of a fierce Blast of Fire and in Boiling Water,

C5242. Notice the parallelism in the contrast between those in Bliss and those in Misery. The description in each case pursues the idea of contrast. The fierce Blast of Fire and the Boiling Water are in contrast to the happy Lote-tree and the flowers and fruits in verses 28-29 above.

وَظِلٍّ مِّن يَحْمُومٍ ﴿٤٣﴾

43.  And in the shades of Black Smoke:

C5243. Even the Shades get a different quality in the Abode of Misery: shades of black smoke in contrast to the cool and refreshing long extended shades of trees by brooks in verses 30-31 above.

لَّا بَارِدٍ وَلَا كَرِيمٍ ﴿٤٤﴾

44.  Nothing (will there be) to refresh, nor to please:

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ مُتْرَفِينَ ﴿٤٥﴾

45.  For that they were wont to be indulged, before that, in wealth (and luxury).

C5244. Cf. 34:34, and 43:23.

We must read verses 45-46 together. They had wealth and the good things of life, but they used them in self-indulgence and shameless crime, and now they are in humiliation.

وَكَانُوا يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى الْحِنثِ الْعَظِيمِ ﴿٤٦﴾

46.  And persisted obstinately in wickedness supreme!

C5244a. Wickedness supreme: i.e. their associating others with Allah in His divinity. [eds.]

وَكَانُوا يَقُولُونَ أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا ...

47.  And they used to say,

"what! when we die and become dust and bones,

C5245. Their want of belief and ridicule of Allah's Message contrasts with the stern reality which they see around them now.

... أَئِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ ﴿٤٧﴾

shall we then indeed be raised up again? --

أَوَ آبَاؤُنَا الْأَوَّلُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾

48.  "(We) and our fathers of old?"

قُلْ إِنَّ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخِرِينَ ﴿٤٩﴾

49.  Say:

"Yea, those of old and those of later times,

لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَى مِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ ﴿٥٠﴾

50.  "All will certainly be gathered together for the meeting appointed for a Day Well-known.

C5246. In 26:38 (see n. 3159) the phrase "a day well-known" is used for a solemn day of festival, when the multitude of people gather together.

The Day of Judgment is such a day in the supreme sense of the word.

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ أَيُّهَا الضَّالُّونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ ﴿٥١﴾

51.  "Then will ye truly, o ye that go wrong, and treat (Truth) as Falsehood!

لَآكِلُونَ مِن شَجَرٍ مِّن زَقُّومٍ ﴿٥٢﴾

52.  "Ye will surely taste of the Tree of Zaqqum.

C5247. This is the Cursed Tree mentioned in 17:60, where see n. 2250.

Cf. also 37:62, n. 4072; and 44:43-46 and n. 4722.

فَمَالِؤُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ ﴿٥٣﴾

53.  "Then will ye fill your insides therewith,

فَشَارِبُونَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْحَمِيمِ ﴿٥٤﴾

54.  "And drink Boiling Water on top of it:

فَشَارِبُونَ شُرْبَ الْهِيمِ ﴿٥٥﴾

55.  "Indeed ye shall drink like diseased camels raging with thirst!

هَذَا نُزُلُهُمْ يَوْمَ الدِّينِ ﴿٥٦﴾

56.  Such will be their entertainment on the Day of Requital!