judgment belongs to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Allah Most High then said:
“So today those who believed will laugh at the disbelievers.”
“Today” means the Day of Resurrection. Those who believed will laugh at the disbelievers. Thus, “those who believed” is the subject, “will laugh” is its predicate, and “at the disbelievers” is connected to “will laugh.” The meaning, therefore, is that today those who believed will laugh at the disbelievers. By Allah, this is laughter after which there will be no weeping. As for the criminals’ laughter at the believers in this world, it will be followed by weeping, sorrow, woe, and destruction.
“Upon couches, looking on.”
That is, the believers will be upon couches in Paradise. These couches are sumptuous, beautiful, and splendid. “Looking on” means that they will gaze upon the reward Allah has prepared for them. They will also look upon those who mocked them in this world, watching them suffer Allah’s punishment. Allah Most High said:
“One of them will say, ‘I once had a companion who used to say: Are you truly one of those who believe? When we die and become dust and bones, will we really be brought to account?’ He will say, ‘Would you like to look?’” [al-Sāffāt: 51–54].
He will say this to his companions in Paradise, offering them the opportunity to look upon the companion who, in this world, denied the resurrection and rejected it as false.
“So he looked and saw him in the midst of Hellfire” (al-Sāffāt: 55)—in its depths and at its bottom. He will say to him:
“By Allah, you nearly brought me to ruin! Had it not been for my Lord’s grace, I too would certainly have been among those brought forth for punishment” (al-Sāffāt: 56–67).
Thus, you see that the believers will look upon the disbelievers as they are being punished in the depths of the Fire, while the believers are in Paradise.
Allah Most High then said:
“Have the disbelievers been repaid for what they used to do?”
“Repaid” means recompensed, and the question here serves to establish the fact: Allah Most High has indeed recompensed the disbelievers for what they did in this world. His judgment—Glorified and Exalted is He—is perfectly just. His judgment is always either justice or grace. With respect to those who believed, His judgment and recompense are an act of grace; with respect to the disbelievers, His judgment and recompense are justice. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
This concludes the commentary on Sūrat al-Mutaffifīn that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, enabled us to deliver. We ask Allah Most High to benefit us and you through it and to make us among those who heed admonition and admonish others. He is indeed Bountiful and Generous.