11. Hud

Such like that seizing is the seizing of your Lord when He seizes the towns meaning its inhabitants while they are doing wrong by way of sins in other words nothing can avail them in any way when He seizes them. Truly His seizing is painful severe. The two Shaykhs Bukhārī and Muslim reported by way of an isnād from Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘arī that he said ‘The Prophet s said “God gives extended respite to the evildoer but when He seizes him there is no escape for him” whereupon the Prophet s recited the verse Such is the seizing of your Lord Q. 11102 above’.

There is indeed in that which is mentioned of stories a sign a lesson for him who fears the chastisement of the Hereafter that in other words the Day of Resurrection is a day to which on which mankind will be gathered and that is a day witnessed witnessed by all creatures.

And We do not defer it but to a term already reckoned but to a time predetermined by God.

The day it that day comes no soul shall speak takallamu one of the tā’ letters of tatakallamu has been omitted except by His permission exalted be He. Some of them that is some creatures will be wretched and some of them joyous each having been determined to be thus from pre-eternity.

As for those who are damned according to God’s prior knowledge they will be in the Fire; their lot therein will be wailing which is a loud sound and sighing which is a faint sound;

abiding therein for as long as the heavens and the earth endure that is for the length of the duration of both in this world except other than what your Lord may will in the way of adding to the duration of these two such that it their abiding becomes indefinite meaning that they will abide therein forever. Truly your Lord is Doer of what He desires.

And as for those who are fortunate read sa‘idū or su‘idū they shall be in Paradise abiding therein for as long as the heavens and the earth endure except other than what your Lord may will — as mentioned already of increasing the duration which in their case is indicated by His words an endless bounty one not to be cut off. The interpretation given above seems to be the clear and obvious one devoid of affectation but God knows best what it means.

So do not be O Muhammad (s) in doubt in uncertainty concerning what these folk worship of idols We will indeed chastise them as We did those before them — this is intended as solace for the Prophet s. They worship only as their fathers worshipped — that is in the same way — before and indeed We chastised them; and We shall surely pay them like those fathers of theirs their whole due their portion of the chastisement undiminished that is in full.

And We verily gave Moses the Scripture the Torah but differences arose concerning it some believing others denying just as is the case with the Qur’ān; and were it not for a word that went forth from your Lord to defer the reckoning and the requital for creatures to the Day of Resurrection the case would have been decided between them in this world regarding that over which they differed; and truly they that is those who deny it are in grave doubt concerning it doubt creating great uncertainty.